Centre of Aviation Photography visits the McChord Museum
Today was the last day of the COAP Pacific Northwest adventure. We awoke in Yakima, Washington, and chased a lead to BFI. The plane we searched for didn't arrive, but we were treated to an all-black Canadian Dash 8.
We then proceeded to Joint Base Lewis McChord in Tacoma, Washington, to check out their museums. On the Army side was the Lewis Museum, where they have displays covering the 100-year evolution of JBLM. After enjoying the Army-based offerings, we headed to the hidden jewel that is the McChord Air Museum. The rare B-18A Bolo and B-23 Dragon are on static display in a beautifully laid-out airpark.
The Erickson Aircraft Collection at JBLMAWE
According to their website, the EAC is bringing a B-17 Bomber, P-51 Mustang, Messerschmitt & B-25 STEM Display to the #JBLMAWE at the McChord AFB Airshow Events | Erickson Aircraft Collection (ericksoncollection.com)
F-35 to Appear at JBLM this July
F-35 to appear at #jblmawe
The USAF Heritage flight team has posted their 2023 schedule.
JBLM 2023 Airshow & Warrior Expo | JB Lewis-McChord, WA | July 15-16 | F-35, P-51 Mustang
Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation announces 2023 schedule
The P-51 would likely be Val-Halla! My favorite P-51.
Finally, a Press Release for the Warriors Wanted Airshow
the 2023 JBLM AIrshow & Warrior Expo is themed “Warriors Wanted”
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. – The 2023 Joint Base Lewis-McChord Airshow & Warrior Expo is a “GO” for July 15-16 at McChord Field. This will be JBLM’s first airshow in seven years. The all-day event will feature the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as the marquee act.
The JBLM Airshow & Warrior Expo theme is “Warriors Wanted: Explore Your Destiny.” In addition to more than a dozen air acts, hundreds of JBLM Soldiers and Airmen will be on hand with dozens of airframe and vehicle ground displays from JBLM.
This will showcase the equipment Airmen and Soldiers use at the base every day, and the public will be able to go inside the planes, helicopters, and vehicles on display, and speak directly with the crews who operate them.
During the 2023 Airshow & Warrior Expo we’ll also celebrate 50 years of women in modern military aviation and 30 years of women in combat aviation.
The 2023 JBLM Airshow & Warrior Expo is free and open to the general public. It’s our way to thank the Puget Sound community for their support of service members and military families.
More information about the 2023 JBLM Airshow & Warrior Expo will be available in the coming months through news releases, website and social media.
2023 McChord Airshow update.
2023 JBLM airshow lineup information.
Yellow Thunder a 2 ship Harvard (T-6 Texan) aerobatic team has the JBLM 2023 airshow on their schedule. There is no official webpage for this event as of today. Schedule – Yellow Thunder Here is the Yellow Thunder website. Photo is not from the acual team. It’s another T-6 I’ve seen at other airshow.
Ace Maker Airshows still Pending for 2023 McChord Airshow
Scrubbing the depth of the internet to find out if this amazing T-33 is going to perform at the McChord Airshow
I saw the #JBLMAWE airshow at Joint Base Lewis-McChord is listed as “Pending” on the Gregory W. Colyer FB page. However, there is a possibility that both T-33s could be in Washington State a short time later.
JBLM Airshow & Warrior Expo 2023
News on the 2023 JBLM Airshow #JBLMAWE
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will be making their first appearance at Joint Base Lewis McChord for the first time since 2016.
Tora Tora Tora airshows will also be appearing with their living history lesson and pyrotechnics.
An Ace Maker T-33 was rumored to be attending, sadly I can’t confirm that one their calendar. They will be in the state of Washington in August.
The U.S Army may also participate in some sort of demo as well.
COAP Exotic Wings Day 2
It all begins with an idea.
On day two 6 of us from the Center of Aviation Photography (COAPonline.com) went to Appley Valley, California. There we boarded Cessna 182s to do an overflight of the boneyard at the Southern California Logistics Airport. The SCLA is the Air Force Base formerly known as George Air Force Base.
Other members of the outing stayed closer to Edwards AFB. Those of us on the Victorville trip toured a Quantas A380 which was being returned to service after two years of storage. After our lucky tour, the group grabbed Phantom burgers at an eatery on former George AFB.
When we went back up the hill to lancaster we chased planes on sticks and random aviation junk
COAP Exotic Wings Day 1
My first-time spotting at LAX
This evening I met up with 12 other aviation photographers who took a trip organized by the Center of Aviation Photography. coaponline.com
This was my first-time plane spotting. I have taken photos of airplanes at airports; this was the first time I went to an airport to photograph airplanes.
My LAX photos were taken from Cutler’s Park in El Segundo, California. This park overlooks Los Angeles Airport.
2022 Edwards Air Force Base
2022 Aerospace Valley Airshow 2022
For the first time in many years Edwards Air Force is allowing the public on base. Stay tuned for more information.
The United States Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to appear as well as some NASA aircraft not usually seen by the public.
Aerospace Valley Air Show – Edwards Air Force Base (avairshow.com)
Prop blur
Prop blur is necessary to add some drama to a photo. If you click the link, you can see a version of the cover photo shot at 1/1000th of a second. The cover is shot at 1/125th of a second. The slower shutter speed leads to a more dynamic photo if you compare the two.
When photographing aircraft with propellers the slower the shutter speed is, the more motion is in the propeller arc.
https://flic.kr/p/Tc9cWB
COAP Exotic Wings Day 3
Sunrise at Edwards AFB
Day 3 of the Exotic Wings trip started in the dark, as all good photography adventures should. The people in the group piled all their camera gear into two vans and headed to the media gate at Edwards Air Force Base. We were lucky enough to have photography access and had a shorter line to get on base. The passes also included early access to the Flightline, and we were able to photograph a diverse collection of famous aircraft as the sun rose across the desert.
The most popular aircraft on static display was the Darkstar mockup from the film TOP GUN Maverick. There was also an assortment of vintage warbirds, NASA, and test aircraft.
The show opened with a sonic boom and culminated with the USAF Thunderbirds performing in their F-16C fighter planes.