Aviation Photography by Philip Stevens available for any assignment. 1000's of images (mostly action). Features on Air shows, Low Level, Air to Air and Base Visits. Bias towards military aircraft and photographic ideas/inspiration. Images for sale as prints or under commercial license.

   

Low level photography from the hills

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TVOC - Vulcan To The Sky Trust    Vulcan to the sky  

Windermere Air Show
Bowness Bay, Windermere, Cumbria

July 25-26, 2009

The Windermere air show in its ninth year attracted The Vulcan Operating Company's (TVOC) Avro Vulcan B2 (XH558/G-VLCN) which appeared for the first time. Ken Burchill of the impressive Windermere Hydro Hotel had generously donated a large sum of money to the Vulcan to the Sky Trust so that this famous cold war bomber could display right in front of the hotel's window. For me this was a unique opportunity to see a Vulcan at low level and and as I imagined it would have been during the 'Cold War', when aircrew trained to fly at low level right to targets deep behind the 'iron curtain'. Up to 20,000 people were estimated to have attended the show, which also included a Spitfire, Hurricane, Mustang, Dakota and the Red Arrows appearing on the Sunday.      

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Vulcan B2 XH558 on its final pass in front of the town of Windermere before pulling up steeply and departing to Carlisle where it was night-stopping.
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Left to right: The first pass low from the north....

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Left to right: continuing on over Bowness Bay in front of the town.

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Right to left: With spectators at every vantage point, the second pass from the south swept round before......

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Right to left: pulling up to the left and turning right.......

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Left to right: for another run low over the lake. 

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Left to right: The perfect line for some impressive images as its approached the town.

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Left to right: The final climb out was impressively steep before it set course north and Carlisle for its planned night-stop.

There was more than just the Vulcan performing over Windermere Lake. These these images are mostly cropped due to the increased distance you were from the displaying aircraft. 

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Left to right: Jet Provost T.5A (XW325 / G-BWGF) opened the Saturday show flying in from Blackpool, followed by Peter Teichman's P-51D Mustang (472035 / G-SIJJ) 'Jumpin Jacques' and later the BBMF Douglas C-47 Dakota (ZA947) 'Pegasus'.

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Left to right: BBMF Spitfire Mk.PRXIX (PM631) is joined by their Hurricane Mk.IIc (PZ865).