A T-6 Texan does a very close pass to the crowd at the DFW Summer Balloon Classic & Airshow in Midlothian, Texas.
Cowtownmom and I got out there first thing after dawn when the gates opened, hoping to catch some great sunrise pics of balloons launching. Unfortunately, it was both overcast and windy, so the balloons didn't launch. They did inflate two of them however, as there were some pros shooting for a magazine that morning. They still allowed all the amateurs onto the field and up to the balloons, so I did manage to get some interesting closeups of what activity there was.
We left for a few hours and returned for the airshow in the afternoon, which was far more productiveand I got some nice shots. Aircraft in flight seem to be one of the few subjects not totally ruined by harsh midday sun. Which is good, because that's the hours they put these things on.
The T-6 was a widely used trainer during WWII and into the 1950's. Outside the US, it is usually known as the "Harvard". Though designed as a trainer, it has at times been pressed into service as a forward air control (FAC) observation platform and even as a light bomber. Many still fly today and it is very popular as a privately owned warbird.
Anticipated critiques:
-Some are certain to view the composition with the wingtips and part of the tail outside the frame as a flaw. (Though I think it adds to the impression of how closely this was flying past.)
Post-challenge notes:
Did well for a freestudy, though I had hopes of a 6+ for a while. Too many people felt it only worth a quick 5, however, and that appears to be what held it back.
I'm always amazed after a freestudy, when I see some wonderful imagery I voted highly that came in under mine. There is never any predicting broad appeal, is there?
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I didn't drag your average down, but my 6 didn't help you a whole lot, either. I think I may simply be a poor student of aerial photography. What most caught my eye was the wheels folded up against the fuselage--I don't think I've seen that before, and certainly not from this angle.
And it's quite true--broad appeal can be pretty hard to predict.
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