RAF Lakenheath

[paddy]

I knew i would be passing Lakenheath today
Grabbed my camera on the wayout..................and dropped it, Exit 1x 500mm telephoto lens. (£1500) great start to the day
Camera survived but all I had was a 105mm lens so pics were a bit of a waste of time.

Good to see the 48th fighter wing is still flying the flag for you guys over here

No sign of the new F35.s though

 

[moon puppy]

Sorry about the lens! Really great snaps though. Just love the Eagle, always have.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Also sorry to hear about the mishap with the camera and damage to the lens. I cannot imagine spending that much on a lens.

I love the photos of the C-130!

 

[helios]

Sorry about the lens.

Still managed some good photos with the alternate.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Been there with the lens. Not as bad as yours, only $1200 lens lost. Great photos though. Not a waste at all!

 

[paddy]

Hi Paul
I bought the lens when i was really into photography , its not something i will be replacing, still a shame though.

A couple of shots from those days with a US flavour

These were all taken with my 500mm Nikon that is no more :-(

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Hi Paul
I bought the lens when i was really into photography , its not something i will be replacing, still a shame though.

A couple of shots from those days with a US flavour


These were all taken with my 500mm Nikon that is no more :-(

Holy Mackerel! Those are extremely clear and brilliant. Well done sir. Dang, I want to build those!!

 

[paddy]

If it makes anyone want to build then they did their job here

 

[Greg Kimsey]

If it makes anyone want to build then they did their job here

Cue mike drop...
Those P51's in particular are awesome.

 

[paddy]

Both those Mustangs are long gone now, Big beautiful doll got its tail sliced by a French skyraider at Duxford a few years ago and Janie got hit by a gust of wing on finals/ landing and hit a tree., BBD,s pilot bailed and survived, Janie pilot was pretty beaten up and his passenger died.

 

[Barney]

Four years at Mildenhall, back when the 48th flew F-111s. My ex(#1) got all the photos from 3 air shows and several visits to various RAF stations. I've been retired 16 years and miss the "Sound of Freedom" everyday.

 

[Impisi]

ohh damn, dropping such a lens, that would ruin my day for sure
great pictures

 

[paddy]

Always makes me smile when i go through Mildenhall and Lakenheath as half the cars are left hand drive muscle cars and everything in the shops is priced in dollars in the heart of the English countryside
That herc in the pictures was from Mildenhall but doing touch and go's at Lakenheath

For those that dont know they are about 3 miles apart

 

[jeaton01]

Nice photos, Paddy!

 

[paddy]

I just bought another lens off ebay,should have been £400, got it for £200 so just about worth buying. shame to give up on a hobby so took the plunge
End of the day i met a guy who just spent £1000 on an i phone 14 and his main selling point was the great camera ?
So basically he spent £1000 on a £150 phone and a £150 camera. I'd love to know what those things cost to produce but if i can buy a 60" 4k TV for £500 i sure as hell aint paying a £1000 for a phone

Anyway next time i am passing the base i will try again with the new lens, thats if the sun ever comes out again in good old blighty...

 

[Impisi]

as I live at the very north western end of Germany at about the northern hight of Manchester I do know how the weather is these days ...

 

[paddy]

Yea, as in Island with an Atlantic and north sea coast we seem to get it most years. I am sorry for those down in Greece with their heatwave but if they could send a little bit up here it would be nice ...not a lot of global warming going on here

 

[Barney]

Four years in the UK and hottest it got was 80°, once... one summer it didn't pass 71°

not exactly bikini weather.

 

[Sharkmouth]

End of the day i met a guy who just spent £1000 on an i phone 14 and his main selling point was the great camera ?
So basically he spent £1000 on a £150 phone and a £150 camera. I'd love to know what those things cost to produce but if i can buy a 60" 4k TV for £500 i sure as hell aint paying a £1000 for a phone

Truer words haven't been spoken!

 

[paddy]

Went down to our local airfield today. A couple of spitfires a couple of Jungmanns, a very old Cub and one for Saul

​

New lens is pretty crap, you get what you pay for it will be back on ebay next week.

the Yellow Jungmann i think is original , the camo one is a Spanish built Casa model

Spitfire BS410 is a 1942 Mk IX converted to two seat
Spitfire SM520 is a Mk IX LF e from 1944 also converted to 2 seat in 2002

So sad to see these once proud defenders of the sky's suffer the indignity of becoming pleasure taxis :-(

The old Cub is a 1944 Grasshoper L-4J (J3C-65D) C/N 13215

If these pictures are off topic or take up valuable space i can delete no problem.