Avalon 2013 Photos

[mumbles]

Just thought I'd put up the traditional separate thread for those forum members who were there to post photos and make them easier for others to find.

Phil82 and I were there for the Friday and Saturday show and had a great time. Since it was what many of the show goers went to see, I thought I'd start with the show stealing F-22 Raptor. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before, and seems impossible to describe without superlatives. I couldn't help comparing it to the F-15C display I saw at the same venue in 2003, and noting just how much less sky it used to do some of the same or similar manouvres, and how it could also do things an F-15 never could. It's a very "wow" aircraft .

And since the USAF has binned it's public displays for 2013, this might be the last public Raptor display for a while.

[mumbles]

And for those of the round rumbly engine persuasion, HARS Super Constellation was also present for it's usual starring role in the twilight/night display, and again during the daytime shows, complete with the built in pyrotechnics it is known for :

[mumbles]

Another cool aircraft and one that I had never seen fly before was the CAC Sabre, technically still owned by the RAAF but operated on their behalf by Temora. The display was flown by Squadron Leader Paul Simmons, who some may remember was the RAAF F/A-18A solo display pilot a few years back, and still flies them as his day job.

[Dave Homewood]

Nice shots Sam. The night shots of the Super Connie are great.

It's neat to see the Sabre shots afetr hearing so many great stories about flying the CAC Sabres from Noel Kruse recently in my WONZ Show interviews.

[phil82]

After all the noise of the jets, Connie was a gentle reminder of another age of air travel. Sophisticated is how I'd best describe it, and it makes such a wonderful sound , less urgent, like the era it represent, when flying had real character!

[suthg]

Great shots thanks Sam / Mumbles!! Am glad some folks were able to get over there to capture the shots and some of the feeling of a jet based show. Although Connie certainly showed the hot exhausts even in daylight! Those turbo Compound Wright R-3350 engines certainly showed up!

[Deleted]

Thanks for the photos Sam especially enjoyed the shots of Connie

Ralph

[flyjoe180]

Nice photos Sam. That Raptor looks a real beast.

[phil82]

The Raptor is an incredible aircraft: at one stage in the display routine, it actually stops, in straight and level position, and just sits there generating lots of noise.

[flyjoe180]

Did it reverberate your organs? If so, money well spent to see it.

[corsair67]

Mar 12, 2013 12:23:27 GMT 12 flyjoe180 said:

Did it reverberate your organs? If so, money well spent to see it.

No, I'm lead to believe you need to go to St Kilda for that kind of experience..........at least that's what an Air Force cadet told me. ;D

[Chris F]

Awesome photos here....I must having seen a Raptor perform in the US a few months ago I was left speechless with what it could do...however the noise that thing makes is incredable...however we were much more awestruck by the B-2 at Area 51 it came over head at a super low altitude of about 750ft and was going very slow...but made no noise what so ever..pure silent..then it started circling around and around gaining height until it dissappeared from eyesight....all the other people there could not beleive what they had seen either....we seen a B-2 at Fleetweek and it made noise although very quiet compared to the fighters...who knows they may be working on some silent form of propulsion???

[phil82]

Mar 12, 2013 12:23:27 GMT 12 flyjoe180 said:

Did it reverberate your organs? If so, money well spent to see it.

It does, you can actually FEEL the noise!

[jthomso1]

Love the Connie photos. Hope to see one in real life one day.

[jthomso1]

Oops just thought that I do think the other photos are great, just the audio associated with 4 x roundies is fantastic. Keep bringing it on..................

[pilotpotters]

I was lucky to get to Avalon this year.

Favourite was the Constellation 1st time I have seen this aircraft.

[lumpy]

Mar 12, 2013 14:55:44 GMT 12 phil82 said:

Mar 12, 2013 12:23:27 GMT 12 flyjoe180 said:

Did it reverberate your organs? If so, money well spent to see it.

It does, you can actually FEEL the noise!

When they were doing max performance takeoffs ( both the Raptor and the FA18 ), you could actually see up the tail pipes a little and watch the afterburner glow . You could definitly feel that noise ! They were actually giving away free ear plugs too !

[Dave Homewood]

That's a great head on shot of the Connie there Kevin!

[pilotpotters]

Mar 12, 2013 19:14:20 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

That's a great head on shot of the Connie there

Thanks Dave, a nice crosswind allowing head on shots at times helped.

I enjoyed Avalon although at times rather challenging to photograph . Lots of aircraft silhouettes due the sun in front.

A few things things that get in the way : Speaker boxes


A few things that got in the way : Birds



A few things that got in the way : More Birds


A few things that got in the way : Officials


A few things that got in the way : Pyro

[Dave Homewood]

Is that the Brietling girls from the UK, or does Aussie have a team too?

Nice close formation by the Cessna Cranes. Or are they Grumman Goose's?