Ze plane! Ze plane! (a.k.a. Hop on the DeLorean!)

rachel on 30/7/2015 at 19:59

I've been at it again! I've out and shot planes... with my camera ;)

A few weeks back I was at Duxford’s Flying Legends airshow, and it was such a splendid experience that I find it difficult to put to words. For a week-end, I spent time in the 1940s, listening to Glen Miller tunes sung by the delightful Manhattan Dolls, photographing Spitfires, Warhawks and Mustangs, visiting Sally B., the last flying B17 in Europe and then hear her roar above my head, and even taking a ride in a 1943 DH.89 Dragon Rapide...

To make it short, I had a flipping grand old time.

So here’s a small sample of pictures taken at the airshow:

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.893529507360174.1073741831.100001094005028&type=1&l=9f83cb3e73" title="Flying Legends 2015">Flying Legends 2015</a>
Series taken with DSLR, treated in post to B&W. The last pictures are color film (Superia 200), also treated in post to B&W.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.899931216720003.1073741832.100001094005028&type=1&l=053a9c7fb1" title="Flying Legends 2015 - Vintage">Flying Legends 2015 - Vintage Series</a>
Series taken with Kodak Tri-X 400 B&W film - Apart from the watermark, unlike the other series, these shots all come straight from the scanner with no post-processing applied.

Hope you like. :) Enjoy!

bjack on 31/7/2015 at 01:38

Very cool. I used to use Kodak Tri-X 400 back in the day. At least I think it was 400. It was labeled Tri-X PAN. I was not aware you can still get it. I gave up on film a long time ago, but appreciate what can be done with it.

While most of our local military bases are now closed, we still have some WW2 planes around. My dad can tell me exactly what they are on sight, but I confuse a few from time to time. Mustangs are easy, but some of the bulky 2 engine transport planes (not DC-3 types) are a little harder. I know a B-17 though and once upon a time, you could buy a ride on one here. They do this from time to time at special air shows.

Nice pics and cool you had a great time. Thanks for the post.

rachel on 1/8/2015 at 13:39

Thank you! Film is still fairly easy to come by, even more exotic ones like Trix-400, the trickier part is finding a good lab to develop it actually. :)

bjack on 1/8/2015 at 18:22

I hear you on finding a place that will develop any film, color or B&W. They are getting very rare. Not only because of few customers, but because of the pollution problems.

Back in the 60s and early 70s, my brothers and I used to have a home dark room. We never got as advanced as color prints though. B&W was easy. My dad still has the enlarger stashed away in a room. It is a huge thing that we got for free. It was used by a college and left in a basement. They were getting ready to toss it, when my dad asked if he could have it. We lost interest to other hobbies after a while. I wouldn't develop now though due to the regulations and trouble finding a place to take the silver waste.