Airshow Results

[WALABOOM]

Well, I used my Canon A540 for the first time, not just the first time with a new camera but the first time with digital. The Collings Foundation gave me a great opportunity to get my feet wet with fantastic subject matter; vintage World War 2 aircraft. Im glad I went for two days because the first day was all right but getting a second chance gave me the ability to fix what I did wrong the first day. Day one mistakes, didn't use my zoom well enough and got too much bluesky and not enough airplane. Being able to scroll down all the pictures you just took and immediately see the good, bad, and ugly gives you quick feedback to correct your errors. The second day I framed my shots much better, more airplane and less bluesky, better and more full use of zoom, as well. First day maybe 250 pictures all on the same batteries, maybe 50-60% of the pictures I was happy with. Second day was less crowded, maybe 150 shots, needed to change original batteries after 25-30. Percentage of shots that I was happy with maybe 75-80%. Overall was pleased with first effort. More later. WALABOOM.

[Pave]

So why don't you show us some of your shots? ;)
Personaly, I can't wait for the CIAF 2007, the best airshow in this country :)

[WALABOOM]

What type of aircraft does your airshow have? This one had a B-17 bomber,
plus a B-25 and B-24. It was amazing going inside, ( how cramped the B-17 was, at least until you get to the radio/navigator area). Amazing to man a 50
caliber machine gun and think about facing enemy aircraft and German flak!
Also had P-40 Warhawk, from "Flying Tiger" fame, P-51 Mustang. A Russian
acrobatic aircraft, T-6 trainer, etc. Surprisingly, the shots I was most worried about, namely inside the planes came out generally very well. Bombs, racks,
machine guns, radio gear, bombadier area, bombay doors, etc. sharp and clear. Checked, (pardon the pun), out your link, outdoor pictures are always a winner! Lightning picture very nice. I know a little about the Czech Republic,
it seems most of the women that are on t.v. are tall supermodels................?
WALABOOM.

[Pave]

Well the CIAF is rather more focused on up-to-date aircraft. During last few years, there were usually planes from the USAF (like B1, A10 Thunderbolt, F15, F16, P4 Phantom, A6 - Tram Intruder etc), Russian Airforce (like Sukhoj SU27, MiG29 etc), RAF (like Harrier, Hawk and some helicopters), Luftwaffe (some PANAVIA Tornados, P4 Phantom), spanish airforce (F18), Armée de l'Air (Mirages), several times there were Israelis (with F16s and once with a Kfir I think) and some other armies...including the Czech one (with JAS-39 Grippens, L159s, MiGs and Sukhojs of various types and of course the Mil-Mi helicopters). This year there is supposed to be a E3-A AWACS (which I really look forward to seenig) and also air forces of some quite exotic states (like Turkey and Saudi Arabia) have been invited. Unfortunately it seemes that apart from this, there isn't gonna be too much new. :(

And as far as the Czech women are concerned. They are said to be beautiful but since I'm used to seeing them I don't see anything special about them. Moreover I have no idea who you could see on the T.V :D

[WALABOOM]

I did check out the CIAF website yesterday to see the inventory of aircraft.
How many countries do we sell our F-16's to anyway? However, a lot of interesting military hardware to be sure! I have always been interested in history, so seeing all these aircraft from WW2 that still "fly" was fantastic.
Seeing a B-17 "flying fortress" take off, as well as the B-24 Liberator, and B-25 Mitchell, the type that the famed Doolittle raid used was something. I used tv (shutter priority) for the taxi down the runway and takeoff. Very cool to see those big propellors, "frozen" in time. I think I used a setting of 1250.
Being inside those old restored planes, amazing! Touching the controls, radio
gear, navigation equipment, sitting in their seats. Manning the waist guns, being in the turret, shots of the bombs they carried, (defused of course).
One of the big bombs had written on it, "To HITLER from the MIGHTY 8TH".
This referring to the 8th Air Force stationed in England and the messages crews wrote. Camera flash generally worked fine, enough light to do the job.
Next assignment is to see the Navy's Blue Angels perform. As for Czech women, I couldn't give you a name either. When I scan the t.v. channels or
flip through some of my news and entertainment websites, they seem to pop
up every once in awhile. WALABOOM

[Pave]

Yeah, I completely understand what you are talking about. I'd love to see these WW2 planes too. But it is next to imposible in this country. So I have to be happy for what we got :)
I have no idea to how many countries the F16s have been sold but the list wouldn't be too short I gues. As far as I know even the Czech Army considered buying them...

[downtrodden]

those Su27's are quite nice.. i hope to see one in person some day, but the airshow here- last time i went it was all US. aircraft.

[WALABOOM]

All the aircraft are great! Very interesting to see early Stearman, and then advance to more sophisticated prop then to early jets, etc; all the way to today's high-tech machines. Makes me want to work at an airport, just so I can see all the big birds as well as helicopters come in. My favorite shots of recent aircraft were the sharks teeth on the p-40 Warhawk. One of the coolest designs ever for a plane. Never been to Cincinnati or the Czech Republic, how about Chicago? I know what Cincinnati's probably like; hot in the summer!!! What's the Czech Republic like? The weather, food, etc.? I know someone from Bosnia which is I'm told 3-4 hours away. WALABOOM

[Pave]

Heh, quite a difficult question to answear. What is the Czech Republic like? I really don't know what to say. I don't feel like writting some historic, geographical, or political essay. So if you are interested, you can check what Wiki says (although certain things are a bit different from what you can find there): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_republic :)
To make the long story short (is this the appropriate phrase?) I think I can say, that the Czech republic is a tiny country in the central Europe with about 10 million inhabitants, long and sometimes quite glorious history and not so glorious inherence (due to the fact that we were under german and soviet oppression for half of the last century). Our weather is usually mild (but right now we are having a heat wave) and the czech food is said to be quite characteristic...
Well generally the CZ is quite a good place to live. At least I like it here...
And the Bosnia is not in fact too close. Maybe in the American point of view...but you guys live in a coutry the size of a continent. As the Europians see it, it is in fact quite far away. To get there would definitely take more than 3 or 4 hours. I've been there once and it took us about 20 hours to get there by bus...
Anyway there is much to see in the Czech republic, so if you ever get the chance of comming here, you wouldn't be disapointed, I'd say...

[WALABOOM]

Thanks for the info. My friend from Bosnia had to of taken a jet to get her there in 3-4 hours. Anyway, to be honest, I doubt if I ever travel to Europe, or outside the continental US, maybe CANADA, or Hawaii, if I save up enough money! Just heard some local news about an airshow with just helicopters!
I have to investigate to see what its all about! I would like to get some great shots of helicopters, as of know I have none. More later. WALABOOM.

[Pave]

So good luck with the helicopters :)

[WALABOOM]

Good luck as well, at the CIAF show. Any interesting news regarding airshows and pictures be sure to post, as will I. Later. WALABOOM