Tag Archives: Everett

Off to Warsaw

If you buy a car, you go to the dealer to pick it up. If you buy an airliner, there might not be a dealer but you will still go to pick it up. After the production test flights have been completed, the customer gets to carry out their own test flights. If all squawks have been dealt with, time to pay and take the “keys”. Then a crew from the airline will fly the plane to their home base. This 787 had been handed over to LOT and the crew were flying it back to Warsaw. Delivery flights are often obvious from the takeoff roll. Fueled up for a long trip, they use a bit more of the runway than the test flights do. In a short while, this jet will be busy plying the LOT route structure.

That Rare Beast, the 109

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The Bf-109 was built in huge numbers but a very small number of them survive. The Hispano Buchon was a 109 fitted with a Merlin engine and they served after the war and ultimately made their way into collections in bigger numbers but real 109s are a lot thinner on the ground. They also look so much meaner in my mind courtesy of the thicker nose for the DB engine. FHCAM has a 109 and it flew during the European Theater Day.

It went out for a run in the morning and I got a couple of quick shots of it then. It flew again in the afternoon, this time paired with the Mosquito. Sadly, there were limited times when they were alone and the Mosquito was a priority for me that day so the 109 did not get my focus. I did get to shoot a few frames of it and, with a sunny day bringing out the camouflage nicely, I was quite pleased with the results. Obviously there are better conditions to shoot it but I had very few 109 airborne shots before this day so I expanded the collection quite a bit.

Finally I Get to See the Mossie

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I last saw a Mosquito in flight in the early 1990s when the BAe operated example was on the air show circuit prior to its loss at Barton. I had assumed at that time that I was unlikely to see another one fly. I never saw Kermit Weeks’ example fly and it has been on the ground for a long time. I hadn’t counted on the recent interest from collectors in getting rare aircraft rebuilt. The Mosquito has been a popular project and there are a couple now flying in the US and, I think, another one in Canada. It is great to see people with the available funds getting these aircraft back in the skies (even if these are pretty close to totally new builds).

One of the Mossies is part of Paul Allen’s collection and the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum (FHCAM). It had flown a few times since we moved to the area but I had not seen it fly until they held their European Theater Day. I was determined to see it this time. I had forgotten just how large an aircraft the Mossie is. It flew with a bunch of other fighters and included a number of passes with a 109. The Mossie is huge when next to the 109 and it really has presence. It is a bit of a pain to photograph because the color scheme has camouflage upper surfaces and black undersides. With the sun high in the sky, this makes for a very contrasty subject.

I probably got a little overenthusiastic photographing the plane. It was parked on the ramp before and after the flypasts although not well positioned for the light in either case. That didn’t stop me though. When it was flying it got my maximum attention – a little bit of a compromise since the 109 it was partnered with was also something worthy of some shots. I did get a few of them and they will be in an upcoming post. It is nice to have finally shot a Mossie though after all of this time. I look forward to seeing it again, particularly on its own and in more of a display format.

A Primer 747 Really Catches the Sun

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A primer finish on a jet looks a lot more dramatic in sunny conditions. The green finish of the protective film is quite reflective so the sun really makes the plane shine. This 747-8F freighter was carrying out some production test flying from Everett during a visit. I was getting ready to leave when it came in so I got a bunch of shots. As I was driving away, I heard the sound of a jet and it turned out the plane had landed, turned around and taken off in the opposite direction.

I was a bit annoyed as I saw it climb and turn pretty sharply – I assume it was lightly loaded. Then it became apparent it was going to make a teardrop turn and come back in to land again. Since I was now on the road home, I pulled off into a parking lot somewhere close to the line of the approach path and got the camera back out. Into view it came and flew across right ahead of me. I got a few extra shots. Not the dramatic climbing turn but still a nice to have addition.

