Curious on the backstory behind the photos? This is the place. You'll find not only write ups on local outings, but also reviews of major events I’ve attended.
2022 Wings Over Dallas WWII Air show
Though the 2022 Wings Over Dallas Air Show was marred by tragedy, we must remember both those who were lost and the mission of the Commemorative Air Force.
It's been over 8 months since the tragic accident at the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas WWII Air Show. Like many others, I still think about that day often. It was a day that changed the lives of so many people forever.
As a photographer who was at the event, it's been difficult for me to look back at my photos from that day. The memories and emotions that they invoke can be overwhelming. However, after speaking with friends and families of those involved, I realized that my photos could serve as a tribute to those lost on November 12, 2022 who dedicated their lives to preserving and displaying these incredible pieces of aviation history.
The six men who tragically lost their lives on that day were all deeply dedicated to the organization, and it's clear that their passion and love for aviation was unwavering. I have no doubt that they would want us to continue to remember them and the Commemorative Air Force in a positive light. The accident does not define the 70 year-old organization and their thousands of selfless volunteers.
This photo album is dedicated to the six men who lost their lives: Terry Barker, Craig Hutain, Kevin "K5" Michels, Dan Ragan, Leonard "Len" Root, and Curt Rowe. They will forever be remembered by so many both for the lives they lived and their dedication to honoring our veterans through their passion of aviation.
I want to urge everyone to keep the comments section respectful and refrain from speculation. The investigation is ongoing, and there are still many people deeply affected by this tragedy. Let's honor those lost by continuing to support the Commemorative Air Force and the incredible work that they do.
Highway Heron
It’s not every day you see an ex-Royal Navy aircraft resting beside a rural Southern Oregon highway…
Last summer, I was driving down U.S. Route 97 heading for Klamath Falls, Oregon, when I stumbled upon a shocking sight. There in the grass next to a motel lay an ex-Royal Navy DeHavilland Heron. What made it even more shocking was that this Heron was very familiar to me as I grew up near the small Oregon town it was based in for many years.
One day, some eagle-eyed enthusiasts noticed the Heron was no longer seen in Albany, Oregon, and most of us assumed it had unfortunately been scrapped or hangared away. However, that was discovered to be not the case. So, when I saw the Heron, I knew I had to stop and check it out. A few things stood out, including the absence of the four Gipsy Queen engines, a wing, and amusingly, somehow the right wing was seemingly partially installed upside down on the left side. Instructions unclear I guess!
This De Havilland DH-114 Sea Heron C.1 has a very interesting history. The aircraft, initially delivered as a Heron Srs. 2B to Jersey Airlines with the registration G-AORH in May 1956, was subsequently sold to the Royal Navy and entered service as XR442 with the Yeovilton Station Flight on April 17, 1961. After being retired from service in 1989, the Sea Heron C.1 was registered as G-HRON with St Helena Airways on April 4, 1991, and later passed on to Michael Ewart Revans Goghlan in Blandford Forum on May 11, 1993.
Following its cancellation by the CAA on April 10, 2002, the aircraft was stored at Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton, in its Royal Navy colours until it was sold to Happy Miles of Albany, Oregon, USA. It was shipped in a container to Portland, Oregon, on January 20, 2006, where it was partially restored by Mr Miles, but later put up for sale.
The big mystery remains how it ended up laying 250.02 km / 155.35 mi away from Albany in a grass field. While it's a sad sight to see, it's my hope that since it still survives, someone will eventually purchase it and restore it to its former glory.
Thanks to Aerial Visuals for their wonderful history database:
Happy 247th Birthday, USA!
A very happy 247th…
A very happy 247th birthday to the United States of America!
I wouldn't call us a perfect union just yet, but we are still pretty decent all things considered. Can't detract from our aviation scene, that's for sure!
Here are some of my favorite flag related aircraft/photos over the years.
The 2022 Reklaw Flying M Ranch Fly-In and Campout
Ever heard of Reklaw, Texas? Most haven't, and that's okay. The 379 residents probably prefer it that way, but it would be a crime to not shine a light on their incredible annual fly-in.
Have you ever been to Reklaw? If not, you're missing out on one of the most exciting events in general aviation. The Reklaw fly-in takes place every Fall at the Flying M Ranch Airport (7TA7) owned by Dave and Marcia Mason of Reklaw, Texas. Reklaw is about 140 miles to the SE of the Dallas/Fort Worth area and 147 miles NNE of Houston meaning it's in a favorable location for aviators far and wide. For a few days each Fall, the private grass strip welcomes aircraft owners, pilots and other aviation enthusiasts to the ranch.
