My lone encounter with a large "wildfire" occurred  five years ago while I was visiting Southern California.  Watching a steady stream of tanker aircraft shuttle to and from a huge unnatural-looking cloud on the horizon, their bellies red-stained and streaked with fire retardant, fueled my interest in aerial firefighting.  The 2012 Aerial Firefighting International Airshow and Conference, held at Sacramento's McClellan Airport on January 25th and 26th, offered me ... Read More

After World War II ended, an abundance of surplus military aircraft found their way into the fledgling aerial firefighting industry.  The combination of a large payload and the high performance of many bombers, attack aircraft, and transports allowed enterprising companies to modify airframes with large tanks for carrying borate and water for dousing wildfires.  Some of these modifications were straightforward; large tanks were inserted into existing bomb bays and ... Read More

The 2011 Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow was held under bright skies and cool conditions on the Friday and Saturday of Veteran's Day weekend.  The marquee flying act, as always, was the Blue Angels.  Their homecoming late in the year signals the traditional end to the North American air show season, and the finale to their grueling schedule containing close to 70 aerial performances.  Beyond the Blue Angels there was ... Read More

PhotoRecon.Net recently attended the 2011 Alliance Air Show located down in Ft. Worth Texas. The event is held at the Alliance Ft. Worth airport about 15 miles West of Dallas. The show, which was estimated as bringing in a crowd of around 100,000 people over the two-day event, was cut in half after a thunderstorm came through Saturday night and dumped about a inch of rain that turned the grass ... Read More

In his eighth year working with Rolls-Royce and The National Aviation Heritage Invitational Joe Jones/Airmail Greetings was elated to report, Mission Accomplished, AND this one is going right into the Smithsonian A&S Museum too!!!! In celebration the 25th anniversary of Voyager's world record-breaking non-stop flight this original commemorative artwork was developed by Airmail's Joe Jones and presented by Director, Ken Perich and the National Aviation Heritage Invitational to fittingly honor ... Read More

Vacations are to unwind and relax; nothing can relax me more than being in the company of great people and historic aircraft. This is why I always perform an online search for any museums and airfields in the area I will be visiting. With a family vacation to Florida planned for the last week of June 2011. I started my search and soon found the Valiant Air Command in ... Read More

Genesseo bills it’s self as the “Greatest Show on Turf” and is located in upstate New  York just south of Rochester.  I’ve made enough trips to the show to say it’s a good one.  When you talk to the locals, they simply don’t understand that their airshow is one of the biggest and oldest warbird shows in the country.  This show is the annual fundraiser for the 1941 Historical ... Read More

Rhode Island's Famous Air Show - Although officially known as the "Rhode Island National Guard Open House Air Show",  local enthusiasts call it by another name - the "Quonset Air Show".  Sponsored by the National Guard Association of Rhode Island, and steeped in history,  "Quonset" is an eagerly awaited and well attended air show for aviation-starved New Englanders (and beyond) each year.  Popular for a number of reasons, it boasts ... Read More

When I visited Tucson's Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center  (AMARC) in early 1993, it was filled to the brim.  Hundreds of Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers, some intact, others looking like the skeletons of deceased animals in the desert,  sat in storage at the sprawling site awaiting their disposition.  The first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)  had been signed a year and a half earlier by the United States ... Read More

Thunder over Michigan is the best “themed” airshow in the country as well as one of the biggest.  Most airshows follow a pattern of “try to get airplanes” so people will come and watch it (hence raising money for the local museum, etc).   “Thunder”, as it is known is the airshow that supports the Yankee Air Museum which is based in Ypsilanti Michigan just a few miles west of ... Read More

***Breaking News*** Reports are that the B-17 "Libert Belle" has made an Emergency Landing after suffering an engine fire. News is that everyone aboard got off safely!!

On June 8th, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle accelerated down the runway in front of a small group of photographers and videographers, on the first ever media day for a ME Phase. We were escorted out to the hold line on the edge of the runway for an amazing chance to shoot some of the most advanced aircraft in the world today, departing and ... Read More

The stage was set for the 21st annual WWII Weekend in Reading PA. The cast of characters were the over 2000 military and civilian re-enactors, that assembled here to provide an awesome living history experience. It has been characterized by many as like being on a movie set…you pass through the gates and you find yourself in a quaint French villa. Soldiers mingling about, while families sit outside their homes, enjoying a cool breeze

The County of San Bernardino Planes of Fame Airshow is an annual event and one NEVER to be missed. Joe and I have been making this trip for the past three years and it just keeps getting better. This year was special as it was celebrating the "100th Anniversary of  U.S. Naval Aviation". Planes of Fame in conjunction with the County ... Read More