EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

[Kilo Hotel]

I spent yesterday at the EAA Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In at Front Range Airport east of Denver. I was supposed to be helping direct the itinerant aircraft to parking, but as you can see from the attached photo there wasn't much flying-in going on. The fog lifted around 10:00am and a few dozen aircraft straggled in before the field closed for the airshow at noon, so I had plenty of time to wander around shooting with my new, 8-megapixel Oly C-8080WZ. Still trying to get the hang of it, but some shots came out pretty well. I'll post some more traditional airshow photos later.

[Kilo Hotel]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

I didn't get down there to check it out, and I was pretty far away, but there was a large, tri-tail, twin-engine (turboprop?) monoplane painted in olive drab parked at the other end of the ramp. It looked a bit larger than a Tigercat, from what I could tell. I'd guess it was some kind of Army/Marines recon/close support platform, but I don't really know. Anybody have a guess as to what it might have been? The middle vertical stab was taller than the two outboard ones, and I seem to recall it had a large greenhouse canopy. Like I said, I didn't get very close and I saw it only from the rear.

[Leo]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

My first guess would be an OV-1 Mohawk from your description.

[dj51d]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

Did your mystery turboprop look like this photo by any chance? This is an OV-1C Mohawk at American Wings in Blaine, MN.

[Kilo Hotel]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

Did your mystery turboprop look like this photo by any chance? This is an OV-1C Mohawk at American Wings in Blaine, MN.

That's just about the view of it I had--though from much farther away--and yes, that must be the airplane. Thanks!

[Kilo Hotel]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

Just posted an online album at pbase.com with more photos from yesterday's fly-in/airshow. The airshow part was a little thin, but the modest crowds were happy. The ANG F-16s boomed around with the burners lit, there were a couple of solo aerobatic routines in Sukhois, some fly-bys by antique jets (including a Venom, for Pete's sake) and formation aerobatics in T-6's and Yak-52's, and six RVs demonstrating formation flying. Lots of cool homebuilts and antiques parked on the ramp, too, along with the new Adam A500 centerline thrust twin turboprop.

http://www.pbase.com/stevezzzz/2004_rocky_mountain_regional_flyin

I'm struggling to get the Oly 8080 to focus properly with the 1.4x teleadapter attached; autofocus takes too damn long when there's a moving airplane in frame, and manual focus doesn't work in that configuration because a setting of 'infinity' gives an actual focus distance of about 40 feet. I tried locking the focus on telephone poles a mile or so away on the horizon, but with limited success. After seeing all the photo pros posting on this site it's a bit frustrating but, hey, photography is a great hobby and I'm learning, so it's all good, right?

[rpzo]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

KiloH,

I like the mood on the shots in the fog. Good choice going with B&W, IMO.

Don't let the camera frustrations get you down. I think we all fight with our gear at one time or another. Keep plugging away at it and keep sharing the pics. I enjoy seeing what airshows are like in other parts of the country, or world, for that matter.

Rick

[wingman]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

I'm glad to see that Front Range still exists. I was under the vague impression that it was paved over when they built the new airport. It was a fun place for Air Racing.

Also interesting that somebody has restored a De Havilland Dove, and seemingly with turbines. Now there's a unique project!

Neal

[mayday51]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

Steve-o,

....thanks for the pics.....they are appreciated.


............whatzat blue stuff above the horizon ?.......

.....should have been nice with smaller crowds......

[Kilo Hotel]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

I'm glad to see that Front Range still exists. I was under the vague impression that it was paved over when they built the new airport. It was a fun place for Air Racing.

Also interesting that somebody has restored a De Havilland Dove, and seemingly with turbines. Now there's a unique project!

Neal

Front Range not only exists, they have big plans for it. As one of the designated reliever airports for DIA, its future seems assured. They have viable tenants, including air cargo, a big aviation maintenance training school and the US Marines and Army. They have land for commercial/industrial development, and a spur of the Burlington Santa Fe Railroad (or whatever it is they call themselves these days). The runways have ILS and can take aircraft up to the size of 737s. And all this just a few miles southeast of DIA; kinda cool standing on the ramp watching the big boys fly overhead on downwind for 35R at DIA.

That Dove has recips, not turbines; the owners had one engine cowl open and I saw five or six cylinder head covers, so it's probably still got its Gypsy Queen 70 engines. I didn't get a chance to talk with them about the status of the project, but they towed it to a hangar at the end of the day.

[Kilo Hotel]

Re: EAA Rocky Mtn Regional Fly-In

Steve-o,

....thanks for the pics.....they are appreciated.


............whatzat blue stuff above the horizon ?.......

.....should have been nice with smaller crowds......

I'm happy to supply the pics, Jim. That blue stuff above the horizon had us puzzled, too: this has been the strangest month for weather I can remember in the 29 years I've lived here. Cold and wet just ain't June in Colorado.

I like smaller airshows, and Front Range makes a good venue. The flying is north of the crowd line, so you don't have to stare into the sun. The crowds Sunday were never more than two deep at the rope barrier, and people were mellow and well-behaved, even when we had to shoo them away from turning props.