Ardmore Warbird Open Day Sept 17th

[corsair67]

Rob, there is a fibreglass replica of the Spitfire (TE288) up on the pole at Harewood, and it's been there since 1984.

The first copy of the replica was torched by anti-war protesters during the ANZUS TRIAD 84 exercises, when it was only a few weeks old! A new one was built and located in the same spot a couple of months later.

The real TE288 is in the RNZAF Museum at Wigram now, and is painted up as a 485 (NZ) SQN aircraft.

[yak2]

Thanks Craig. The photo I have was taken when were there in November 1975, so must be the original TE 288. Didn't realise it was the same aircraft we saw at Wigram a few years back.

[Kereru]

There is another fibreglass Spitfire TE288 in Hamilton Memorial Park since last year.

www.airliners.net/open.file/1100485/L/

Looks like they might be multiplying?

[Peter Lewis]

. . .and then there was the prettiest little Airtourer there for the day, sitting alongside her sisters . . .



(Not that I am biased!!)

[planeimages]

In one sense I long for the freedoms you still enjoy in NZ with airshows but one slip with a person near live aircraft could stuff it for everyone... 'twould spoil his day, too. Anyone who goes into Parliament with or without shoes is asking for trouble and deserve all they get!

OH&S is a tough call between being too restrictive and yet ensuring that no one is injured or worse.

May I also please offer some photographic advice without being seen as a "know-it-all"? Guys, try to use a slower shutter speed with cameras when shooting propeller aeroplanes. Never faster than 1/250th sec and when they are turning slowly on the ground you need to come down to 1/60th or less. This problem is usually caused by putting the camera on "auto". Sometimes you get lucky but most of the time the camera has no idea that you want some blur.

Sometimes I out-smart myself with this philosophy and get lovely full-circle prop-blur but not the sharpest aeroplane image.

For those who are not camera-knowledgeable, the rule of thumb for minimum hand-held shutter speed is 1 over the focal length of the lens. So a 200 mm lens needs 1/250th sec. This is on the limit to prevent stationary props at fairly high engine RPM. So going a stop slower means 1/125th and you need to be able to hold the camera steady, use a mono-or tripod or pan smoothly and accurately. When you start pulling in close-ups with 4-500mm lens, say a 300mm lens on a Digital SLR with a 1.6 cropping factor, the minimum safe speed is 1/500th sec. Twice as fast as required for the prop blur. This is where the modern image-stabilised lenses are so good. They can give 3 stops slower hand-held speed which means that 1/125th sec on a 500 mm lens is achievable.

When you see Glen's shots and the beautiful work from the pros in the forum you will see that this is one of their trademarks.

I hope this helps. I had to be bashed over the head by my editor to learn this one. I still blew it when my emotions got the better of me when I was shooting the take off run of a former RAAF Dakota (in which my late father had flown in 1952 during the WA Monte Bello Island Atomic bomb test times). I put the camera on "sports action" and, of course, completely stopped the props on the Dak. World's largest glider. (And that is also the subject of another story when they found in WWII that engineless-Dakotas glided better with loads than Horsas and other purpose-built gliders). But I rave.

[planeimages]

In answer to yak 2..... probably related to the photographer who had to duck his head to save it being cut off by the prop of the Rhin!

[Kereru]

Yes Peter your right I hate those frozen props and don't usually upload them anywhere. They do look like the pole has been photoshopped out. 1/1250 sec on action program is not for prop aircraft and this is the first time I left it on there. Bad idea!



1/60 th on shutter priority is much better with VR on and what I usually use.





After sunset I have even used 1/25 sec with VR on and had success.

www.airliners.net/open.file/1094306/L/

More duck shooting practice is in order me thinks to get a good shot of TAF although I do have one in my avatar. ;D

I have a long way to go to catch up with Glenn and Peter.

[planeimages]

Hi Kereru, Excellent prop-blur on the Mustang and Nanchang and the rest of the images is in focus. Wow, 1/25th! You must have steady hands. The LAN shot is beautiful. Lovely motion blur on the ground with the airframe in precise focus.

Keep on shooting

PF

[stu]

planeimages said:

May I also please offer some photographic advice without being seen as a "know-it-all"?

Thanks for the advice Peter and don't consider yourself as sounding like a know-it-all, this know-bugger-all appreciates all the help he can get.

I have to admit to being one of those who loved the auto setting on the camera due to a complete lack of skill but wasn't too keen on the stopped prop effect that it normally produced. A while ago Alex Mitchell gave me similar advice to yours but by the time I got around to trying it out I'd forgotten most of what he told me (senility kicking in).

For the Open Day I thought I'd take the bull by the horns and venture into the scary world of manual settings on my far from professional camera. Due to the aforementioned senility, I started adjusting the "film speed" and not the shutter speed. Your post kicked the brain cells back into alignment and reminded me of how it should be done (and how logical the solution was). Of course, until I can afford a better camera I'll have to rely on other sources for airborne shots but maybe now I'll be able to produce some usable ground to ground photos.

Cheers,
Stu.

[xr6turbo1]

Yip, some good points there Peter.
Below are two photos of the same aircraft running at the same RPM but using different shutter speeds. The first is at 1/60 and the second at 1/250.

The difference is very obvious so bear in mind also when taking photos of aircraft on the ground. If unsure if you are getting it right check it on the LCD screen after you have taken the photo.If the proplelor is frozen then just slow the shutter speed down.
Propellor aircraft are difficult due to prop speed but when you get it right its all worth it.

When the aircraft is flying at normal RPM and your shutter speed is to low you might get camera shake, to high, frozen prop, the aviation photographers biggest sin. I stick to 200-250 as well and it works well, however when the aircraft is at idle you will need to slow back down again if that makes sence. Just remember high power setting normally means higher shutter speed and low power, well you get my drift

1/60

1/250

[virgil]

Simonjg directed me to this site and I have just signed up.

As the organiser of the Ardmore Open Day 2006 I am pleased to say that the day went very well indeed. Our aim was to promote Ardmore Airport as an asset to the Papakura District in particular and generally to greater Auckland. NZ Warbirds are able to organise such an event because of our unique place in the scheme of things on the airfield and of course our old, noisy, fast aeroplanes - Simon and Maurice excepted from the old bit!

A lot of help from everyone including Ardmore Airport Ltd, the Papakura District Council and everyone on the field helped make it a success. Crowd control was good (my major concern) and we are planning to do it all over again next year, with improvements. But it will not be an airshow! The reasons for this are many and varied but they combine to make it too hard at Ardmore.

Great pictures everyone and glad you all got there on the day. We appreciate your interest and enthusiasm.


Virgil

[Kereru]

It was a great day Virgil and I look forward to next year. Well done.

Colin