Long time lurker, sometimes poster.
I've had a very turbulent 12 months, both inside and outside of the hobby. My move to Cardiff last year seems to have been successful, and I graduate from the intense and frankly bloody slogworthy university course next weekend - and started a new job in the fine gem of South Wales, and moved into a new house with the GF and have two little kittens which are busy ruining curtains and chewing everything.
Inside the hobby, lack of funds and spare time this year has meant I haven't been able to get about as much, but I still experienced my fair share, and I've enjoyed stuff. Really desperate for a trip abroad again, though. I did try and hang up my UKAR spurs last November, not wishing to be a dead-weight-staffer, but the rest of the team wouldn't let me for reasons I still haven't got a clue about. However, it was an absolute pleasure to continue to write for this place. I'm particularly proud on a personal level of the Scampton airshow debrief - to some it may not have been much, but I felt it answered a lot of questions (and asked a few more). To my knowledge no-one else has really put questions to DBH about the show, and as a snapshot in time, I'm glad I was able to. And I'm glad TomG and AndyA at DBH were able to sit down with Andy and myself for that meeting.
Looking forwards, I'd quite like to do more hard-hitting (but always courteous and professional) interview/analysis for this site.
On another personal note, it was bloody hard work, but I was glad to take over the "Live Arrivals" from Andy this year for RIAT. Feels like I barely took breath during those three days, my eyes either glued to my viewfinder or my phone, but I'm glad we had a *relatively* hitch-free ride.
Anyway, it's that time of year, and I'm sure many other more competent photographers will follow, but nevertheless here's a "season retrospective" as PlanesTV used to put it.
This post contains airshows and modern (and now not so modern!) Mil - Mods, hope you don't mind.
Two weeks into the year, the last of the legacy Lynx machines were retired. In pretty fine fettle, I must say, from the AAC. It wasn't ground-breaking or unmissable, but as a nice salute to a faithful mount, it was a nice way to retire an aircraft, good special tail and all. Their tour flew various locations around the south, these are from Upavon:
Last growl by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Suspended in a sunbeam by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Order of Battle by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Cat D by Tom Jones, on FlickrThen, not even a week later, I managed to pop down to Yeovil to catch the second RNoAF Merlin on delivery, which fated better than the first machine delivered the previous November! After that early morning stint, I popped to Yeovilton for a day at the fence - it's been so long since I spent some time at the fence, and was rewarded with some very nice stuff from the Junlgie versions of the same. If you can bare the cold and unpredictable weather, winter-spotting is awesome. The low-light all day looks so lovely compared to the flatter summer light we're used to
2nd Time Lucky by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Wild Westland by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Jungle Rumble by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Merlin Magic by Tom Jones, on FlickrExams in February put a stop to most stuff, but who remembers the snow in March! Not had it like that for some years, and personally I love it. So, once my parents' place in the hills above Welshpool ad been snowploughed, I managed to *just* get there for a Loop trip - with the Tornado retirement looming, I couldn't waste an opportunity and risk it for the chocolate biscuit that is a Tornado low-level in the snow. I've been going to the Loop for years - Dad used to take there often, but I've never had such a trecherous climb up to the top shelf of the Bwlch as I did that day. The snow was up to my knees, and if I didn't have a decent idea where the path and rocks were, I wouldn't have even tried. But try I did, and I was the only one up there that day. I thought it was a waste when I heard Typhoons and the USAF binning their attempt off and RTB, but Marham delivered not once but twice, and I'm so glad that they did:
Mighty Finland by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Storm in a T-Cup by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Snowed In by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Tankless T by Tom Jones, on FlickrNext up in May was a Cosford press-launch which once again UKAR were invited to. I've been to a couple, being the local boy, but those days will probably be over, given my move, but I went one last time with Ian to try and get what information we could about this year's event. Nice to speak to TomM who turned up in the back of the Chinook. And indeed, nice to speak to the crew, with whom I had a personal connection this year. Funny how small the world is
New Girl by Tom Jones, on Flickr
The Right Idea by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Green Machine by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Crew-up by Tom Jones, on FlickrMy first actual show turned out to be Cosford, a month later. Exams put paid to all of the Shuttleworth goodness that took place, to say nothing of the other shows around. Day one was spent on the station platform with familiar faces, day two inside.
