S.E.5a-1

[nikkortorokkor]

Not up to the standard of Mik's wonderful images, I'm afraid.

A Vintage Aviator Ltd S.E.5a-1 (i.e., a reproduction of the Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a) has been buzzing over me all weekend (I live only a couple of kilometres from the Hood Aerodrome).

Today it came over again, together with one of The Old Stick and Rudder Company's De Havilland Chipmunks. I guess a lucky photographer was riding shotgun in the "Chippie", getting shots of the S.E.5a.

Hopefully I'll get better photographs at the Remembrance day air show. Today I stretched the lens of the wee Oly to get these from the back yard.







Here are some links for those who want to know more about the aircraft:
hoodaerodrome.org.nz/
thevintageaviator.co.nz/
www.oldstickandrudder.com/

[nikonbob]

Some guys have all the luck. Looks like you had wonderful skies to take advantage of the view. I hope you get some more at the Remembrance Day Air Show and share them with us.

Bpb

[olroy2044]

Neat shots! I miss being under the pattern for the airtport here. Used to keep a long lens mounted on a body all the time for that reason, and had a scanner tuned to the tower frequency. Drove my poor wife to distraction!

Thanks for the links. Looking forward to your photos from Remembrance Day. Roy

[nikkortorokkor]

Thanks guys.

I'm going to take the Oly to the show, but also the XE1 and a selection of lenses.

Roy, I also get antsy about planes. Especially when I hear the bass rumble of the Kittyhawk or Corsair. Now that spring is well under way, the trees in our front yard block the view from my office. I don't think I'll be allowed to chop 'em down though!

[photax]

I have read the article in "the vintage aviator" about building this plane. This is amazing ! I am also looking forward to your new pictures.

MIK

[nikkortorokkor]

Yet more fly-overs.
The Kittyhawk has been practising loops and low pass bys for several days.






& this is Bristol Fighter F2B, D-8084 drawing a bead on the photographer's plane!



Here's what the photographer is seeing:

www.airliners.net/photo/The-Vintage-Aviator/Bristol-Fighter-F2B/1587351/M/

Quite intimidating!

I hope the weather tomorrow allows the old birds to get up and show their stuff.

[nikonbob]

If I was seeing that from my backyard regularly, I'd have my lawn chair all set up to enjoy the view. Some guys do have all the luck. Hope you get more photos too.

Bob

[olroy2044]

P-40 over your house!! I never would go to work! Keep shooting! Great stuff! Roy

[mickeyobe]

Splendid photos, Michael.

I would love to get a ride in that biplane.
I can visualize this 77 year old with a streaming white silk scarf, leather helmet and goggles.
I wonder if the goggles would impair viewfinder vision.

Mickey

[PeterW]

Wonderful photos, Michael.

When I was a boy in the 1930s there was a magazine called Air Stories which often had stories and features about WW1 planes. Inspiring stuff for a 7 or 8 year old. This was when the RAF was still flying biplane fighters, before anyone had heard of the Spitfire and Hurricane.

The closest I ever got to flying in planes like these was when I was in the RAF, posted to Flying Training Command where the primary trainer was still the venerable Tiger Moth biplane.

These had to be air tested after major engine or airframe overhauls, and the station commander insisted that whichever of the ground crew mechanics signed off the plane as airworthy had to go along on the air test - just to make sure he had faith in his own workmanship!

It was great. The 'passenger' sat in the front cockpit dressed in a borrowed Sidcot flying suit, helmet and goggles and it didn't require much imagination to be in the magazine stories about WW1 patrols over the Western Front in France.

PeterW