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Post by Gavin Conroy on Feb 21, 2008 12:08:15 GMT 12
Here are a few shots taken today of the magnificent Catalina. For the other people who enjoy taking photos, they were taken with my new EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM. have read reveiws, some good, and some bad but that is the nature of reviews but so far I quite like it and main reason for its purchase was to have a lens that is small and compact and this one seems to go quite well.  Will follow with some more photos later.    |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 21, 2008 12:56:49 GMT 12
Lovely.
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Post by FlyingKiwi on Feb 21, 2008 15:57:06 GMT 12
Results so far are looking promising if these are anything to go by; the Catalina is such a photogenic aircraft.
Leo P.
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Post by p40fanatic on Feb 21, 2008 16:25:31 GMT 12
Beautiful Mr C! And nice to see some colour on the Omaka grass!  |
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Feb 21, 2008 18:21:10 GMT 12
Here are a couple of air to airs as well. Used a different lens as the aircraft is big so you dont need 70mm.   |
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Feb 21, 2008 18:33:31 GMT 12
By the way the Cat is winging its way South as I type this so if you live in Christchurch keep a look out over the next few days.
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 21, 2008 18:57:29 GMT 12
That new lense is terrible - what horrid photos, Gavin! ;D
Awesome photos as ever, mate. Glad to see you are enjoying your new lense, and what a beautiful aircraft to test it out on.
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Post by Gavin Conroy on Feb 21, 2008 19:10:55 GMT 12
Here are three more. The bottom two are with the new lens but the air 2 air isnt. I took the new one but as I say less than 70 was fine a lot of the time so will have to have a play with a smaller aircraft and am really happy with the new purchase and I would recommend it thats for sure.    |
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Post by sniff on Feb 21, 2008 20:28:37 GMT 12
So who is flying the PBY these days?
... and is it still seaworthy?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 23, 2008 10:48:44 GMT 12
That first photo on Reply #7 is brilliant, it could be the WWII Pacific as you don't see the lack of turret. When are they ever going to fit the turret? They said they would...
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Post by skyhawkdon on Feb 24, 2008 7:55:43 GMT 12
I wandered over to the Museum yesterday with the family to have a look at the Cat, so here are a few photos. She is parked right by the Museum (where the Andover used to be). We got to crawl all over her and what a neat aeroplane. The cockpit in particular is very original. She is here in Chch for the next 4 weeks (until WOW) and will be doing scenic flights in the weekends weather permitting. $100 for 20 minutes is great value - where else in the world can you go for a fly in a real Catalina? The Catalina Club guys are so friendly and keen to show her off. Cockpit (the forward gunner had to crawl under the instrument panel to get to their turret!)  Flight Engineer's station between the engines  Cabin area looking forward from the blisters  Yours truly  My very intrigued 11 year old niece and Mrs  View aft from open cockpit roof window  View forward from port blister  Wigram flight line & control tower (could have been taken 30 years ago not yesterday!)  |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Feb 24, 2008 9:40:17 GMT 12
Great photos Gavin. Despite the turret mising I quite like the photo in #4 hiding the wheels. Don, thanks for showing us inside, I'd never seen the interior before. Wigram looks as though it has been looked after quite well, those hangars appear to be really neat in those photos.
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 24, 2008 12:10:10 GMT 12
Great photos, Don. Like Joe, I have never seen a Cat' from the inside, so thanks for sharing. I love the wooden trim around the bulkheads.  Yeah, Wigram looks just like I always remember it - at least on the airside of the hangars! ;D That galvanised shed near the tower is a new-ish addition though - I think? |
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Post by vs on Feb 24, 2008 12:35:15 GMT 12
Hopefully one day we will get to see the airforces cat next to the airworthy one!
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Post by skyhawkdon on Feb 24, 2008 12:37:47 GMT 12
That galvanised shed near the tower is a new-ish addition though - I think? Yes it is - used by the tandem sky diving operation that is big business at Wigram these days. All the hangars and tarmac in the photo belong to the RNZAF Museum, hence they are well maintained. The control tower and hangars "around the corner" still look the same and are tidy too (considering their age). |
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 24, 2008 12:43:15 GMT 12
Last year I had a peek in that shed, and they looked like they were repacking chutes in there.
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Post by tbf25o4 on Feb 25, 2008 10:18:57 GMT 12
Re the new lens
I have been using a EF 70-300 mm lens on my canon 300 and 350D for the past few years (in fact I now have two of them, one for the wet film camera and one for the digital!)
They have provided excellent shots over the years, although one had to be serviced recently as a result of water entering the barrell
My main lens is a sigma digital lens which covers from 24 - 200 mm. Is reasonable fast.
For the long shots I have a 300 - 500mm digital lens, which is most efficient around the 380 - 410 mm range
cheers
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