For those who have been to Reklaw or who have seen media from the fly-in, you'll know that Reklaw features plenty of "runway clearing" low passes, good food, award ceremonies, and best of all, great people - many of which participate in Oshkosh-style camping next to their aircraft. The fly-in is also known to feature an impressive variety of aircraft in various sizes. In past years, aircraft such as the Pilatus PC-12, Antonov AN-2, Twin Beech, and even a North American P-51D Mustang have either flown into or over the event.
The Flying M Ranch's grass strip measures 3,500 feet in length and features a heck of a gradient as you'll see in the photos and never mind the fact that it has some pretty sizeable pine trees on each approach end! As you can imagine, this makes for some pretty exciting operations both from a pilot and spectator perspective. In addition to the runway challenges, it's also an uncontrolled event meaning that's on the pilots to see and avoid even while the event is at its busiest, and boy does it get busy!
In summary, the Reklaw Fly-In is a must-attend event for aviation enthusiasts and the 2022 edition was no different. People driving up and down the flight line on riding lawn mowers, tying their shoes in the middle of the runway, and holding up signs to egg on the pilots - you'll see it all at Reklaw! I think it's fair to say it's a wonderful event and simultaneously not for the faint of heart.
Be sure to be patient and make it to the end of this large album. Turns out the heat gets turned up as the night goes on! The 2023 edition this coming October will be the 38th year of the Flying M Ranch Fly-In and Campout and we look to be in for another exciting event.
From The Vault: The Hunter Hackney Caribou
This war horse is also a war hero, and unbeknownst to many, it sits in the restoration yard of the iconic Pima Air & Space Museum.
(Originally posted March 9, 2022)
Few know that behind the Pima Air & Space Museum are the remains of a historic USAF aircraft. On August 25, 1968, then Major Hunter F. Hackney flew 2 drop passes over the Duc Lap Special Forces camp in South Vietnam in support of US and ARVN troops. The drops delivered vitally needed ammunition through vicious concentrations of anti-aircraft and automatic weapons fire in which Hackney's Caribou sustained severe battle damage. Major Hackney then flew the paralyzed aircraft to a nearby forward operating base Ban Me Thout. )Fully aware that the defenders of Duc Lap wouldn't be able to survive the night without further resupply, he then obtained this very Caribou and once again headed towards the fight, successfully dropping more supplies and again sustaining severe battle damage. The defenders of Duc Lap survived the siege which ended several days later. For his airmanship, bravery, and heroism, Major Hackney was awarded the Air Force Cross and the RVN Gallantry Cross with Silver Star. Another Caribou on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force was once painted as Hackney's aircraft, but this is the real deal.
From The Vault: 2021 Wings Over Dallas WWII Air Show
We revisit the 2021 Wings Over Dallas WWII Air Show!
This show was particularly tough to revisit considering the horrible tragedy occured at the 2022 show, with some of the aircraft and volunteers in the photos having been lost. I've also thrown together some new edits that have never been seen before. Below you'll find the original writeup:
One of the last air shows we try to attend each year is the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas WWII Air Show which is held annually at the Dallas Executive Airport. The event always promises an extraordinary collection of flyable vintage aircraft, most of which are owned and operated by the CAF. This year's attractions included aircraft rides in a variety of historic aircraft, education day, living history, and an impressive daily air show.
In addition to CAF aircraft, this year's show included an additional P-40 Warhawk joining the fray courtesy of the local Cavanaugh Flight Museum and the Trojan Phlyers AirShow & Racing Team performing formation aerobatics with their T-28 Trojans.
The Commemorative Air Force's mission is to educate, inspire, and honor through flight and living history experiences. Events like Wings Over Dallas show the mission is still going strong 64 years after the organization's inception.
Thank you to all involved for a great show! We will certainly be back again next year.
From The Vault: EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2022
Thought 2021 was a great week for Airventure? Between perfect weather and an incredible lineup, 2022 was an unforgettable year!
I was once again honored to receive media credentials for The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration in 2022. Oshkosh is often considered by many to be the best aviation event on the planet with just about every facet of aviation being present each year. 2022 was no different with over 10,000 aircraft arriving to the otherwise quiet Wisconsin town in late July. At Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport alone, there were over 18,684 aircraft movements between July 21-31 which comes out to an average rate of 121 take offs/landings per hour while the airport was open.
