Posts Tagged ‘USAF F-22 & P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight’

Canadian International Air Show 2018

While I have been going to the Canadian International Air Show for years (as the many entries on this blog will attest), for the first time I decided to spring for a ticket. I shelled out the non-refundable $130 (plus taxes) the morning of the show, as the weather forecast said that this was likely to be the best day, as thunderstorms were predicted for Sunday and Monday. I managed to not cross any picket lines by entering via Ontario Place and making my way along Lakeshore Blvd. until I found the reserved, ticketed viewing area. My camera gear included my trusty Olympus E-620 and the fast F2 200mm lens.

I was running a bit late but I still managed to catch a lot of the first “act” of the day, which was the US Air Force Thunderbirds:

US Air Force Thunderbirds #1

US Air Force Thunderbirds #1

US Air Force Thunderbirds #2

US Air Force Thunderbirds #2

US Air Force Thunderbirds #3

US Air Force Thunderbirds #3

US Air Force Thunderbirds #4

US Air Force Thunderbirds #4

US Air Force Thunderbirds #5

US Air Force Thunderbirds #5

US Air Force Thunderbirds #6

US Air Force Thunderbirds #6

US Air Force Thunderbirds #7

US Air Force Thunderbirds #7

This was followed by a fan favourite, Mike Wiskus flying his bright red Lucas Oil Pitts S-1-11B. He always puts on a great show.

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #1

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #1

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #2

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #2

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #3

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #3

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #4

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #4

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #5

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #5

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #6

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #6

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #7

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #7

Mike Wiskus - Lucas Oil Pitts #8

Mike Wiskus – Lucas Oil Pitts #8

This was followed by a newcomer to the show: Kyle Folwer flying the canard-winged Rutan Long-EZ:

Kyle Fowler - Long EZE #1

Kyle Fowler – Long EZE #1

Kyle Fowler - Long EZE #2

Kyle Fowler – Long EZE #2

Kyle Fowler - Long EZE #3

Kyle Fowler – Long EZE #3

Kyle Fowler - Long EZE #4

Kyle Fowler – Long EZE #4

Kyle Fowler - Long EZE #5

Kyle Fowler – Long EZE #5

Kyle Fowler - Long EZE #6

Kyle Fowler – Long EZE #6

Kyle Fowler - Long EZE #7

Kyle Fowler – Long EZE #7

After this came another favourite performer: the 76-year old Gord Price flying his prototype Yak 50:

Gord Price - Yak 50 #1

Gord Price – Yak 50 #1

Gord Price - Yak 50 #2

Gord Price – Yak 50 #2

Gord Price - Yak 50 #3

Gord Price – Yak 50 #3

Gord Price - Yak 50 #4

Gord Price – Yak 50 #4

Gord Price - Yak 50 #5

Gord Price – Yak 50 #5

Gord Price - Yak 50 #6

Gord Price – Yak 50 #6

Gord Price - Yak 50 #7

Gord Price – Yak 50 #7

Gord Price - Yak 50 #8

Gord Price – Yak 50 #8

Gord Price - Yak 50 #9

Gord Price – Yak 50 #9

Next up was a CF-18 Hornet, with a paint scheme to commemorate the 60th anniversary of NORAD.

CF18 Hornet #1

CF18 Hornet #1

CF18 Hornet #2

CF18 Hornet #2

CF18 Hornet #3

CF18 Hornet #3

CF18 Hornet #4

CF18 Hornet #4

CF18 Hornet #5

CF18 Hornet #5

CF18 Hornet #6

CF18 Hornet #6

CF18 Hornet #7

CF18 Hornet #7

CF18 Hornet #8

CF18 Hornet #8

CF18 Hornet #9

CF18 Hornet #9

CF18 Hornet #10

CF18 Hornet #10

This was followed by a USAF F-35 alongside a WW II-era P-51 Mustang in what is called the “heritage flight”, combining old and new:

P51 Mustang #1

P51 Mustang #1

USAF F-35 #1

USAF F-35 #1

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #1

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #1

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #2

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #2

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #3

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #3

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #4

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #4

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #5

USAF F-35 + P51 Mustang #5

The back to some acrobatic prop planes, including Martin Hivon in his Christen Eagle (not “Christian Eagle” as announced at the show):

Martin Hivon - Christen Eagle #1

Martin Hivon – Christen Eagle #1

Martin Hivon - Christen Eagle #2

Martin Hivon – Christen Eagle #2

Martin Hivon - Christen Eagle #3

Martin Hivon – Christen Eagle #3

Martin Hivon - Christen Eagle #4

Martin Hivon – Christen Eagle #4

Martin Hivon - Christen Eagle #5

Martin Hivon – Christen Eagle #5

Martin Hivon - Christen Eagle #6

Martin Hivon – Christen Eagle #6

Followed by Mike Tryggvason in the Giles 202. This was a particularly hard plane to photograph, as it is small and the performer didn’t spend much time in “center stage” (I noticed a passenger flight take off from Billy Bishop Airport during this performance, so for safety reasons am guessing he was asked to shift things westward).

