Aviation Photography
This image of a very low flying Jaguar single seater was taken a few weeks before the Jaguar fleet was withdrawn from service. The Jaguar Pilots were very skilled at low level flying .
Hawk TMK 1 RAF Valley Cad West Wales 16/04 2008. If you look closely into both of the cockpits you can see the two red ejector seat safety pins. This Image is available as a Photographic Print, Wall Art, Keepsakes and a Photo Mug
Hawk T Mk 1 With Centre Line Cannon
I have chosen this image because it was extremely rare to see a bombed up Hawk fly through the Welsh valleys at low level. In fact this was the only one that I ever saw.
Seaking Helicopter Search and Rescue
This image was taken whilst walking the South Wales Costal Path. The Seaking was on a shout rescuing an injured walker,
6 Frames Per Second RAF Typhoon F1
This Image was taken at Cad West in Wales just as the Typhoon entered service with the Royal Airforce circa 2007. I was using a Canon Eos 40d at the time and shot a continuous 6 frame sequence and entered the images into a Canon photo competition which I subsequently won. This Image is available for purchase as a photographic print, Wall Art, Keep Sakes and Photo Mugs
Very Low Level Panavia Tornado GR4 . The serial of the aircraft is not known but it was at an extremely low level. The Image was taken at Cad West on the 18th of April 2008 and if you look closely at the tail fin you can see the shape of a green bat. This image is available as a photographic print, wall art , keepsakes and photo mugs
This image of a Typhoon was taken in 2007 shortly after the aircraft had entered service. The aircraft has been upgraded to a T3 and is still flying in the UK
RSAF Development Tornado BAE Warton
At the time this aircraft was considered to be the Holy Grail of Welsh Low Level Aviation Photography as it's appearances were quite rare. I will never forget this day as a few of my fellow photographers dozed off whilst this fantastic jet roared past us at some speed . In this picture you can see the contrails on the aircraft as the wings compress the moisture in the air. Cad West 20/05/2008.
The Cancelled Belgian Airforce F16 Set Up
In the good old days certain people were in the know about certain aircraft that were due to fly through LFA 7. This image was taken as a result of a cancelled set up or at least that is what everyone thought.
I like this image of a low flying Hawk for the fact that the Sqn Insignia is a little worn. A quick check of the internet tells me that this aircraft is still flying with 100 Sqn based at RAF Leeming.
This image of a Typhoon fighter jet was taken from Cad West LFA7. You actually looked down on these jets as they flew by you at over 400mph. Happy days
I really like this image of a very low Tornado GR4 as it flies through the Bwlch back in 2007. I deliberately went with a wide angle lens to create a landscape image which emphasises how low the aircrew flew their jets when in the UK low flying system.
As the Tornado GR4 fleet was withdrawn from service the retired aircraft were broken up for spares and returned to the frontline as parts. This process was known as RTP and continued until the aircraft was retired from active service .The remaining spares were then sold to the Royal Saudi Airforce.
A Tornado GR4 threads the needle through Cad West in 2010. If you were lucky the Navigator would give you the Bird or present a sign saying with I am with stupid.
The close up image of a low flying Hawk T mk1 highlights how these fantastic little jets are capable of skimming through the Welsh valleys. You can purchase this image as a Photo Mug, Photo Print, Wall Art, Desk Art or a Keepsake.
I like this image as it shows you how visible a black low level paint scheme is when viewed at Low Level.
Red Arrows Hawk Low Level LFA 9
At the end of a Red Arrows display all of the scarlet jets are scattered through all points of the compass and they will all try to get back together Intime for the airfield arrival loop. I managed to catch one of the synchro pair as it sped past the hill that I'd just watched the display from. Although this is quite an old image of a Hawk I think that it would make a tremendous canvas print. Canvas prints can be purchased from the wall art section of this website.
Close Encounters of a C130-J Hercules Kind.
Being in the right place at the right time this is an image that I will remember forever. It was taken within the beautiful Welsh hills known as the Mach Loop LFA 7. The image can be purchased as a photographic print, wall art, desk art , keep sakes or a photo mug.
Low Flying Chinook Helicopter hugging the contours of the Welsh Hills
Shutter Speed is very important when photographing aircraft with propellers. If the shutter speed is to high it will freeze the propeller and dispel any sense of motion. Sadly the Tucano is no longer with the RAF although I believe that they have been shipped to the US in large quantities.
This Image was taken from a place known as the Bwlch Lower Shelf in Wales. It can be an extremely hostile place to attempt any form of photography. I like this Image because I used a slow shutter speed and a wide angle to emphasise the speed of the aircraft.
The Mighty Fin Bwlch Lower Shelf
The Tornado GR4 was affectionally known as the mighty fin. This was in reference to the massive fin on the back of the aircraft. The one in this image could have really have done with a good clean.
A Harrier T12 taken at the Bwlch Exit Cad West Wales 16/06/2010