Linda Ewing Loc: Lincolnshire,UK

I am going to photograph the Lancaster Bomber tomorrow morning on its anniversary flight over Derwent Water. What I would like to achieve is to get some colour into the shots of the aircraft against a bright sky. Any tips would be welcome.
I am taking with me my 300mm 3.5-5.6, 70-200 f2.8 and my Sigma 500 5.6-6.3.

I know to use a fast shutter speed and I planned to use F8-11 and spot. Would anyone have any other tips please - I will only get two chances and it will be gone. Thanks

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I got a bunch of pictures of the Avro Lancaster last month during the Great British fly in, at the Smithsonian Museum annex in Virginia, celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the RAF. Unfortunately none of the photos are of it airborne. And the day was gray and rainy. Hope you get some great shots. Please share them with us. When you do, I will try to post some images I took of the one on the ground. I believe there's only two or three Lancasters still flying. It should be a real treat. Enjoy.

I'm out right now, so I'll attach the only one I took with my cell phone. I have better ones at home.

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Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Where can you position yourself in relation to the light? Do you really mean Derwent Water (Lake District) or the Derwent Valley (Derbyshire)?

I would suggest doing your best to get the light behind you if you can.

Enjoy the roar of those four Merlins.

Apres Vous Le Deluge!

For context, for others not familiar:

http://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/battle-of-britain-memorial-flight/news/dambusters-75th-anniversary-to-be-marked-with-a-lancaster-tour/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlNixIFZ6wk

craggycrossers Loc: Robin Hood Country, UK

It's a great shame Linda, as, if you like the sound of those old engines, you'll not hear them today. That flight has been cancelled (last minute) due to adverse weather conditions (wind). They're going to fly a Typhoon along the route instead.

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/lancaster-bomber-flyover-cancelled-1572264

Regarding photographing propellor-driven aircraft ....... if you use a high shutter speed you'll "stop" the action of the propellors ...... better to slow down to 1/60 or slower and pan with the aircraft. I made that error in 2014 when we were visited by the only other flying Lancaster from Canada and I got a pic of them together ....... and Peter's right about "positioning" to get the colour ...... in pic #2 the sun was top left corner ...... but it's nice when you can see those colours (pic #3) !

I don't think the flight will be re-scheduled ....... great shame.

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Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

That is a serious bummer. Nothing against the Typhoon, but it's a completely different experience. Hopefully it will have the Dambusters insignia on its tail fin.

http://theaviationist.com/2014/01/31/dambusters-last-mission-tonka/

Nice images, and good advice, thank you.

Nikon1201

The plane is not flying that fast. I would use a shutter speed to show motion on the props and not like the plane is not moving with the props still. Try SP at 1/125 and use that as a starting point.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Tricky with the props on a Typhoon...

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

Hi Linda.............Shame about the cancellation. Doesn't seem very windy in Nottingham today. Good job the original flight wasn't called off because of a breeze. Are you still at Byards Leap?

craggycrossers Loc: Robin Hood Country, UK

Thanks Peter. That day in 2014 was a magical day ...... to see two Lancasters together these days is extremely rare !

And to cap your "bummer" comment ....... it would appear that spectators, already disappointed with not seeing the Lanc, had been told the Typhoon wouldn't appear either ...... then, just as many were packing to leave ..... BOOM, the Typhoon roared over head.

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/lancaster-bomber-flyover-typhoon-1572264

However, I heard recently that another old Lancaster is being prepared for airworthiness, so perhaps we'll see more than one flying together in future months.

My dad was ground crew in 617 Squadron and, as such, a small part of the Dambusters Raid. In 2013 I represented our family at the 70th Anniversary Memorial celebrations ....... shook hands with (bomb aimer) Johnny Johnson and New Zealand pilot Les Monroe. Les is sadly deceased, but Johnny lives on as the "last surviving Dambuster".

My guess is that in my pic Les was mentioning to Johnny ...... "I just flew 'em and you dropped the bombs, just like all the others ...... can't see what all the fuss is about !" However, in my last pic, of Johnny during the service you can see a man who, 70 years later, is deep in thought, remembrance and who knows what else, of that night over the dams in Germany.

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John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Here is the one to watch from a previous flypast. Spitfire, Hurricane and TWO Lancasters. Good quality footage. A helicopter finishes of the show showing the height the planes went in at (60') to get the bombs to 'bounce'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-4lQuF2wgE

You tube then rolled on to this, not such good quality but looks a lot more daring (if that were possible).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1OuyIe0pig

Bad luck if it is cancelled, but if not it's going to mean an early start or a long hike, and maybe both. I think most people will be on the East side above the dam looking down on the plane. A sideways elevation will give you a little more latitude with prop movement but you still don't want to freeze them. Good luck and enjoy (if it goes ahead).

If you've got time the BBC Timewatch documentary is well worth the effort.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DHtLkx6f6M

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I feel badly that you're going to miss out on seeing the Lancaster fly. The same thing happened to me here in the US last month. It was supposed to perform a flyover with a number of other World War II British aircraft including a Supermarine Spitfire, but poor weather conditions prevented it. I did get to see it on the ground though.

Linda Ewing Loc: Lincolnshire,UK

Thank you so much for all of your replies, it was all soooo disappointing, getting up at the crack of dawn, fighting our way through 1000's of cars lining the roads and byways AND it was freezing to say the least, when we were told even the typhoon was cancelled we headed back down to hill towards the car THEN whoosh at approximately 1.25pm, one hour and 20 mins late, the typhoon graced us with its presence, cameras were already in the boot, we had to laugh really but what a wasted journey, I felt a little sorry for the little boats bobbing about with cameras on board and videos, it was all over in 2 seconds. Shame never mind there is always the 76th anniversary. Yes I am still at Byards Leap working away to pay for camera outings etc!!!

Linda Ewing Loc: Lincolnshire,UK

Thank you so much for all of your replies, it was all soooo disappointing, getting up at the crack of dawn, fighting our way through 1000's of cars lining the roads and byways AND it was freezing to say the least, when we were told even the typhoon was cancelled we headed back down to hill towards the car THEN whoosh at approximately 1.25pm, one hour and 20 mins late, the typhoon graced us with its presence, cameras were already in the boot, we had to laugh really but what a wasted journey, I felt a little sorry for the little boats bobbing about with cameras on board and videos, it was all over in 2 seconds. Shame never mind there is always the 76th anniversary. Yes I am still at Byards Leap working away to pay for camera outings etc!!!