Mike Tryggvason - Giles 202 #1

Mike Tryggvason – Giles 202 #1

Mike Tryggvason - Giles 202 #2

Mike Tryggvason – Giles 202 #2

Mike Tryggvason - Giles 202 #3

Mike Tryggvason – Giles 202 #3

Mike Tryggvason - Giles 202 #4

Mike Tryggvason – Giles 202 #4

It was at about this point that the over-loud speaker system cut out, which fitted the more peaceful Air Cadets Glider fly-by.

Air Cadets Glider Demo #1

Air Cadets Glider Demo #1

Air Cadets Glider Demo #2

Air Cadets Glider Demo #2

Air Cadets Glider Demo #3

Air Cadets Glider Demo #3

Luckily a fellow siting in front me had his portable radio system tuned into the aviation channel being used by the pilots, so it was easy to figure out where the Snowbirds were coming from for the conclusion of the air show:

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #1

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #1

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #2

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #2

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #3

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #3

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #4

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #4

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #5

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #5

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #6

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #6

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #7

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #7

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #8

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #8

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #9

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #9

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #10

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #10

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #11

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #11

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #12

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #12

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #13

Canadian Forces Snowbirds #13

After the show Mike Wiskus came around signing autographs and getting his picture taken with admirers. I shook his hand and thanked him for several years’ worth of great performances at the air show.

Mike Wiskus Autographing a Calendar for a Fan

Mike Wiskus Autographing a Calendar for a Fan

There was also a falcon handler from Falcon Environmental Services showing off one of their beautiful working birds, a hybrid falcon used to chase away other birds from airports.

Falcon Environmental Services

Falcon Environmental Services

The handler was saying that this particular bird had a liking for duck, and would often chase a whole series of gulls or geese and somehow single out the one unfortunate duck that has managed to get into the area.

So was it worth the money for a ticket? The price was rather steep but I did get a genuinely good, comfortable seat with an unobstructed view. The food/drink lineups were short (though the food was not cheap), and there were free calendars and other giveaways sponsored by aviation firms attending the show. While the views were great, I also realized that the venue almost places the viewer under the show, and there were several times when a performer would drive their plane skyward, and it would get lost in the glare of the overheard sun. The place where I normally shoot the show in previous years is up on a small hill on the CNE grounds, putting me at higher ground during the flybys. I guess I will have to compare the results from this year’s shot to those from previous years to decide whether to reserve a ticket for next year’s show.

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Toronto International Air Show 2017

This was a tricky airshow to shoot, as the overcast skies meant that there was often little contrast between the skies and the airplane(s) I was trying to shoot pictures of. Much tweaking needed to be done in LightShop for many of these images in order to bring out detail but also keeping noise to a minimum. All pics shot using the trusty Olympus E-620 with the fast 200mm lens.

Pictures are arranged in the order the airplanes appeared in the show, and their names are derived directly from the emailed show schedule for the day courtesy of cias.org.

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours and the CN Tower

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours and the CN Tower

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

CF-18 Hornet in Canada 150 Colours

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Mike Wiskus & Lucas Oil Pitts Special

Sikorsky Helicopter

Sikorsky Helicopter

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

Gordon Price in the YAK-50

USAF F-22 Flying by Peace Statue on CNE Grounds

USAF F-22 Flying by Peace Statue on CNE Grounds

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22

USAF F-22 & P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight

USAF F-22 & P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight

USAF F-22 & P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight

USAF F-22 & P-51 Mustang Heritage Flight

Boeing B75N-1 -Stearman Bi-Plane

Boeing B75N-1 – Stearman Bi-Plane

Beech 3NM Expeditor

Beech 3NM Expeditor

As I was taking the last photo rain began to fall, which quickly led to a downpour. After about a half-hour the skies cleared again, but by that time I was across the CNE grounds, so that was it for me, until next year!

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