IN THE FIELD: A Bygone Era
A few weeks ago, the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania held their 22nd annual World War ll weekend.
Visitors to the event can see reenactments depicting the life of soldiers from multiple nations in their encampments and in the field of battle. Period music is played, and there are big band concerts with dancing in the aircraft hangers. Military and civilian vehicles from the era on display and air shows and fly-bys are also part of the exhibition. Tours of the museum are available, and for a fee, rides can be taken in many of the airplanes.
In addition to all the displays featured in the museum, folks fly their vintage aircraft into Reading Airport from all over the country to participate in the weekend festivities. Tens of thousands of people come from far and wide to view the restored airplanes and relive a bit of the past.
The day I attended the event, cloud cover obscured the sun and sky, which made some shots more dramatic, and required pretty darn slow shutter speeds and wider apertures. I could have bumped the ISO up to a higher setting to provide more flexibility with camera settings, but I wanted to keep it as low as possible. I usually set the ISO between 100-400 because I find colors tend to more saturated and there is less digital noise at those settings. I purposely underexposed this photo to emphasize the clouds and to create more of a silhouette of the aircraft.
The challenge is, I don’t remember exactly what type of airplane this is. So, it looks like I will have to travel back to the museum. Oh darn.
David Heilman 
Life is rough when you have to go back to a photo site, ain’t it? 🙂
Boy it sure is…especially this place! I could be there for many hours since all the crowds will be gone!
That’s one bold, bulking view of a plane.
I thought it was an interesting view…I just can’t remember what plane it was. It’s the only shot I took of this aircraft. Guess I’m heading back up there!
How I would have enjoyed the visit…
It’s a great weekend and the museum is open all year so you can get your fill of vintage aircraft!
I love the photo. I also love photographing WWII aircraft. I would like to guess and say that it is some kind of old cargo plane, perhaps and old C47. Let us know when you find out what it is.
I agree with Bob, DC3/C47. Beautiful. Great Photo of a great plane.
Thanks Kate, I love those DC-3’s…they are the perfect aircraft. Sturdy, reliable, easy to fly, and the aerodynamics are spot on, and they are still going strong after all these years!
Thanks Bob, I have to go back there with a copy of the photo. It was a airplane that someone flew in for the weekend. I will let you know what I find out. Not sure if it is a DC-3/ C-47 though…I think the nose is too short. Anyway…we shall see!
What a nuisance that you have to go back 😉 Very dramatic shot.
Thanks Meanderer, yeah I know…drag myself up there, wander around vintage works of art, take photos, talk to museum volunteers, make a donation, the whole affair will be such a chore…
Like the highlights on the edges and low exposure.Oh, so sorry you have to go back. Maybe go for a ride. Ha Ha.Truthfully it must be a very emotional experience for many.
Thanks Jane, I’m happy with the outcome…it was the only shot of this plane I took! Not even other exposures. I like how everything has a violet/lavender tone.
I’m sure it was emotional for folks…it was for me.
Superb photo! This sounds like an amazing event. Yes, you can’t get out of going back because it’s essential to know everything about your subject! 🙂 Are you sure one visit will be enough?
Thank you Jo, I will be going back…in fact I was on the phone with them this morning. One visit is never enough at a place like this!
Very nice! It gives a dramatic feeling.
Thanks Fergie, I’m glad there was some definition in the clouds…most of the day it was flat dull gray. The underexposure brought out the lavender in the clouds.
Cool composition, David! I like the symmetry.
Thanks Karen, there were so many photo ops I didn’t know where to turn next!
looking at a plane from a different angle. that’s something different. great composition, david!
Thanks Nitzus, With the turbulent sky and clouds as a background the nose of the airplane looked really imposing. I couldn’t resist laying down on the tarmac and getting the shot. I think the underexposure shifted the colors a bit to the lavender side.
I would have loved to attend the WWII event.
It really is a great time! Airplanes flying overhead, big band music, re-inactments, food, displays everywhere…it’s just plain fun!!! Check out the link…http://www.maam.org/
The plane looks gigantic! Kind of scary… 😀
I still haven’t found out what kind it is…gotta get back to the museum. I think it was a small passenger airplane from the 50’s.