Reflections on a Sunday at Chino

[k5083]

Sunday at the Chino show was a good day for reflection.

There were reflections high,


reflections low,


and reflections at convenient eye level.


The drenching rain in the morning provided ample time to reflect on the lengths we go to chasing these old planes around. Sensible people, and guys with delicate electronic cameras that don't like water, took shelter away from the flight line. I was using a 1970s Nikon FE, and I'm too stupid to stay out of the rain. Stupidity has its rewards:





















Considering how things started, it was a happy surprise when props started turning and it became evident that we were going to have an airshow.





And it got better, as the clouds lifted and the freshly scrubbed air let us see hills that usually are just vague shapes in the distance at Chino.





As the flying got going, I reflected on this, my 30th year of chasing old planes around with cameras. After all that time, I'm still seeing stuff that's new to me.













And yet, there were familiar shapes, and at least one plane at the show that I saw during my first season of warbird chasing in 1981. And they're not stale yet.











Now here's somebody with a lot to reflect about. Walking around like any first-timer shooting pics with his cheesy digital point-and-shoot of the airplanes -- mostly his airplanes -- what must Ed Maloney have been thinking about all his years of scraping together old planes, having his museum/collection/junkyard shunted from site to site around southern California all those years, and the slow buildup to the kind of celebration of the old machinery that we were all enjoying?



I thought Ed looked and sounded great this year. It seemed to me he picked up a lot more of the airshow narration duties than he did a few years ago. You go, Ed!

After the show, the evening light was as pretty in its own way as the morning's had been. I went and took all the same pictures again because it was like a whole different day.









I'm not sure if I can remember the last airshow I enjoyed more. I think I'll reflect on it a little.



August

[T33driver]

Phenomenal composition and artistry August, thank you!!

[JohnTerrell]

Excellent photos, August, the compositions are perfect!

They really nailed the formations - I was thinking last week, it would be great to see the museum's P-47G along with the FW-190, and sure enough it happened! It is also great to see the combination of the J2F and F3F together.

[michaelharadon]

Sierra hotel.

[Dan Jones]

Has Mr Maloney ever flown any of his airplanes? Does he fly at all? What a fantastic collection and museum he and his people have built.

Dan

[Mike]

Very nice August, and I enjoyed having dinner with you on Sunday night

[Red Tail]

Your 30 years behind the lense taking pictures of aircraft shows! You have some outstanding shots in there! The P-47 / FW190 shot in particular...

John
CC CAF Red Tail

[Django]

Great photos August, thank you. I really like the vertical Bearcat photo.

[hahnej]

I like the pic of the P-47 and Fw-190. Really shows the huge size difference, and how the pilots had to really exploit the attributes of their aircraft to be successful (and stay alive).

[Lightjug]

Great pictures and comments... nicely done

[JDK]

Great stuff August.

Speaking personally, I don't recall blaming my (new) delicate digital cameras, I am happy to admit that I've got wet myself at too many airshows and I just "don't do that much no more" - and I need at least a P-40 to shelter under these days (and P-40s make for poor umbrellas, if you're wondering). You got great shots though!

On the other hand a big thank you to August to encourage a select band of happy snappers to stick around for the remarkable evening light, departures and photo - ops on Sunday eve. As August said, it was like a whole different day, and a different show, too.

It was great to get together after that for a group dinner, as well.

Regards,

[Mike]

Speaking personally, I don't recall blaming my (new) delicate digital cameras, I am happy to admit that I've got wet myself at too many airshows and I just "don't do that much no more" - and I need at least a P-40 to shelter under these days (and P-40s make for poor umbrellas, if you're wondering).

.......and that was an EXTREMELY large plate of bacon you had to get through first, James. Funny how it took you until exactly the time it stopped raining,

[mrp]

Nice photos and some great shots. I greatly enjoyed the evening light as well. It was a great way to cap off a good weekend.

You guys must be missing us already !!

Mark

[whistlingdeath77]

wonderful photos!

[JDK]

.......and that was an EXTREMELY large plate of bacon you had to get through first, James. Funny how it took you until exactly the time it stopped raining,

Skill, training and experience.