Back in September I had the opportunity to attend the airshow at NAS Oceana - and now I'm just beginning to dry out. Honestly, it really wasn't a good weekend - with one exception.
When I arrived at the base for the Friday evening show, I was met with this. Ended up sitting in the car for 45 minutes as the rain pounded down before it began to let up. Wasn't sure whether I should have even bothered to walk out onto the ramp as I wasn't holding out a lot of hope that the conditions would even make the walk worth it.
In the end, I'm glad I did...
Mike
Before long, the sky began to open a little, and not long after we found out why they call it the "golden hour" for photography.
Great shots!
Bill L.
Here are a few more...
...and some more...
...and still more...
(will it ever end?)
And I hope no one will mind a few more...
And one last shot from the show that I was really happy with. This is the Triple "MiG" Killer Eagle, once known as Gulf Spirit, now a part of the Louisiana ANG.
Even with the way the photos came out, I got soaked. Friday night after the show is the only time that the Oceana O-Club is open to the public, and if you're ever in the area that night, I highly recommend it - it's a museum in itself. A lot of people asked if I was going, but looking as if I'd been swimming from laying on the wet ramp in the on and off rain all night, I didn't think I really "looked the part".
Sadly also the little Canon got pretty wet, and just this weekend, down at the Fayetteville, NC Veterans Day parade, it finally failed - unfortunately it seems, likely permanently. I'll miss that little camera...
Gorgeous photos, Mike! Thanks so much for sharing.
Lee K
Nice shots! All the shots I got that weekend of NAS were of rain, rain, and more rain! I didn't know you were there. I usually try to attend NAS Oceana, Cherry Point, Seymour Johnson and any other one I can get to. Have you ever been to the end of year show at Pensacola? The Blue Angels really pour it on for the last show of the year in front of the home crowd.
RonV
Thanks guys! As I said, it was pretty much an awful weekend weather-wise except for a couple of hours on Friday night. I've been at Oceana probably right around 30 of the last 40 years (and my Dad has pics of me as a little kid standing under the noses of Phantoms to prove it!) It's always a great show and a fun time, even when the weather doesn't really cooperate.
I love Cherry Point as well, as well as SJ - I only wish they could move the flightline in Goldsboro over to the other side of the runway to help the lighting! I've never made it down to Pensacola, as much as I've always wanted to.
Here's a shot from the beach showing the prevailing weather throughout the weekend...
I also got some pretty good shots of the Naval Aviation Memorial that is right along the beach on Atlantic Ave (once again, during a short gap between the rain).
And the last of my night shots. Hope everyone liked them.
awesome shots. When I was moving here we did a weekend trip to Virginia beach. I never saw so much rain when we went back to the campground the road in front of check in had a foot of water flowing. It just accumulated...we went back to Raleigh to dry out too.