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

OUT AT THE AIRPORT

Well, we are already deep into July and next week is the AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin again, the largest airshow in the world. As every year some airplanes use the Dubuque Airport as a stop on the way to Oshkosh. I counted 24 Texan T6’s parked in front of the hangars this evening. They are here for some practice for the airshows in Oshkosh and usually leave on Sunday. Unfortunately only two of them went out for a flight while I was there.

My best photo from today is this N133JF, a Bellanca 8KCAB Decathlon, built in 1973. The plane taxied to the runway for a takeoff. Despite the relativ slow speed it was still important to pan with the long lens to get some motion blur of the background. A slow shutter speed of 1/125s guaranteed also a little bit of blur on the propeller. Both elements in the photo are used to tell the story of a moving airplane. I hope I get some more shots from the Dubuque Airport later this upcoming weekend. It’s hot outside but I always enjoy spending time with the camera to get a few photos of prop planes.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S,   @ 600 mm, 1/125 s, f/10, ISO 100

WAITING IS NOT ALWAYS BORING…

Sunrise at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

Yesterday morning I was waiting for my next flight in the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in Texas. The glass of the airport window was not very clean, to say it mildly, but so close to the lens it worked like a diffuser. The light was ”killer” on the fuselage of the plane parked at our gate. The second photo was taken 2 minutes earlier, just before the sun came up at the horizon. I thought that shot works as well, with three airplanes in the sky at the same time and gorgeous light. Waiting for a connection flight is not always boring…