A RARE AIRCRAFT - B-29 SUPERFORTRESS

B-29 Superfortress , part of the ”AirPower History Tour” by the Commemorative Air Force, Dubuque Regional Airport, 7/28/2024

The biggest attraction for most people that came to the Dubuque Airport last weekend was the B-29 Superfortress ”FIFI”. It is one of only two aircrafts that are still airworthy. The B-29 played an essential role in WWII in the Pacific to end the war with Japan.

”FIFI” underwent a restoration between 2006 and 2010 and has now four custom built hybrid engines.

Weather conditions prevented the morning flight on Sunday but finally mid afternoon I was able to watch a takeoff and later the safe landing of the aircraft. I shot from the same location as already a week ago, just outside the fence that surrounds the airfield and next to the terminal building. The biggest challenge was to keep the fence out of the frame whenever possible. I brought a little foldable stepping stool and used it for most of the pictures.

While taxiing between the ramp and the runway only the two inner engines are used and the outer props are at a standstill.

Having a once in a lifetime experience and flying with the B-29 is not a small expense. The “bombardier seat”, the one the gentleman in the white shirt is in, can be booked for $1,995. The CAF is a non-profit organization and the money is used to keep these historical airplanes flying. https://www.airpowersquadron.org/b-29-superfortress

A GORGEOUS AIRCRAFT, PT-13 STEARMAN

PT-13 Stearman taxiing to the runway at Dubuque Regional Airport during CAF AirPower History Tour

This weekend the Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit educational organization, brought the ”AirPower History Tour” to the Dubuque Regional Airport. People were able to to view three different historical WWII aircrafts up close and book rides. I’m still working through my images from the last two days at the airport but I will show some photos of one of the rarest and most remarkable airplanes in a later post next week.

Today I start with a picture of a Boeing PT-13, known as the Stearman. This plane is recognized as the quintessential primary trainer for American aviators in World War II.

The Stearman was on static display only (no rides), but when this gorgeous looking plane finally took off from the airport this afternoon, I was able to make this shot while it taxied to the runway.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4,  @ 200mm, 1/60s, f/25, ISO 100, image cropped

P-51 MUSTANGS

Tomorrow starts the big AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and the pilots with their aircrafts that spent part of last week here at the Dubuque Regional Airport have left today. I was out a couple more times this weekend to watch starts and landings and of course, for photography. Today I like to share a few images of some gorgeous looking P-51 Mustang that trained here for the airshow. The P-51 Mustang is a long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts.

PRACTICE FOR THE 2018 AIR VENTURE IN OSHKOSH

Next week is the 2018 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI, the world’s greatest aviation celebration with more than 10,000 aircrafts arriving and 500,000+ people attending. As every year, numerous airplanes practice for the airshow at the Dubuque Regional Airport the week before. This year the 80th anniversary of the T-6 Texan will be celebrated. This aircraft first flew on Sept. 18, 1938. Usually there are about 50 T-6 at the show but this year 80 of this historic aircrafts are expected. This airshow will feature a 28-ship T-6 formation to create a large “80” and other formations over Oshkosh.

Well, everybody who took the time to go to the Dubuque Airport during the last couple days had a chance to see how this all will unfold in Oshkosh. Both days it was a great excitement to see how the T-6s were lined up with spinning props, getting ready for take-off, two at a time.

Both days the airplanes came back in different formations, including the “80”. Today we had a strong gray overcast and all ground to air pictures just sucked. Hence the blue sky is from yesterday’s shooting while the pilots flew over the airfield.

T-6 #217 of the Royal Canadian Air Force

I positioned myself at the southern end of the runway, just outside of the fence, and it was an unbelievable spectacle when all planes arrived back at the airport.

This N134SM/44005/HM-05 Beech T-34B Mentor (BG-312) flew above the T-6 formation and seemed to direct and lead the whole show.

ADDING SOME SCALE

Another photo from yesterday’s shooting at the Dubuque Airport. This little helicopter flew by several times at the new observation deck. As already mentioned, I was there for the clouds, but having a flying object in the frame may change the subject. Well, the picture is still about the clouds for me, the helicopter just adds scale to the image. Other than that, shooting aircrafts is always a great exercise for birds-in-flight-photography.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER RUNWAY

I went back to the Dubuque Airport on Saturday. The pilots used a different runway for starts and landings, far away from the observation point of the Dubuque airport, and out of reach for a decent photo. I drove on a small gravel road that leads to the end of the runway and tried my luck again. I arrived there just in time to watch three P-51D’s taking off.

Most of the T-6’s trained in formations of four for the AirVenture in Oshkosh and when they come in for landing the photographer gets four chances in a row for a picture. I missed a few but I like this shot because I pre-visualized where I wanted to make the click, right between the two clouds.

When I took this photo I didn’t really know what I had in front of my lens. This is ‘Doc’, one of only two flying B-29’s in the world. If one of my valued blog readers is interested in the amazing story about this airplane and its restoration, here is the link: http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/restoration-doc-flies-again-180960367/

WEEKEND AT THE AIRPORT

Regional Airport, Dubuque, Iowa

On Monday starts the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, an annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts from all over the world with more than 10,000 aircraft. The week before the North American Trainer Association (NATA) has a gathering at the Regional Airport in Dubuque, Iowa and many of their T-6’s can be seen every year. I was at the airport Friday evening and yesterday afternoon but because of weather (we had a tornado warning yesterday) all aircraft were just parked on the tarmac.

This morning I had a chance to point my lens at some of the T-6’s and a P-51D as they finally took off and headed to Oshkosh for the big airshow next week. I shot between 1/100s and 1/125s because I wanted the prop of the planes blurred. With a hazy blue sky in the back it is not so easy to communicate fast motion but the blurred prop tells the story.

You may ask, why do you shoot aircraft as a wildlife and nature photographer? First, I have a deep respect for those who keep these old airplanes flying. They are part of our history and I believe it is important to keep it alive for the younger generation. Second, it is a great practice for shooting a moving subject and I’m certain that my wildlife photography can benefit from. And third, most old aircraft have an esthetic appeal to me, like many other historic master pieces of engineering.

STOP FOR THE LIGHT

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (click on image for larger size)

 

I was flying back home from Dallas, TX with a stop-over in Chicago O’Hare very early today. Usually there isn’t much time between flights but when I saw the light unfolding, with “angel rays” over the skyline of downtown Chicago and some great reflections on the tarmac and the parked aircrafts, I couldn’t resist to get the camera out of the bag and make this shot through the glass of the terminal window…