In the second year back since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold on the world, the 2022 edition of the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration was a record-breaking success with over 650,000 in attendance over the week-long event, a 7 percent increase over 2021’s visitor tally. The event was also very fortunate to receive beautiful weather over the entire week, a rarity as seasoned Oshkosh attendees would attest.
Some of the themes for the ‘22 show were the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force, 50th anniversary of the Van's Aircraft RV series, and the 30th anniversary of the EAA - Young Eagles ride program. Airlines, eager to inspire and recruit a new generation of pilots, were also a strong presence with impressive flight demos by both United and Delta Air Lines. Despite the US Air Force being OSH22’s focal point, US Naval Aviation also showed up in strong numbers, bringing the F-35C Lightning II, EA-18G Growler, and E-2C Hawkeye demonstration teams. Another visitor, this one unexpectedly, was Delilah the "stowaway cat" who ended up sneaking into her parent's camper all the way from Maine and ended up spending the entire week at the show!
I hope the following photos can do this incredible event justice. Oshkosh is both a slice of aviation heaven while also getting to see both old and new friends each and every year. I can't wait to be back in 2023!
This is a very large album that includes action from throughout the week I was up there. Below are 341 images for your viewing pleasure. Please be patient as this album may take a bit of extra time to load.
From The Vault: EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2021
A look into the 2021 edition of the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration, the first since the start of the global pandemic!
In 2021, I was lucky enough to make the trip north to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the year's edition of the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration - EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. This was my sixth AirVenture and despite the ongoing pandemic, I was very impressed with the turnout and adjustments made by the organizers to make this extraordinary event happen. Attendance numbered around 608,000 for the week and more than 10,000 aircraft arrived. According to the EAA, there were 16,378 aircraft operations in a 10-day period from July 22-31 which averages out to around 116 takeoffs/landings per hour. There's a reason why OSH tower is considered the "World's Busiest Control Tower" during the week of the show! If there was anything I could possibly complain about, it would be the constant smoky skies due to the terrible ongoing wildfires across North America that week, but of course, that is totally out of our control. The performers and themes at OSH21 quickly made everyone forget about the lack of blue skies. Themes of 2021's AirVenture included Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) which brought a staggering number of high profile assets to the show, the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, and humanitarian aircraft such as the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital.
If all of that wasn't enough, did I mention I was lucky enough to hitch a ride on a Pilatus PC-12 up to Oshkosh? Pinch me!
This is a very large album that includes action from throughout the 7 days I was up there. Below are 297 images for your viewing pleasure. Please be patient as this album may take a bit of extra time to load.
Flying Heavy Metal
Bruce Dickinson, frontman of iconic metal group Iron Maiden visits the Commemorative Air Force in February 2022.
Iron Maiden frontman, Bruce Dickinson, is no stranger to heavy metal, nor is the Commemorative Air Force B29 B24 Squadron. With a personal connection to the B-24 Liberator and an accomplished pilot himself, Dickinson was a fitting guest at the CAF's Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center in Dallas, Texas in February 2022 - home of the Commemorative Air Force operated B-29 Superfortress "FiFi" and B-24 Liberator "Diamond Lil."
In addition to touring the world for over 40 years with his iconic band, Bruce is a pilot and has accumulated over 7,000 hours of flight time since obtaining his license in the 1990s. He has previously flown Boeing 757s for a British airline, and most notably flew Iron Maiden on multiple tours around the world in Boeing 737s, 757s, and 747s affectionately dubbed "Ed Force One," a homage to the band's mascot, Eddie. In addition to commercial aviation, Bruce has forayed into the air show scene, flying his replica WW1-era Fokker Dr.I Triplane which was made most famous by German flying ace Manfred Von Richthofen, The Red Baron.
Dickinson's visit was not only special because of his passion for historic aviation, but also a deep personal connection to one of the two heavy bombers that call the Education Center's 30,000 sq ft hangar home. Bruce's great uncle served as a B-24 crewmember with the Royal Air Force's 200 Squadron during WWII. Bruce credits his great uncle for getting him into aviation and cherished the opportunity to get up close and personal with the world's only regularly flying example.
After touring the hangar, nose art gallery, and graciously agreeing to a sit-down interview, Dickinson was treated to a flight in a 1953 T-34A Mentor trainer operated by the CAF T-34 Sponsor Group where he was able to get some stick time prior to his spoken-word show at the nearby Majestic Theatre in Downtown Dallas.
A special thanks to our friends at Buffalo Airways for helping set up this wonderful visit and of course, thanks to Bruce for making time to come visit our beloved warbirds!
