The regular AN124 visitors to Everett continue.  This time of year can often bring northerly winds which means a departure up past the Future of Flight building.  Having a heavy Ruslan depart that way can mean a nice angle to get on rotation as well as the climb out which, while a bit backlit, makes for a good change.  I was happy with the takeoff but, as the jet climbed away to the north, the smoky combustion of the old D-18 engines was clear to see.  The further that they climbed out, the less the plane was obvious and the more the smoke trail was.  A bit of mixing from the trailing vortices helped as well.  A lot of the people around me were commenting on how dirty it was.