Williamtown Airshow

Squirrel Pairs Display - 723 Sqn Royal Australian Navy

After yesterday's epically long day, the alarm after 3-4hrs sleep was a rude shock. Luckily, I had packed everything the night before, so only had to shower, then leave.

The drive was calm and quiet, I saw many beautiful things in the pre-dawn light and wanted to stop and shoot them but I was on a schedule, as always you see a kodak moment when you don't have time to stop.

Got to Tim's place right on time, and yes a did make one stop... One scene I could not pass up at it was at St Mary's so it only cost 5 mins.

Morning Fog Near St Mary's
The Fog I had to Stop for

Tim picked up, we got a call from D (As Vodafone would not ring out AGAIN) to say he would be late at Richmond due to a roster fail. The loco driver was not qualified to run the train in the Richmond branch... Hmmmm

Tim and I arrived at Richmond, and had Maccas to fill in the the time. We got the NOS to get David's stuff from the train so we were ready to leave when he arrived. We managed to leave just after 0700.. Late but not too bad.

David slept on the way up even with Tim & I nattering in the front.. Upon arrival we got sent down the back access road to the RAAF base which was a grove of Paperback Eucalypts. Just magical. Parking was easy and we trekked to the show. We had to cross the runway by foot which amused me greatly. It had been many many years since I had stepped in to this tarmac. Last time I was 16yrs old dressed in a cadet's uniform and getting into trouble. How things change.

The paperbark Grove

This airfield is used by both the RAAF and the domestic air traffic so they had shut down the whole airport to allow people to cross the runway. We did sun calculations and headed off to the static displays.  The sky was blue the wind high (And cold) but a perfect shooting day. Its a shame my photographic mojo had left me. I struggled to get half decent results all day. Most unhappy with myself.
Tim collected trinkets which was quite few and far between, they had bot catered for the crowds, the only two things I was sad about was I had no money to get an 817sqn shirt. But that's life and I have lotsa shirts. Still... :-(



I'll use Tim's photos unless I can find a useable pic of my own.
The airshow component was late to start. AND this meant the stars of the show, the Hornets and the F-111 were in the sun and impossible to shoot. It was sad they they did this. They should have started earlier or at least on time.  All three of us were sunburnt buy the end of the day.

Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet - 1 Sqn Royal Australian Air Force
F/A-18F Super Hornet - Photo by Orangetim

F-111G - 6 Sqn Royal Australian Air Force
F-111G - Photo by Orangetim

By the Time the demonstration of the F/A-18's had come about it was after 1600hrs and the sun was wrong, I was tired, very sore (Back and feet) and dehydrated. I threw in the towel and stalked off to get a drink. The drinks cost $17.50! If Tim had not given me $10 I would have still been thirsty,  :-( I missed shooting the demonstration, but I had had enough.  

Finally it ended, the sun was low and people were leaving. We took the opportunity to get a last few shots without crowds infront of the static displays.  I was slightly happier with those 8 photos. 

Yes out of 4,462 photos taken, I was happy with 8.

Yay.

:-(

The carpark was , well a carpark, but it was moving of its own accord, I was not stressed, I was happy to be in the car and off my feet. We had the SES channel on the radio and overheard then report someone in a silver $WD knock over some barrier? Tape? Anyway a divider of some sort, to steal lights. Really?? On a military base? YOu would steal something? How dumb are you? ANYWAY THe SES reported it to the Military police who got the guy.. and, well, he will hurting today... Military police dude, not federal or state.... Seriously, it was astounding that anyone would think this was a good idea.  We passed through the paperback trees and since we were in traffic, we sat in the grove for a while. The frogs were singing and it was even more magical than in the morning. 

Tim kept me awake for the drive home, we chatted about all sorts of segway items.. including Richard Jeffries saying he didn't like tattoos on girls and how I was hurt.... lol.. I should email him... BUT i'll leave a note here. Richard, I have tattoos, I love my art and I was hurt you thought that were not attractive. BOO to you. But YAY you got a podcast out. 

Dropped Tim home with his haul (And his spine, ask him) and wandered off to Druey's place where they BBQ had been in full swing for a while.  Chatted and it was nice to catch up with everyone. Even Pat were there for his yearly, I am alive appearance. **Waves** His girly had fallen asleep on the couch and I was crashing too so at 2300hrs, it was time to go home. 

Home didn't come soon enough, I was even falling asleep whilst typing a message.  zzzzz
More pics as I process them. 

Comments

  1. It was a great day! Frustrating that the flying program was started way to late. That afternoon sun and cloud just ruined the whole spectacle of the fast jets. I was amazed David slept as we chatted about all sorts of stuff. I did a double take when we heard that call over the radio saying that some bloke has stolen some lighting form the air base. What a moron!

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