The Menacing Phantom

Morning Gareth

These are organised shoots with a company called Timeline Events, where they are on live MOD / RAF bases, you are booked in, security checked and escorted across the base in a group, I've done 2 at Cosford plus this one here at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk and a Vulcan at Wellesbourne

There are aircraft, particularly Vulcans dotted across the UK, you can get close and shoot, but you'll get other people milling around, if you don't mind these in your shots then fine, personally I prefer clean shots which is where these guys come in, they are organised, usually about 60 ish photographers and in the main, you all respect each others space and mostly work hard to stay out of each others shot, there are a few exceptions occasionally !!

Timeline also provide the lights and smoke machine and set up the aircraft so modern stuff isn't in shot, the Vulcan at Wellesbourne was dragged out onto the main runway for a better background, the airfield was closed to all but emergency traffic for the shoot, the re-enactors are pretty good, all dressed in period costume and are part of the scene.

I've done 4 of these now, got some decent images of Aircraft I wouldn't have normally got, but they are becoming a bit sammey, so I probably wont do any more anytime soon unless something really appetising aircraft wise takes my fancy and that would have to be a Lightning really, They do a fair amount with steam trains plus other stuff, but I have GWSR on my doorstep so that's not for me.

HTH