AT-6 Texan captured by Z 9 / Z100-400f4.5-5.6
I was out on the ramp finalizing the last details for our A2A Photo Clinic that started the next day when Ben walked up and said, “Want to go flying?” They were taking the T6 up to shake out some bugs and have fun so I was up for that. I said of course and then proceeded to stand there waiting to hop in. “Don’t you want your camera?” I said something like, “Oh, we’re going to be in formation?” I was then told I would be riding in the back of the legendary “Six Shooter” a long-time favorite T6 I had photographed at Reno Air Races. Its owner Vic came over and briefed me on the flight which was all about practicing for Sunday’s Veteran Days flight and said there might be a photo opp or two. Ten minutes later we were taking off together.
I was just a tag-along, photos were not the mission so I shot when I could. As it turned out it was most of the time. Shooting from the back seat of the T6, shooting out the left side is the norm as our bodies can twist that way, see behind us pretty well, and maintain proper handholding. Well, a lot of the flying had the subject aircraft on the right side and a ways behind us at the five o’clock position. We were driving into the sun and in a nice bank. My only chance would be folding out the monitor at 90 degrees and shooting over my right shoulder. Staring into the sun, not even using proper handholding, and trying to position the image up / down, left / right was a challenge and I figured I’d be deleting a whole lot of images later on. Darn it the Z 9 didn’t nail it! I was just pushing the button, the camera was doing all the work. It was great fun and darn, it should never have worked!