Memorial Day 2009 - Air Show Staging @ Farmingdale Airport, Long Island

m8o · 12:08 AM

Featuring, the Thunderbirds...

I'm slow in posting, Memorial Day having past a few weeks. But at least this time I got thru PP in one day, even if I didn't share them w/my fellow Pentaxians here...

A good friend of mine lives nextdoor to a guy who's in the Civilian Air Reserve (I think it's called). I was over at his house [friend, not the other guy] Saturday before Memorial Day for what turned out to be a rip-roar'n good time. He was telling me about how his neighbor gets him into the VIP area (on the tarmac on the right side of the fenses). He tells me one year it's the Thunderbirds, the next the Blue Angels, then back again. This year it was the Thunderbirds.

All photos are here: http://public.fotki.com/m8o/outdoor_adventures/farmingdale-airport/memorial-day-2009-f/

The following are some samples, some are some of my favs:

Was "too close" and needed the 12-24/4 on the camera to fit the planes in the frame:

...but at the same time even at the long end of that zoom you can't see very much detail with such a wide angle.

I like to capture candid life. ...it's all about the children...

I put the Tamron 28-75/2.8 on for some more flexibility...

Some interesting activity going on there. (More on that later.)

But being 75mm on the long end, I was missing some interesting planes taking off. This, being a bit of a crop of the frame:

This being an extremely heavy crop .... very suky.

After the above Crappy photo, it was time to bring out the big gun. Sigma 300/2.8. Later I settled on also using the 1.4X TC. I tried the 2x TC but didn't get one keeper handheld. That Mig above was a victim of that instance too. didn't get one good photo of it. :ugh:

Love the guy w/the 3 pound sledge on the wing... hahaha.

There was some concern whether they'd go up, as Jones Beach where they were going to do the show had something like a 400 foot cloud ceiling. But when we saw the parachutes going out, our spirits rose.

And go up they did... in droves. Lets get to some of the good stuff. I was so happy I had the long lens + TC on.

Oop, almost missed it. Wing anyone?

m8o · 06-07-2009, 12:23 AM

A bit of a crop. Love how the plane's at the edge of the the cloud line.

Pre crop

They're still at it...

Almost missed this one...

Must be a union job... lol

I had the 2x TC on here and for all the photos in this post. That's really far away 1/2 mile or a mile. Lot's of heat distortion.

Takeoff!

You'll see her again later...

After missing all the shots of a A-10 taking off and many others I deleted, I decided to lose the 2X TC in favor of the 1.4x.

m8o · 06-07-2009, 12:33 AM

The Pilots have little gold emblems on their shoulders. Perhaps a Pilot's meeting discussing how they'll alter the show being down two planes... perhaps discussing where they'll be going for beers.

We were saying "don't they still have to get into their flight suits?" but with a few rips of velcro...

The Flight-suit emerges

We were amazed this was allowed to fly over...

Fun Photos with Heat Wash...

I was bummed... They saluted so fast I couldn't catch it:

m8o · 06-07-2009, 01:10 AM

Before they could take off, some folks had to come home...

I SUK AT THIS ... that couuld have been such a good photo. <ugh>

GRR... SIGMA NEEDS TO RELEASE THE 100-300/2.8 IN PENTAX MOUNT I have like 10 photos of parts of planes and not one complete one as they flew over... grrr

She's back...

Hi-G Turn...

Heat wash passing from right to left from a plane out of frame.

And these guys just keep operating.

I should mention we were all given ear plugs, and later noise deadening headphones. We needed them as those jets roar!

Hope you enjoyed my narrated sampling out of the 280 photos I took that afternoon.

p.s. If anyone wishes to reply to any of the ablve posts, please don't quote the whole message.

Last edited by m8o; 06-07-2009 at 01:18 AM.

Erasmo · 06-07-2009, 02:04 AM

Beautiful serie!

roentarre · 06-07-2009, 03:09 AM

Seriously a good series of images. A lot of images in one post! Great display of events rolling out before my eyes.

7.62lew · 06-07-2009, 09:02 AM

Awesome series. Thanks for posting.

vievetrick · 06-07-2009, 01:51 PM

air shows are so cool!!! great shots from a nice place to shoot. Always a bummer shooting over peoples heads but looks like not an issue for you. Thanks for sharing.

**SCGushue** · 06-07-2009, 03:55 PM

Excellent! A serious collection of quality images, many of them well seen and creatively captured. A long day and a heavy lens. How's the arm doing?

Stephen

**dcmsox2004** · 06-07-2009, 04:07 PM

some very nice shots... especially the f4u corsair and the b-17 in flight..
also, capturing the exhaust was a nice touch...... most overlook this aspect...
you also had great weather for this event !!!
from a warbird fan, thanks!!!!!!!

9thumbs · 06-07-2009, 09:51 PM

Awesome shots! Love the vintage WWII stuff. P-51s were beautiful!

cardinal43 · 06-08-2009, 10:03 AM

Nicely done! FYI: the little "gold" things on their shoulders are their rank. In this case = Major. If they were silver, they would be Lt. Col, and if it was an "eagle", they would be Colonels. (O-4, O-5, and O-6, respectively and "O" signifies Officer). I can't tell you about the guys actually working on the planes as they are all enlisted.

PeterAM · 06-08-2009, 10:24 AM

Some nice stuff here! I really like the shots of the Corsair. Unfortunately, the picture of the guy on the wing with the sledge takes me back to my days in the Air Force. I always found it a bit disconcerting to see somebody flailing away with a hammer or wrench on an aircraft that I was about to go up in.

Leaf Fan · 06-08-2009, 10:44 AM

Very nice, thanks for letting us experience the show.

