The Loop

[Craig.]

Ok well as you know i was off to mid wales for a few days. Put plainly. Anyone planning on going to the Macynlleth loop should not do so as a day trip. We drove the entire loop tuesday wednesday and thursday. On wed and tues we stopped at a good spotting point climbed for a while and sat around for 2 hours. The result? one freakin jetstream. However as was typical with my week, we saw pleanty of Hawks flying around it while driving but its so quick not real photos. And then as we were leaving on the wednesday two f15's broke through it at high speed. Again when i didnt have my camera. I will provide what photos i did get shortly. Today we saw tons of tornados hawks jaguars and even a typhoon going towards it, but we were leaving and it was too far out to go. Sods law i guess. The landscape as you'll see was absolutly stunning, and if your in the area its well worth it. But if your not and wanting to see planes, its not worth it. The MOD's website timings are all off. Photos to come shortly. sorry i couldn't get anything more.

[Craig.]

Alrighty here are the loop or one from and a couple of badly timed shots:)
i have some really nice beach sunset shots i plan to post aswell but thats later.
This was one of a pair of Harriers which shot overhead on their way to the loop. This one was all over the others tail.

When this arrived, i had said to my dad 5 minutes earlier not doubt the only thing to show would be a cessna, then this came slowly round the mountainside my jaw just dropped because it did look like a cessna in the haze. then it got closer:)



this was my first real attempt at motionblur so they arnt quite so sharp.


the full size of this is beautiful. Best shot of the day, too bad he flew past as we were getting out of the car:)


Thanks for looking guys. I'm just sorry i couldnt bring back something more exciting. My dad did say we would go back another day but not for a while. I did try, it was a 60 mile round trip each day along with miles of walking. to me the view and the little action we got was worth it. seeing those hawks from the car coming straight on and the way they moved through the valleys was amazing. Charlie if your every there i really do envy you.

[Hagar]

Hi Craig. I suspected one day would not be enough. I wouldn't expect the MoD to publice their movements too accurately & these things depend on aircraft serviceability & the weather. If I was planning something like this I would spend at least a whole week there if not longer. Hope you enjoyed the break anyway.

PS. Just seen your shots. Not bad at all.

[Craig.]

Hi Doug.
It was 3 days we we up there. Sadly they all really showed up this morning. As you say a full week is nessicary. There was a German couple up there aswell with us, hopefully they stuck around longer.

[ozzy72]

Nice work Craig

[beaky]

"One freakin' jetstream"?! I can understand your disappointment, but those pics of XS731 are outstanding- what a great point of view!!

[Craig.]

Hi Rotty. Thank you:) It was an amazing place, your actually closer in some places to the planes than you ever would get at an airshow, and these things will fly as low as 250 feet. We were just above this one. Which after some research turned out to be a hawker siddley dominie.
Thank you again for the kind comments:)

[Jimbo]

Some stunning shots

Your so close!

Nice Craig, and well done.

James

[Wing Nut]

Thought you were going to show pics of Chicago there for a minute...  :)

[C]

! I can understand your disappointment, but those pics of XS731 are outstanding- what a great point of view!!

Low level in a Biz-jet like the Dominie must be fun...

...but I bet the poor chap in the front of the Hawk wasn't having fun. 19 Sqn, Hawk Tac weapons course. Very hard core...

Nice shots Craig (notice I got fed up waiting for Broadband to return...)