Photos by ASO team members Peter Chrismas, Mark Jessop and Leigh
Atkinson
Start delayed, but worth the wait!
Temora Aviation Museum tried something a little bit different this year by extending the show back into the Friday night. Hampered by high winds and hot weather the start of the first Friday night show was delayed until the first of two RAAF F/A-18 Hornets arrived.
RAAF F/A-18 Hornet arrives in style.
The crowd had put up with the challenges of the hot dry winds waiting patiently as the first few displays were cancelled. The single Hornet arrived from the north east and immediately gave the waiting crowd something to smile about. With the winds still at 50knts at 1000ft it was another 45mins before anything else happened. With the RAAF Roulettes rolling across the tarmac the second Hornet arrived and things started to heat up a little.
The Corsair gets it’s pre-start turnover.
RAAF Hornet in some awesome light
The spluttering start of the big radial on the Grumman Avenger signalled the start of what was to be, from this point on, a busy evening. With the Corsair soon following suit. This started a chain reaction along the flightline as V12 engines in several different airframes sprung to life.
… and things begin to heat up.
‘Snifter’ The 2 seat CAC Mustang rolls out.
As the sun got lower and more golden the challenges of shooting into it got greater as did the opportunities to grab some unexpected light and get some great late arvo shots.
V12 Symphony of sight and sound!
The Roulettes Bomb Burst in a whole new light.
Some classic shapes peel off in that late arvo light.
There is nothing like a surprise attack.
Evening peak hour on the Temora strip.
Temora’s gorgeous Mk XVI Spit … once used in the movie “Reach for the sky”
RAAF Roulettes roll back past the crowd.
The A-37B Dragonfly cruises past with the top up.
RAAF Wedgetail giving us a dirty pass in the golden light.
CAC Mustang cutting a striking profile.
By the time the sunset arrived the breeze had dropped off quite a bit and the sound of the radials of the Southern nights could be heard across the paddock.
Grey Nurse .. flaps down and the light is just awesome.
The ever graceful Cessna Dragonfly
Southern Knights roll out into the sunset.
The Harvards of the Southern Knights
The wash up.
As the sun set on Temora’s first Friday evening display the music of the Southern Knights radial engines sang to those that were brave enough to face the harsh temperatures of the day. With a cool change fast approaching the Saturday display for Warbirds Downunder was set to be a more comfortable affair for all concerned.
I enjoyed and will certainly try and make it again if the Friday night event is maintained, but I would like to know what others thought about it?
Were you there on the Friday night? What did you think about it?
Tell us below in the comments what you thought!!
If you missed our other articles whilst Warbirds Downunder was happening you can catch up on them here:
Red Star Invasion – a Yaks and Nanchangs preview. Published 18/11
Gun Fighters coming in Hot! – Some of the Thursday arrivals. Published Thursday 19/11
Bombardier among the Temora Warbirds – Published 20/11
Warbird Downunder Debrief – A first review of the weekend – Published 22/11
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A very great credit to you, Leigh. Wonderful photographs.
Thank you kindly Trevor. Mark, Pete and myself worked some long hours over several days to make sure we captured as much as we could as well as we could. Thank you.
Hi Leigh, nice photos especially the of the Roulettes. The Friday night show was good, it was probably better of the 2 shows except for the wind. The Friday night display reminded me of Classic Fighters Omaka which also has a Friday night display. You can get some nice photos with different colours as the sunsets.
Thanks Stephen, although I cant take all the credit as we (ASO) had three photographers from the team there. I cant but agree with you about the wind … if it had been a calmer day I suspect the Friday night would have been a much bigger success.
Alas, I only arrived in time to catch the Harvards landing. Looks like I missed some gorgeous light. A night event should be a keeper!
That’s a shame Adrian. I am glad you made it though. One of these days we will have to make a concerted effort to not just pass like ships in the night at airshows 🙂 Did you get some crackers on Saturday?
I hope so. I didn’t have much time to review them before leaving on a work trip to Malaysia, where I’m still stuck. I managed to put a dozen or so on my iPad before leaving, which I’m slowly trickling onto Instagram. The shot of Matt Hall cranking Snifter is by far the most popular.
Yeah, we should catch up. Will you be at Wanaka?
As luck would have it I will be. 🙂