Not your typical fall photo, but since there are some golden autumn leaves I’m going to call it such. I was part of a search exercise which took me past this rural airport, and once our target was found I stopped for a couple of minutes to check out a surprise Phantom.

I’m one of those who’s enamored of the F-4. It’s been used as an example of “even a brick can fly if given enough thrust” and had its numerous shortcomings listed ad nauseum, yet it was still an amazing aircraft…one with a devoted following.

This is as close as I’ve been to an F-4 in many years. I did get to sit in one when I was 17, but that was eons ago. While I was a freshman at NDSU these were still being flown by the North Dakota Air National Guard. I presume that’s why this one is here, and probably its source.

What I found unique about this one, aside from its pristine paint job, was the intact cockpit. Normally aircraft on display as memorials are stripped and the canopies replaced or painted opaque. This one seems ready to rock! Oh, if only…

Did anyone ever tell you that the tailhook also makes an excellent kickstand? Well, it’s true, apparently…

The business end (depending on how you look at it). The F-4 was really, really fast. Maneuverable? Well, that might be another story…but the thing can get up and go.

Wide open. The other side is blocked off, but I’m glad this side, with the engine removed, is letting light through for all to see. This is a massive space.

It didn’t hurt that we had some really nice skies that day. Some intermittent rain, but definitely some cool clouds to make photography interesting. I really don’t like cloudless blue skies; they’re boring, and they don’t give very good light this time of year. Give me some deep textured clouds…those I can work with.

Mint.

“I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave…” Nice tail.

See? Golden autumn leaves on the right. This really is a fall photo series.

I’m so happy I encountered this Phantom. It was a pleasant surprise, it allowed me to take some cool photos in some wonderful conditions, and it brought back memories. Fighter jets are among the most amazing bits of technology in the world, so it’s always a blessing to be able to enjoy an extended visit with one when the opportunity arises.

We had a behind the scenes meet-and-greet with the US Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron Friday in advance of the Northern Thunder air and space expo at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, and it was a fantastic way to spend a Friday! The pilots and crew were gracious hosts, answering all our questions and clearly enjoying themselves when talking about their jobs and their aircraft.

That’s not to say that I didn’t snap some photos during practice, though! I have a new camera for 2022, and some of the lenses I always dreamed about, so of course I want to wield them for stuff like this.

Naturally I had a few questions about the F-16, with some particularly technical questions about how it compares to the F-18, F-22, and F-35. The Thunderbirds pilots are rated on a number of aircraft, including my beloved A-10, so it’s a blast getting their impressions of the various equipment.

Due to my line of work I have to protect my hearing, so I have custom molded ear plugs which I’ve worn religiously while racing, working around noisy equipment, or attending airshows. I do, however, remove them for a bit whenever fighters are nearby. What can I say, I love the sound of freedom!

Those with an eye for detail will notice that Kyle’s number 5 is upside-down on his flight suit. It’s actually upside-down on his aircraft, too – what started out as a joke is actually pretty practical. He spends so much time inverted during the program that this allows his number to be upright in all the photos!

This isn’t Kyle, by the way. But the number on the intake is the one I’m referring to. In shots where aircraft number 5 is inverted aside another Thunderbird, both aircraft have numbers properly oriented for the photographers.

I didn’t spend that much time photographing the practice, really! This is it. It’s funny how many times I took the camera in and out of the bag, though. I didn’t bring any lenses longer than 200mm, so it wasn’t really an ideal photography circumstance anyway. When I’ve shot the Thunderbirds in other states I’ve rented really long glass so I can get the shots I want. 400-600mm is ideal, with image stabilization of course, and it takes a lot of practice. At that kind of focal length it’s like looking through a straw, and following the action is a challenge.

I didn’t make it back up to Grand Forks AFB Saturday to just be a spectator, but I’m looking forward to the next time I get to see a fighter demo squadron in action! As far as how much time I spend looking through a viewfinder instead of just enjoying the show…we’ll, we’ll have to play that one by ear.

I wasn’t able to see the warbirds which stopped in Bismarck this week (aside from a glimpse of them circling town), but I have been able to see them on previous visits. This is a video I shot with my boy back in 2013, as the B-17 “Sentimental Journey” started its engines and began to taxi out for a flight around the capital city.