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Archive 2016 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]

  
 
thunderbird
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


Recently I was in Las Vegas to catch some flying action at Nellis AFB where Red Flag 16-2 was taking place. There were a lot of aircraft from many different units participating, including some from foreign forces. I will post only a few sample shots, since I don't want to make this post too long, but even then it's still quite big, so bare with me. Each shot is unique.





F-22 Raptor from the 57th FW, 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB







F-35A Lightning II from the Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB







F-15 Eagle from Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB







F-16CM from 20th FW, 77th FS "Gamblers", Shaw AFB







AT-38C Talon from 12th FW, 435th FTS, Randolph AFB




Mar 21, 2016 at 10:28 PM
thunderbird
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


2nd set





The famous "Aggressor" squadron, providing training tactics in the adversary role







Each aircraft from the Aggressor squadron is painted in a different camo scheme.All to reflect that of the then-Soviet fighters.







Lucky number "13"












My favorite paint scheme out of all the Aggressors. It's called the blizzard!




Mar 21, 2016 at 10:35 PM
thunderbird
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


3rd set





Caught the guy in the back seat looking at the camera :)







Here he is again, looking at the camera







Typical scene on Las Vegas Blvd. where dozens of photographers gather







F-16 squadron from the Turkish Air Force. This particular jet happens to be a F-16 solo demo which performs at air shows.







Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon from the Italian Air Force, based in Grosseto, Italy




Mar 21, 2016 at 10:41 PM
thunderbird
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


4th set.. now the heavies

And all these were just from 3 hours of shooting. Nonstop action. What a thrill!

Click here for more photos in hi-res on my site.

Thanks for looking,

Andy





C-130 Hercules from Dobbins ARB, Georgia







B-1B Lancer from 28th Bomb Wing, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota







B-52 from 2nd Bomb Wings, 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana







KC-135R of the Turkish Air Force, from 10th Tanker Base, Turkey







E-3 Sentry (AWACS) from Tinker AFB, Oklahoma




Mar 21, 2016 at 10:52 PM
brian_sp
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


oh man Andy
i have researched all this and google mapped the shooting locations, i know the speedway is a popular place but what i can't tell from google maps and this area is how close to the planes you actually are, some of those shooters looks like they are using lenses on the smaller side.
these are great, love the heavies, the F15's, the F16's, the Typhoon also, nicely captured

now i am kickin my ass for not going

thanks also for the lick to your image site



Mar 22, 2016 at 02:16 AM
Bill Gass
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


Nice shots.


Mar 22, 2016 at 07:45 AM
JWilsonphoto
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


Nice work Thunderbird!

Bring back memories Bill?

Larry Grace and I were invited to this latest Red Flag, but I was on an assignment, a surprise to no one I'm sure.



Mar 22, 2016 at 10:35 AM
thunderbird
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


brian_sp wrote:
oh man Andy
i have researched all this and google mapped the shooting locations, i know the speedway is a popular place but what i can't tell from google maps and this area is how close to the planes you actually are, some of those shooters looks like they are using lenses on the smaller side.
these are great, love the heavies, the F15's, the F16's, the Typhoon also, nicely captured

now i am kickin my ass for not going

thanks also for the lick to your image site


Heh Brian,

Whenever you're ready to pay a visit, let me know. Maybe I can save you some time researching, since I've probably shot there from every possible spot and every possible angle so I might know a thing or two about which one is best. These shots that I've posted are more or less just "mug shots" of several units that participated. I'm sure I have tons of good shots which haven't been able to sift through yet. When I do, they'll be posted on my website.

Out of the many sorties that I witnessed, one of them stood out above all. Taking in the sight (and sound) of the B-1 on full afterburner take off AT NIGHT was just awesome!! I even got a few shots of it. That really made my trip!

Andy



Mar 22, 2016 at 01:06 PM
thunderbird
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


Bill Gass wrote:
Nice shots.


Thank you, Bill.

Andy



Mar 22, 2016 at 01:07 PM
thunderbird
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


JWilsonphoto wrote:
Nice work Thunderbird!

Bring back memories Bill?

Larry Grace and I were invited to this latest Red Flag, but I was on an assignment, a surprise to no one I'm sure.



Thanks J, I heard the August exercise is gonna be bigger. Might try to endure the heat for it.

Andy



Mar 22, 2016 at 01:09 PM
JWilsonphoto
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


Whew Andy, August at Nellis is brutal.


Mar 22, 2016 at 02:06 PM
thunderbird
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


JWilsonphoto wrote:
Whew Andy, August at Nellis is brutal.


, but I shot there in the middle of August before. It wasn't that bad. When the action gets hot, you tend to forget about the air temperature.



Mar 22, 2016 at 07:16 PM
brian_sp
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


thunderbird wrote:
Heh Brian,

Whenever you're ready to pay a visit, let me know. Maybe I can save you some time researching, since I've probably shot there from every possible spot and every possible angle so I might know a thing or two about which one is best. These shots that I've posted are more or less just "mug shots" of several units that participated. I'm sure I have tons of good shots which haven't been able to sift through yet. When I do, they'll be posted on my website.

Out of the many sorties that I witnessed, one of them stood out above
...Show more

awesome, Thanks for the offer of help Andy
don't know when to go now, aviation nation is my next best opportunity, being from the north and having winter 9 1/2 months out of the year don't think i could handle the temps in august . i was there in 2000 for the inaugural NHRA race in april and roasted my rear end off at that time, august would be a killer

thought also about taking some time there and check out some of the canyons north of vegas for some Mach Loop style of shooting, have you ever tried that?
Thanks again




Mar 23, 2016 at 02:31 AM
thunderbird
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


brian_sp wrote:
awesome, Thanks for the offer of help Andy
don't know when to go now, aviation nation is my next best opportunity, being from the north and having winter 9 1/2 months out of the year don't think i could handle the temps in august . i was there in 2000 for the inaugural NHRA race in april and roasted my rear end off at that time, august would be a killer

thought also about taking some time there and check out some of the canyons north of vegas for some Mach Loop style of shooting, have you ever tried that?
...Show more

Not a problem, Brian. Like you, I did lots of research on the internet. But then when I got there, I had to observe what was going on from a photography point of view, meaning taking into consideration lighting angles, use of runways, time of activity, traffic conditions, wind direction, and many other factors; and concluded the best spots for certain conditions. Of course, it might change from day to day or from visit to visit. That's why it's good to make decisions with the most up-to-date information (usually when I woke up each morning when I was there, or even when I arrive at the base).

I've shot at those canyons a number of times. It's quite a trip to get to the vantage point for shooting, but when something comes by, you get 10 seconds of rush. I have lots of photos from those passes, which I have not posted on my site, since it's a site dedicated to bird photography, so I might wait till I find another place to upload my aviation photos hehe.

Andy



Mar 23, 2016 at 04:21 AM
JWilsonphoto
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


thunderbird wrote:
, but I shot there in the middle of August before. It wasn't that bad. When the action gets hot, you tend to forget about the air temperature.


I photographed The Wynn every two weeks while it was being built. During the summer months I'd be on the site at 3 am and they'd quit at noon. Brutal, even by Texas standards. Of course the sweetest light is not at the highest temperature times and you have the luxury of sitting in air conditioning in between flights.



Mar 23, 2016 at 11:38 AM
peacefrog33756
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Red Flag exercise 16-2 [big post]


One terrific set!


Mar 24, 2016 at 03:08 AM





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