I've been drooling over the shots from the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum's WWII airshow for several years. This year, I'm going to join @jbwolffiv and maybe others for the show held June 3-5 in Reading, PA. Let's use this thread to discuss and plan our trips. We'll create a separate thread for the photos later. Clear skies and let's beat Jerry!
Here is a link to the WWII Weekend site: http://www.maam.org/maamwwii.html Here is a link to the aircraft lineup: http://www.maam.org/wwii/ww2_acft.htm Here is a list of aircraft if you are too lazy to hit the link: B-29 Fifi B-17 Yankee Lady B-25 - 4 of them! TBM-3E Avenger - 2 of them SBD-5 Dauntless SB2C-5 Helldiver D3A Val - Japanese replica B5N2 Kate - Japanese replica P-51 Mustang - 3 of them FG-1D Corsair FM-2 Wildcat P-40 Warhawk P-47D Thunderbolt Messerschmitt Bf-109 DH-98 Mosquito and various transport aircraft, trainers and scout planes!
There is a high probability that I would join you guys at this. Do you have a room? Where are you staying? I'll check availability. Also, what are the lens requirements? Since we are all Nikon shooters, would you guys be interested in splitting the cost of a big ass Nikon prime? Maybe the 200-500 f5.6 would suffice?
Dennis and I have a room at Hampton Inn Reading/Wyomissing both Friday and Saturday nights. Depending on his arrival time I may head over there on Friday night, or just be at the gate for entrance by 7:00 am on Sat. As for the lens, my 55-300 works fine. If I remember, @mSummers rs last year did not use his 200-500 much at all as we are pretty close to the action. He would remember that better.
I used my 200-400 most of the airshow. The 70-200 was too short. It was the gimbal rig that I found to be useless. Do to other travel opportunities later in the year, I'll be driving up Saturday and only getting a room for Saturday night.
Also a friend of mine mentioned that late in the afternoon, the best light on the planes is from one of the parking lots. If anyone else wants to try that one of the days, let me know.
Your friend is right! The light from the parking lot I use, which is on the other side of the airport is great between like 3:30 and 5:30. It is a hike to get there as the buses then are mobbed. The only other problem I see is that the fighters dont really make it that far, as it is at the end of the runway.
That time of the show it is the bombers. Here is a shot of the B-17 from there in 2013 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress by John Wolff, on Flickr
Thanks for the reference photos. Im thinking a trip over there is in order at least one of the days (whichever has the better light)
I'd be willing to share a rental lens. I can check the local camera shop and LensRentals.com to compare prices. Any specific requests? Hand-holding a 200-400 can get really tiring, especially since you have to point it up most of the time. I plan to use my D300 a lot, to take advantage of the 1.5 crop factor. Be sure to carry a monopod for high-angle static shots on the ramp: The Horsemen at rest
I always wanted to try the new 200-500 f5.6. Its one quarter the price of the 200-400 f4 and 25% longer. Do you see any need for the extra stop?
Check to see what the limit is for AF on your cameras. I believe it is f5.6 in many Nikons. If so, there's a very slight chance that it will hunt in low contrast situations (silver plane on an overcast sky). But renting it would be a great chance to try it and see what it does.
f/5.6 is fine, assuming it's a bright, sunny day. LensRentals.com has the lens, shipped to my office, for just under $120 (including full damage and theft coverage). Of course, if I can't get there, you're out of luck. Check them out to see what other goodies they have. And if autofocus doesn't work, just put it in manual and set it to infinity.
This is approaching fast. What are everyone's plans? If I go, which is likely, I would drive down Friday after work, maybe sneak out a couple hours early. Its about a 5 hour drive for me.
@jbwolffiv do you know if they close off the area where the planes are parked after the airshow ends on Saturday? Sunset is at 8:30pm and the show closes after the hanger dance ends at 10:00pm, so I was thinking about going back over after dinner to get some blue hour shots of the planes, maybe using speedlights.
@mSummers I actually do not know, as I have always left at the end of the show and never thought of returning. I will be in the parking lot by 7 am on Saturday as well. Depending on when @ddindy is arriving on Friday may determine if I head over there on Friday night. I know that is is currently in WDW and probably not checking in here that much.
Ok. I'm going to plan on heading back over after dinner and see where I can get to assuming the ticket allows re-entry which I assume it does since the hanger dance isn't a separate ticket. I'm thinking that the planes are accessible since there's 1 or 2 photos in their gallery of planes after dark. If you end up going Friday night, let me know what you find. If anyone wants to join me and has a speedlight, bring it along.
LOL! Speedlight? I assume my flash is a Speedlight? I think I have the Nikon something something 600 or 800
