My First Air-to-air! Flying with WK514

[Pringles]

On Wednesday I was lucky enough to fly alongside, and briefly on-board, de Havilland Chipmunk WK514. This superbly maintained example is resplendent in the colour scheme it wore when serving as an Air Commodore's runaround in Fighter Command. The aim of the flight was to capture WK514 over Wellesbourne, her home since the aircraft was taken into the hands of the Mike Oscar group, in 1997. The weather was fantastic for the latter part of the sortie, and my later flight in the Chippie.

I've been planning this flight since before my GCSEs this year, and I'm indebted to Roger Chamberlain and Nick Coley for their efforts in organising, flying, and allowing me to fly with their Chipmunk. Shooting through perspex was a challenge, and any constructive criticism is most welcome


de-Havilland Chipmunk Cockpit by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


Prop Details by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


Gipsy Major Details by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


Gipsy Major Details by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


Gipsy Major Details by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

My cameraship for the air-to-air sortie:

Cessna 183 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


Chipmunk WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


Chipmunk WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

Missed approach at Wellesbourne:

WK514 Missed Approach by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


WK514 In the Circuit by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, more to come soon

[Dan O'Hagan]

A decent first stab at air-to-air, you've brought out the character of the Chippie very well with some creative framing. I'd even say you've done considerably better than some who seem to make a living off very bland air-to-air-by-numbers these days.

[AndyXH558]

Alex some superb pictures of one of my faivourite aircraft to fly in. did a bit of AEF flying in the Air cadets . As Dano said they are well composed and a great subject to take pics of.

Look forward to seeing more of your pics.

[Pringles]

Thanks chaps! I had the most fun I think I've ever had photographing aircraft, bouncing around in the back of that Cessna

[hmeasures]

Nice one! You seem to have a decent eye for it, a nice varied set with varied shutter speeds too

Shame you had to shoot through perspex, if you sit in the front and take the stay out of the window on a 172/182 it will stay up against the wing due to the airflow

Harry.

[Pringles]

Nice one! You seem to have a decent eye for it, a nice varied set with varied shutter speeds too

Shame you had to shoot through perspex, if you sit in the front and take the stay out of the window on a 172/182 it will stay up against the wing due to the airflow

Harry.

Thanks Harry! Unfortunately on this particular Cessna the window latch was faulty, so it was necessary for me to sit in the back. The benefit of being in the back was that the high wing was less obtrusive for the more dynamic Chippie manoeuvres. Swings and roundabouts I guess - though the reflections were a bugger!

[Tommy]

Splendid stuff, especially for your first try. Well done, buddy.

[Pringles]

Thanks Tommy, here's a few more:


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

XM655 from above:

Vulcan XM655 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

Thanks for looking,
Alex

[Ryan.]

What a beautiful aeroplane the Chipmonk is. Cracking photos.

[Pringles]

Thanks Ryan, here's the last of them!


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

Our flight included passing over the former RAF Gaydon, now the site of Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin's test track and offices, and also the Gaydon Heritage Centre seen in this photo:

WK514 over the Gaydon Heritage Centre by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


WK514 by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

One from my flight in the Chipmunk - the clear skies and evening light made it one of the most magical few moments of my life!

Wellesbourne over my Wing by Alexander Prins, on Flickr


Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield by Alexander Prins, on Flickr

[Dragon Rapide]

Those are truly wonderful pictures and bring back two sets of memories - Chippie flights as a cadet in the late 50s and living in Wellesbourne village for a year or so in the mid 60s. Many thanks for sharing what must have been an unforgettable experience.

[Pringles]

Thanks DR, unforgettable is certainly the word!

[58Hustler]

Well caught.In my humble opinion air to air is THE most rewarding genre of photography there is.
The experience itself is fantastic and the photos are a superb by-product.
Now you'll be itching to do it again.