A Surprise Appearance of This Two-Seater

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Paine Field is the home of Paul Allen’s collection which includes a MiG29UB. I had seen it being dragged around the airport once but had never seen it fly. I was there to catch the Catfish, as described in this post, when a loud engine noise came from the right. I hadn’t been paying attention but, when the MiG taxied towards us, I certainly did. It came right by where I was and then held at the end of the runway before lining up and departing – sadly in dry power only. It was a bit far away and the heat haze was bad but who wouldn’t take a shot anyway?

Stirring Spitfire Performance

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In my younger days, I was all about modern aircraft and didn’t have much interest in warbirds. Over time and having been involved with a number of groups that operate these aircraft, I have grown far more interested. Being in the US, you get a lot of American vintage aircraft to see. In the UK I might not have been so bothered about Spitfires but, now I see them less often, they have become of greater interest.

The later model Spitfires seem less graceful to me but the earlier models have a simpler and more elegant appearance. This one was carrying out some flybys at Paine Field during the Open Day. The rumble of the Merlin is well known and common to the P-51s. The line of the Spitfire is unique, though, and seeing it swooping by was really quite exciting. What a great looking aircraft.

Does No-One Want This 747? Tell Me the Story…

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This is a request for information from anyone who might know the story. The 747-8I has not been a huge success for Boeing. It has sold in limited number with the biggest customer being Lufthansa. A long time 747 operator, they ordered 20 of the aircraft. However, they only took delivery of 19 and cancelled the remaining aircraft. Boeing had originally taken it back to use for trials work and they retained it afterwards.

For a long time, it was stored down in Arizona. Recently, it was reactivated and I saw it was coming up to Everett again so managed to catch it arriving. Since it arrived, I don’t know what it has been used for. I also don’t know why Boeing decided it should return. Perhaps there is something more to happen with it. I understand that the two jets that were originally destined for a Russian airline but were never delivered are going to go into the Presidential transport program but I don’t think this jet is part of that. Does anyone know why it is back?

Emirates’ Latest on Test

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An Emirates 777-300ER is hardly a rarity. They have a huge fleet of them and, since this one is a new build aircraft on test at Boeing, the fleet is going to grow. What made this one fun was the light. Some stormy weather had been in the area and the sun was out on the white fuselage while the background was still looking rather mean. Both on the runway and on the approach, it shone brightly against the background and that is why I am sharing it today.

Dreamlifter Shape Explored

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Since the Dreamlifters are a regular feature around this part of the world, catching a movement is not a big deal. That gives you a chance to think about shooting the planes in a different way. I have been interested in the shape of the structure and the texture it has. Since the Dreamlifters have been built to serve one purpose – that of moving bits of the 787s around the world – they are functional rather than elegant. The shape is designed to maximize the capacity.

Meanwhile, the modifications have been made to a base airframe so some of the joints between the new structure and the original are pretty agricultural. The number of fasteners that are visible on the surface are substantial. This is not a problem. The plane serves a purpose and it does this well. The way in which the fuselage shape transitions from the original 747 lines into the Dreamlifter lines are also very interesting. A tighter shot gives you a good view of how the curves come together.

The Dreamlifter is not a beauty. I don’t even think it is as good looking as the Belugas that Airbus uses which have a more integrated feel to their design. However, it does the job well and it is nice to have a different shape in an era when every airliner is looking like every other. A bit of variety is a welcome thing and, while I am lucky to be close to them on a regular basis, I shall continue to appreciate what I get to see.

Departing Dreamlifter Finds the One Cloud

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A convenient departure of a Dreamlifter from Everett meant I could get up there to see it go. The day was very nice so I was optimistic of getting a reasonable shot of it. I saw it taxi out at the far end of the field (that extra tall fin the 400LCF has makes it easy to see over the ridges in the field) and it turned towards me and accelerated.

The light was shining off the fuselage and it rotated as it came over the ridge towards me. Just as it got airborne and into a nice position, it found the one shadow that was anywhere in Snohomish county at that point. It isn’t awful but it was pretty bloody disappointing. As it climbed away, back into the sun of course!