F-15E Strike Eagles low level in Wales

^^Gord^^ · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:48

Had a rather quiet day in Wales yesterday, quiet in terms of aircraft, the acutal noise levels went through the roof when Bolar flight turned up.

A pair of F-15E Strike Eagles who were performing ACM training (those with eagle eyes (sorry!) will notice the ECM pod on the centreline) dropped low level before leaving to perform air to air refueling and then returned for a couple more passes.

^^Gord^^ · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:49

4T5 · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:50

Think one of these ***** went over me yesterday on the A5 about Crapped my panties I did, I now know what it feels like to think a Missile is going to hit them as that's what I imagine it sounds like. That's one set of boxers that won't get used again.

PESolution · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:51

some nice shots there bud, well done

dekez · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:52

Great shots, I imagine it must be an awesome sight seeing those whizz by.

gt_junkie · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:53

Nice work Gord! :cool:

Love the vapour trails!

Really need to get hold of a long lens and try to get some of these bad boys.

gt

^^Gord^^ · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:54

I'm hoping to get some time over the weekend to put togeather a little report on the various pods and pointy bits on the F-15E. I'll post up a link when I get it done.

SteveOBHave · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:55

Is it quite a tight right hand turn going into there? They seem to have quite a decent angle of attack on them...

Snaggle · 26 Jun 2009 at 14:59

Gord anychance of the first image in high ress for a background ?

Email in trust

Persil

^^Gord^^ · 26 Jun 2009 at 15:40

You guys are on the ball tonight, I've only just posted this!

malc30 said:
Think one of these ***** went over me yesterday on the A5 about Crapped my panties I did, I now know what it feels like to think a Missile is going to hit them as that's what I imagine it sounds like. That's one set of boxers that won't get used again.

They are loud, even by fighter jet standards.

gt_junkie said:
Nice work Gord!

Love the vapour trails!

Really need to get hold of a long lens and try to get some of these bad boys.

gt

The amount of vapout they produce on even a dry day is stunning, they just tear there way through the air.

A 300mm lens would do the trick, I started with a 2nd hand Canon 70-300.

SteveOBHave said:
Is it quite a tight right hand turn going into there? They seem to have quite a decent angle of attack on them...

Spot on Steve, it's a right, left, into a valley.

Ever · 26 Jun 2009 at 15:47

Awesome photos, I once saw a jet very similar to this when I was walking a friend's dog while he was on holiday - my ears were ringing for about 30 mintues

khimbar · 26 Jun 2009 at 16:47

Thanks for these. Great pics.

Whats the absolute cheapest way to get pictures like this? Or is it a question of there is no cheap way?!

Vertigo · 26 Jun 2009 at 17:52

Intended to do this sometime but it's a bit of a trek and I'm obviously worried I'll go and there'll be nothing to shoot.

Is there a best day of the week to visit in terms of aircraft numbers?

beermonster · 26 Jun 2009 at 18:29

Great pictures, I saw one of these at close range in San Fransico a few years back, it came right over fishermans wharf a few hundred feet high i honestly thought I'd gone to hell with the noise it made.

MikeHunt79 · 26 Jun 2009 at 18:31

Wow, they're really sharp photo's, especially when you consider the speed of those things! :eek:

What shutter speed did you use?

Yarde · 26 Jun 2009 at 18:34

What is the smoke/ steam / powder trails coming off the wings?

sushi · 26 Jun 2009 at 18:38

great pictures as always

SteveOBHave · 26 Jun 2009 at 18:45

Yarde said:
What is the smoke/ steam / powder trails coming off the wings?

It's a result of pressure differential due to the air coming off the tips of the wings creating circular vorticies. It is extremely low pressure air and it pulls moisture out of the atmosphere and creates the trails. It's the same with the mist over the top of the wings.

Check out this article for clarification: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingtip_vortices

^^Gord^^ · 26 Jun 2009 at 18:45

Ever said:
Awesome photos, I once saw a jet very similar to this when I was walking a friend's dog while he was on holiday - my ears were ringing for about 30 mintues

Another photographer next to me hadn't seen the 2nd one and was still busy shooting the first. I did shout "There's a 2nd one" but strangely he didn't here me.

khimbar said:
Thanks for these. Great pics.

Whats the absolute cheapest way to get pictures like this? Or is it a question of there is no cheap way?!

Cheapest? Second hand Canon 20D and a 70-300 would be a cheap start.

Vertigo1 said:
Intended to do this sometime but it's a bit of a trek and I'm obviously worried I'll go and there'll be nothing to shoot.

Is there a best day of the week to visit in terms of aircraft numbers?

Any day apart from Sat and Sun. You pick your day and take your chances but that's part of the fun!

^^Gord^^ · 26 Jun 2009 at 18:50

MikeHunt79 said:
Wow, they're really sharp photo's, especially when you consider the speed of those things!

What shutter speed did you use?

At low level they aren't going as fast as you might expect as the air is very dense and they have be able to make the tight turns!

Speeds up to 500 knots (around 250mph) is the upper speed of the aircraft.

I tend to shoot 1/1000 second.

Yarde said:
What is the smoke/ steam / powder trails coming off the wings?

Steve is spot on and beat me to it.

Quite cool to think it's actually ripping water out of the air.