Mojave desert boneyard

[Nathan]

Watching an episode of mythbusters they went to the Mojave desert aircraft boneyard to work on a myth. So seeing that got me alittle interested in the place so I did some searching on the net about it. I know this place is not particularly warbirds...but there are a few there that I have noticed in pictures and on TV. Most notably were one or two C-133 Cargomasters(one of my favorite big stick cargo planes).

Aircraft boneyards have always fasinated me. Seeing a open desert filled with giants with tails poking towards the endless sky. Reminds of one like an elephant graveyard. Even though I am more of a warbird guy still seeing these commercial aircraft in the boneyard is still a litte hard to look at. Even though many of these aircraft types are still in service there are a few rare ones that I have noticed still living ablite some missing parts. : Once proud birds now in a sea of waste. I gotta stop being so dramatic now.

Its just cool looking at pictures of the place. I hope one day I can pay a visit.

Here is a link to some pictures: Note a DC-8, an AN-2, and a Connie!
http://www.airchive.com/SITE%20PAGES/VIN-MOJAVE.html


And a flicker site I found. Possibly posted here before I can't remember:
http://www.airchive.com/SITE%20PAGES/VIN-MOJAVE.html

Has anyone here ever visited the place?

Cheers,
Nathan

[n5151ts]

duplicate link!

[Nathan]

oops

Here it is:

http://www.designshed.com/lostamerica/aircraft.html

[n5151ts]

oops

Here it is:

http://www.designshed.com/lostamerica/aircraft.html

[Cripes A Mighty]

I know the guy who took those shots. Check out his book Lost America its a good read and excellent photography.

[Nathan]

I would like to learn how to take pictures like that. I actually tried that tonight...the results sucked.

Just gotta keep trying and study up on my photography

I tried that with my camera in night mode. Almost every time the camera would focus in an ISO dot would show up in my viewfinder and it would not take the picture. I tried everything from standing far away from my subject to zooming all the way in with my lens. Why does it do that?

Nathan the puzzled and photo greenhorn.

[Cripes A Mighty]

Yeah Troy has serious talent. His forte is a technique called light painting. Check the technique section of the website for some tips.

As for night photography, I just started some myself and the recent purchase of a tripod has helped immensely. Its like day and night difference (no pun intended). I dont know what equipment you are using or the conditions but the more ambient light the better. Maybe your camera must be completely still to register and process the light in order to auto focus.

Sorry for the non warbird posts guys

-Nick the NOOB

Here is his FLICKR set also
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lostamerica/

[RareBear]

The Constellation isn't at Mojave. I'm pretty sure it's the one at Pima Air & Space Museum in Tuscon, next to Davis-Monthan.

Walt

[RareBear]

Cripes-a Mighty,

The auto-focus feature doesn't work well, if at all, in low light situations. Some cameras have an infra-red assist light, but it has a limited range.

Walt

[The Inspector]

As a former inmate......er......employee of CALAC back in the early 70's and having my DNA all over a bunch of L-1011's, I turn cartwheels whenever I see one of those poorly built, dangerous piles of dervis being cut apart. Rarely was any aircraft built where management and engineering and especially QC were less inclined to stop or prevent things that bordered on sabatoge.

I also worked on TRUMP SHUTTLE's aircraft in QC@ the local MRO after strangely enough being in QC @ Renton when they were built. They were all ex EASTERN shuttles with 177 seats and JT8-7A engines. The Donald spent some money spiffying them up , ceramic sinks in the biffy, and every removable piece of trim in the cabins that was metal was polished to a high gloss, bin seat assignment trim, arm rest supports, so they were pretty upscale busses.

I know Boeing could care less, but a few years ago, EVERGREEN Air Park had in storage DC-8 ship 1, shouldn't it be preserved somewhere too?

[kennsmithf2g]

In low-light, I sometimes use auto-focus to get close, then manual focus to get tight. Always manual focus to shoot in low light or else it will not shoot (Digital Rebel, "L" lenses). Sometimes, manual focus even has to be used in not so low light, like zoomining in on a dark subject, like the Blackbird and the Widow in the NASM.

Another thing to try is to open-up the light metering. I normally use center metering but it messes-up the autofocus in low light,

Kenn