SAR-Me-Happy by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Millenial Falcon by Tom Jones, on Flickr
BoB Nod by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Ironwings by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Polish Gas by Tom Jones, on Flickr
HonourBadge by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Teichman Tip-In by Tom Jones, on Flickr
RAFale100 by Tom Jones, on Flickr
DSC_9508 by Tom Jones, on Flickr
DSC_9955 by Tom Jones, on Flickr
DSC_7177 by Tom Jones, on Flickr
DSC_7221 by Tom Jones, on Flickr
DSC_9311 by Tom Jones, on FlickrAnd to Weston - lovely Weston. A cheap and decent seaside airshow - light was balls and the display line felt a lot further away, but a charming summer event to attend, and just the tonic I needed at the time. Nice to see a Danish Fennec there - they always seem to catch some decent foreign chopper or two.
Hurrigunner by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Fox in the weeds by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Weston Whirlwind by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Shawbury Shore by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Sea-51 by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Oh Man! by Tom Jones, on FlickrYeovilton was next up. A great show again, despite the common back-lit conditions. Nice to see a small return to the Commando Assault finale.
Rollin' by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Old Ways by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Return of a Champ by Tom Jones, on FlickrAnyone who has never been to Yeovilton and hears the regular criticism of static barriers - this is what we mean:
TooManyZoos by Tom Jones, on FlickrAward for the best static:
Gift-wrapped by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Wild chat by Tom Jones, on Flickr
BlackBravo by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Junglie Jax by Tom Jones, on FlickrThen swiftly on to RIAT - oh my god where on earth do I start with that.. Probably warrants its own thread, really but here we are:
Tuesday:
Kwakapproach by Tom Jones, on Flickr
BigBanner by Tom Jones, on FlickrWhat could have been
MarineMelt by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Missed Op by Tom Jones, on FlickrThursday
The Knife's knife-edge by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Giant's return by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Cooking Meatbox by Tom Jones, on Flickr
NavyJink by Tom Jones, on Flickr
SentPartrol by Tom Jones, on FlickrThursday:
SmartieCereal by Tom Jones, on Flickr
The last by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Beast from the East by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Absolute Unit by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Su-Brake by Tom Jones, on FlickrFriday didn't yeild a huge amount, but was fun nonetheless
Frocket by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Dicey Dass' by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Edaymn! by Tom Jones, on FlickrSaturday was a lot better weather-wise
SlidingSlov by Tom Jones, on Flickr
AnTing by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Super Su by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Exchange Student by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Diamond Deltas by Tom Jones, on Flickr
+++ by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Finnicky Finns by Tom Jones, on FlickrAnd Sunday was great!
Birthday Missile by Tom Jones, on FlickrGot to say, I was mightily impressed with the F-35s appearances over the weekend, both the B and A.
To The Moon by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Hill Climber by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Lead with the chin by Tom Jones, on Flickr
New Dog, Old Tricks by Tom Jones, on FlickrThank god they used a spare jet!
Canted Canuck by Tom Jones, on Flickr
BrightFalcon by Tom Jones, on Flickr
GiantClass by Tom Jones, on Flickr
FinnFlip by Tom Jones, on FlickrAnd Monday, which was a rather tame affair this year tbh, but maybe that's because I was just exhausted.
For the final time:
One Last Time by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Rock the Boat by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Thunder-stealer by Tom Jones, on Flickr
SplinterHunt by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Marked Exec by Tom Jones, on FlickrThen a significant blank as further exams took place, and then just before my (successful!) results day, I attended the last show of the year to distract myself, and distracted I was. A great way to underline the 2018 season. My, how I had missed that place this year
SooperSecret by Tom Jones, on Flickr
AR Return by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Blue Sky Thinking by Tom Jones, on Flickr
"Ran through a field of wheat..." by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Elegance Defined by Tom Jones, on Flickr
Oblique, on Fleek by Tom Jones, on FlickrHonestly, though, on the photography side, I haven't quite been feeling the mojo. Everything has felt a bit stale, and what creativity I have managed to have a crack at, I'm not really happy with. Something I'll have to work on next year, for sure. It's only reviewing this thread that it's basically a load of topsides and little else - I'm bored by my own stuff!
C&C very welcome as always. Also as always, well done if you've made it this far!
Cheers,
Tom
