El Centro Photocall - February 19, 2015

[Matt Ottosen]

^^^^ The iconic BA launch well captured Matt. I love the dirty yellow of the bio fuel and how you caught #4 already moving for the slot. I hope your ear protection was in place as I'm sure that got very loud 

The initial volley of images from this photocall are absolutely terrific. Well done Mike, Joe, Harvey, Chris and Matt.

Thank you, Jeff!  Your photos from a few years ago were my inspiration for this.  Actually, I didn't have any ear protection at this point, a quick duck moments later and my fingers were in my ears.  It's my own stupidity, Joe even offered me some plugs while the Blues were taxiing into position.

[Joe Copalman]

I'm still impressed you wore a hat this time.   

[Brian Lockett]

Grumman C-2C Greyhound BuNo 162167 of VRC-30 Providers orbiting overhead while we waited for the buses.


Bell-Boeing AH-1W BuNo 165369 of HMLA-369 Gunfighters


Bell-Boeing UH-1W Huey BuNo 168789 of HMLA-369 Gunfighters


Bell-Boeing AH-1Z Viper BuNo 168799 and AH-1Z Viper BuNo 168002 of HMLA-267 Stingers


McDonnell-Douglas T-45C Goshawk BuNo 165605 #163 of VT-9 Tigers

[Matt Ottosen]

I'm still impressed you wore a hat this time.   

It only took me 5+ years, but I finally figured it out.

[Scott Youmans]

Cobras - HMLA-267

[Scott Youmans]

Cobra  HMLA-369

[Scott Youmans]

Cobra - HMLA-267

[Jeff D. Welker]

Nice work Brian and Scott.

Scott - your brace of Cobra's has me looking for a good recording of "Ride of the Valkyries". I guess these two would rather fight that surf 

[Joe Copalman]

ZOOM-ZOOM

[Scott Youmans]

Stars & Stripes

[Scott Youmans]

Pure Luck 

[Anna M. Wood]

Pure Luck 

Ohhh Baby!!!!   Fantastic catch Scott.   

[Joe Copalman]

Killer crossing shot, Scott!

[Joe Copalman]

CALIFORNIA-COMPLIANT COBRA

AH-1Z from HMLA-369 without its M197 Gatling gun affixed.

Posting this for two reasons:

1. To prove that everyone who went back on the first vans didn't miss much when those three helos came in.  All three were belly shots in the shadow of the clouds with a bright-sky background.

2. To make a joke about California's restrictive gun laws.

[Mike Margolis]

Now that there is funny!! ~ California Compliant...
.
And, speaking of the "first vans" -- I thought we were ALL piling into the vehicles that we had left after we lost one. Me and another guy made room in the back of one of the vans and arranged a large cooler as a make-shift seat for us both. As we pulled away we noticed a lot of folks still out in the dirt. Then we noticed there were empty seats in the front of the van that we were crammed in the back of with the gear!! Kinda funny. Then we saw that last pass... There's always a last pass after the first load leaves!