More nostalgia flights @ Chino – F4U-1 Corsair (and a Bearcat)
These shots were taken from the open gunner's seat of the museum's T-6 - the best photo platform possible, turned around facing aft completely out in the open. The nice pretty blue shots were taken in November 2002, a beautiful, perfect day for air-to-air photography, after the summer crud from the temperature inversions goes away. The shots of the Corsair with the museum's F8F Bearcat were a year later in November, also from the T-6 - a hazier day with the very last of the Santa Annas bringing a minor temperature inversion.
The Planes of Fame F4U-1 is the oldest Corsair still flying. It began life as an F4U-1 "birdcage" and was one of the first to become an F4U-1A on the production line (though it flies today with an F4U-1D canopy). The scheme is more appropriate for a "birdcage" - field-applied "tricolor" - Sea Blue over Blue-Grey and Light Grey. Yes, those windows behind the canopy are for the person brave enough to climb in back there and go riding in the jump seat.
Great photos Tom, thanks for sharing.
I've been photographing many an aircraft during airshows, but having the opportunity to capture them air-to-air is a different ball game altogether. Beautiful shots. What was the chase plane/arrangement?
As usual, the photo plane orbits a couple miles south of the field at about 2,000 feet while the Corsair did a flyover of the museum for the "First Saturday" event, then the Corsair came down and we did 3-4 circles together for photography.
Sure looks like Photoshop to me!
Beautiful, Tom.
Beautifully photographed, Tom!