... and those F-16's don't roar, they SCREAM. I used to be a pilot (not jets), and volunteered for an air show one year, basically ground crew. I got to stand about 30 feet away from an F-16 during a run-up on the ground. With earplugs and headset I could still hear the SCREAM as it peirced my ears. I had to just pop off the hearing protection for a second just to hear what it was really like and WOW, like I said SCREAMING.....

jmc7104 · 06-08-2009, 12:12 PM

Great shots. I would certainly appreciate a special designated area to shoot from rather than compete with the white lense group, especially when I need to use a walker to get around, and not have 15 people croud me off the the line where I have been setting for 3 hours. Will be shooting our local air show here the 20th or the 2ist depending on the weather. Or maybe not at all if as hot and humid as the weather is today. We are supposed to have the Harrier here for the show and I never have had the opportunity to photograph it. Most of the show will be a repeat of last year as the Blue Angels will make a repeat again this year.

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06-07-2009, 12:33 AM	#3
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092 Original Poster	The Pilots have little gold emblems on their shoulders. Perhaps a Pilot's meeting discussing how they'll alter the show being down two planes... perhaps discussing where they'll be going for beers. We were saying "don't they still have to get into their flight suits?" but with a few rips of velcro... The Flight-suit emerges We were amazed this was allowed to fly over... Fun Photos with Heat Wash... I was bummed... They saluted so fast I couldn't catch it: Last edited by m8o; 06-07-2009 at 12:42 AM.

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06-07-2009, 12:23 AM	#2
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092 Original Poster	A bit of a crop. Love how the plane's at the edge of the the cloud line. Pre crop They're still at it... Almost missed this one... Must be a union job... lol I had the 2x TC on here and for all the photos in this post. That's really far away 1/2 mile or a mile. Lot's of heat distortion. Takeoff! You'll see her again later... After missing all the shots of a A-10 taking off and many others I deleted, I decided to lose the 2X TC in favor of the 1.4x.

06-07-2009, 01:10 AM	#4
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092 Original Poster	Before they could take off, some folks had to come home... I SUK AT THIS ... that couuld have been such a good photo. <ugh> GRR... SIGMA NEEDS TO RELEASE THE 100-300/2.8 IN PENTAX MOUNT I have like 10 photos of parts of planes and not one complete one as they flew over... grrr She's back... Hi-G Turn... Heat wash passing from right to left from a plane out of frame. And these guys just keep operating. I should mention we were all given ear plugs, and later noise deadening headphones. We needed them as those jets roar! Hope you enjoyed my narrated sampling out of the 280 photos I took that afternoon. p.s. If anyone wishes to reply to any of the ablve posts, please don't quote the whole message. Last edited by m8o; 06-07-2009 at 01:18 AM.

06-07-2009, 02:04 AM	#5
Erasmo Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 191	Beautiful serie!

06-07-2009, 03:09 AM	#6
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Seriously a good series of images. A lot of images in one post! Great display of events rolling out before my eyes.

06-07-2009, 09:02 AM	#7
7.62lew Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Carolina Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,192	Awesome series. Thanks for posting.

06-07-2009, 01:51 PM	#8
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	air shows are so cool!!! great shots from a nice place to shoot. Always a bummer shooting over peoples heads but looks like not an issue for you. Thanks for sharing.

06-07-2009, 03:55 PM	#9
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449	Excellent! A serious collection of quality images, many of them well seen and creatively captured. A long day and a heavy lens. How's the arm doing? Stephen

06-07-2009, 04:07 PM	#10
dcmsox2004 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: rhode island Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,522	some very nice shots... especially the f4u corsair and the b-17 in flight.. also, capturing the exhaust was a nice touch...... most overlook this aspect... you also had great weather for this event !!! from a warbird fan, thanks!!!!!!!

06-07-2009, 09:51 PM	#11
9thumbs Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Photos: Gallery Posts: 101	Awesome shots! Love the vintage WWII stuff. P-51s were beautiful!

06-08-2009, 10:03 AM	#12
cardinal43 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,412	Nicely done! FYI: the little "gold" things on their shoulders are their rank. In this case = Major. If they were silver, they would be Lt. Col, and if it was an "eagle", they would be Colonels. (O-4, O-5, and O-6, respectively and "O" signifies Officer). I can't tell you about the guys actually working on the planes as they are all enlisted.

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06-08-2009, 10:24 AM	#13
PeterAM Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Litchfield, CT Posts: 539	Some nice stuff here! I really like the shots of the Corsair. Unfortunately, the picture of the guy on the wing with the sledge takes me back to my days in the Air Force. I always found it a bit disconcerting to see somebody flailing away with a hammer or wrench on an aircraft that I was about to go up in.

06-08-2009, 10:44 AM	#14
Leaf Fan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canada eh! Photos: Gallery Posts: 673	Very nice, thanks for letting us experience the show. ... and those F-16's don't roar, they SCREAM. I used to be a pilot (not jets), and volunteered for an air show one year, basically ground crew. I got to stand about 30 feet away from an F-16 during a run-up on the ground. With earplugs and headset I could still hear the SCREAM as it peirced my ears. I had to just pop off the hearing protection for a second just to hear what it was really like and WOW, like I said SCREAMING.....

06-08-2009, 12:12 PM	#15
jmc7104 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rock Island, Illinois 61201 Photos: Gallery Posts: 436	Great shots. I would certainly appreciate a special designated area to shoot from rather than compete with the white lense group, especially when I need to use a walker to get around, and not have 15 people croud me off the the line where I have been setting for 3 hours. Will be shooting our local air show here the 20th or the 2ist depending on the weather. Or maybe not at all if as hot and humid as the weather is today. We are supposed to have the Harrier here for the show and I never have had the opportunity to photograph it. Most of the show will be a repeat of last year as the Blue Angels will make a repeat again this year.