Above the Flight Deck

Kathy and I were recently in San Diego and once again visited the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum. As always, she was patient with me and willingly waited for me while I walked around the Museum's enormous flight deck taking photos. It was a beautiful day featuring the scattered clouds and moderate temperatures common to the San Diego coastline. I have previously photographed the aircraft on Midway’s flight deck, so I was deliberately trying to identify a new way to capture them. I thought a new viewpoint might work. As usual, I was using my tripod and taking ten exposures for each (soon to be HDR) image. The use of a tripod to create HDR images was once an absolute requirement because it allowed you to capture those exposures without moving the camera at all. This ensured the post processing software could successfully merge these images into a single HDR image without generating unwanted visual artifacts. What I found was that the software has evolved over the years and has become much more powerful and capable, enabling me to try something new. I set a five second shutter timer on my tripod mounted camera and held it over my head, tenuously raising nearly $8000 of camera equipment about fourteen feet above the flight deck. Not being able to look through the viewfinder, I was trying to align my camera lens in the general direction of what I wanted to capture and to hold the tripod steady, which was exceedingly difficult. I failed several times but succeeded more times than not. I got a few stares from other museum visitors and volunteers, but I ignored that and pressed on, hoping to capture something good.

The photos below are the results.

The USS Midway's Scooter

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was a very versatile aircraft. Originally designed as a nuclear bomber, this aircraft was able to fly from many smaller world war II aircraft carriers due to it's small size. It fulfilled many roles including air-to-air refuler, light attack, and even filled the agressor aircraft role for Top Gun. The US Navy Blue Angels flew it due to it's nimble performance and ease of maintenance. This small reliable aircraft quickly earned the nickname Scooter.

The Phantom of the Midway

The Phantom of the Midway, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

I decided to take my neice Alexandra and her boyfriend Josh to San Diego for the weekend. We had a great time on the USS Midway aircraft carrier museum in San Diego harbor. I have been to the Midway a few times before, but this time we explored parts of the ship I had never seen including Pri-Fly and the Bridge.

I was sorry to hear the fireworks display in the bay went so badly this year. Nobody hurt but I understand all of the fireworks went off at once and the show was over in 12 seconds. Apparently about a thousand people had paid for viewing spots on the Midway's flight deck.

Pictured behind us in this fisheye / facebook style shot is an F4 Phantom II fighter / bomber which like all of the aircraft on the Midway has been wonderfully restored. A great day and a lot of fun.

Under Your Wing

Under Your Wing, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

The US Navy's RA-5C Vigilante aircraft has a giant wing. I was hiding from the sun here for a while so I decided to lay down and take a photo. Some smart ass kids asked If I had fallen and couldn't get back up. I regained my feet rapidly and towered over them not saying a word. They left immediately. Little yuppie larvae.

Phantom on Deck

Phantom on Deck, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This is an amazingly restored McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter bomber on the flight deck of the USS Midway aircraft carrier museum which is located in San Diego bay. No longer in active service with the U.S. military, the Phantom was an all weather, two seat, twin engined aircraft used extensively during the Vietnam war. This aircraft is located in the landing area of the flight deck. A volunteer docent who was a former F-4 pilot with over 600 carrier landings was available to explain how Navy aircraft are recovered aboard.

RA-5C Vigilante

RA-5C Vigilante, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Vietnam era reconnaissance aircraft photographed on the flight deck of the USS Midway in San Diego, California. It was a beautiful, cool and sunny day. The clouds were particularly dramatic and made a perfect background in addtion to the skyline.

RA-5C Vigilante

RA-5C Vigilante, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Vietnam era reconnaissance aircraft

Midway F4B Phantom II

Midway F4B Phantom II, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

F4B Phantom II on the Deck of USS Midway in San Diego California

Intruder on Deck!

I was walking down the flight deck of the USS Midway aircraft carrier museum in San Diego when I spotted this pristine example of the A6 Intruder looking like it was ready to taxi on to the catapult. I realized that even though I have been to a ton of airplane museums I had never seen an A6 in person. It's impressive to say the least. An all weather day/night attack aircraft, the intruder could and did put bombs on target with great accuracy. 

Intruder on Deck!