Conwoy of Liberty

The celebration of the liberation of Pilsen by the US Army

"The Golden Knights are made up of several expert teams and skilled professionals who all play a critical role in the US Army’s success. This includes parachute teams, aircraft pilots, and even those behind-the-scenes handling jump logistics. Whether jumping out of planes going 120 miles per hour from 12,500 feet or landing with expert precision, they embrace the thrill of adventure and feel proud while doing it."

I snapped this photo shortly after this freefall parachuting tandem team jumped out directly under the midday sun. With a 1000mm focal length and atmospheric haze, sharpness was not to be, but to my delight, I captured part of the sundog and its rainbow.

Needless to say, their skills were amazing!

May each one of us take inspiration this Memorial Day from the patriotism of the brave soldiers who died for our country!

'Shogun30' 94-00318 Beechcraft C-12V Huron 3rd MIB U.S.Army, taxiing for runway 12 at Prestwick for departure to BIKF Keflavik, Iceland.

One of five US Army Chinooks flying over Aberdeen Harbour on their way to Aberdeen Airport ahead of President Trump's visit.

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Brig. Gen. Gary Volesky, 1st Cavalry Division Deputy Commanding General (second from right) and members of his personal security detail run to their UH-60 Black Hawk in the Deh Yak district Oct. 19. Volesky and his team were conducting a battlefield circulation to several ISAF positions south of Kabul in the Deh Yak and Mata Khan districts.

U.S. Army Pfc. Andrew Baldwin a Sacramento, Calif., resident and Spc. Gabe Lanz a Boone, Iowa, resident both mortarmen with Headquarters Headquarters Troop attached to Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 113 Cavalry Regiment practice gunnery drills with a 120 millimeter cannon "Goliath" as the soldiers called it at vehicle patrol base Dandarh, Khoe-safi district, Parwan province, Afghanistan, Dec. 09, 2010. Baldwin and Lanz practice deflection and elevation ordinance using the 120 millimeter cannon.

Memorial marker to the fifty-three soldiers of the Alaska-based 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, killed in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2006-2007. Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Black Knights on Patrol

The men and women of Task Force 3-66 are actively patrolling western Paktika province, taking the fight to the insurgents. Since assuming responsibility for the area, the Black Knights have been methodically clearing district after district to allow the provincial government to provide security and development. Western Paktika is essentially a rest stop for insurgents linked to Sirajuddin Haqqani traveling from Pakistan and continuing west. The heat, elevated terrain, and harsh landscape of Paktika province are unforgiving allies of these enemies of Afghanistan. With limited road networks the primary mode of travel here is walking. The relentless training planned and executed by the leaders of Task Force 3-66 back in Germany is now paying off.

Black Knights on Patrol

The men and women of Task Force 3-66 are actively patrolling western Paktika province, taking the fight to the insurgents. Since assuming responsibility for the area, the Black Knights have been methodically clearing district after district to allow the provincial government to provide security and development. Western Paktika is essentially a rest stop for insurgents linked to Sirajuddin Haqqani traveling from Pakistan and continuing west. The heat, elevated terrain, and harsh landscape of Paktika province are unforgiving allies of these enemies of Afghanistan. With limited road networks the primary mode of travel here is walking. The relentless training planned and executed by the leaders of Task Force 3-66 back in Germany is now paying off.

Soldiers rest inside a Humvee as the sun sets after a hard day’s training in the north Georgia mountains near Camp Frank D. Merrill, Sept. 21, 2011. The soldiers belong to the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team.

Black Knights on Patrol

The men and women of Task Force 3-66 are actively patrolling western Paktika province, taking the fight to the insurgents. Since assuming responsibility for the area, the Black Knights have been methodically clearing district after district to allow the provincial government to provide security and development. Western Paktika is essentially a rest stop for insurgents linked to Sirajuddin Haqqani traveling from Pakistan and continuing west. The heat, elevated terrain, and harsh landscape of Paktika province are unforgiving allies of these enemies of Afghanistan. With limited road networks the primary mode of travel here is walking. The relentless training planned and executed by the leaders of Task Force 3-66 back in Germany is now paying off.

Wynns of Newport rebuilt M26 Pacific 6x6 'Dragon Wagon' ADW228B seen here making a very welcome appearance at the 2023 Welland Rally.

Wiesbaden AAF, Germany

Ook vandaag mocht DBC weer een aantal transporten verzorgen voor de US Army en de oefening Atlantic Resolve. De 189 052 is met een fraaie trein vrijwel volledig beladen met M1A2 Abrams tanks onderweg over de BR bij Opheusden.

Former US Army de Havilland U-6A from 1958 still earns her keep in Anchorage, Alaska. She wears an interesting presentation of her registration/tail number.

Lake Hood Seaplane Base July 2018.

United States Army Beech C-12U Huron 84-00157 on short finals to RAF Mildenhall

Arriving as 'Duke 64', she made one overshoot before landing

IMG_0137

Aachen West, Deutschland

Hover into Position

US Army North American RV-1D Mohawk 25897 from Germany based 73rd CICo on display at the 1985 RAF Mildenhall 'Air Fete'

Scanned print

Shark's Mouth adorned US Army Bell AH-1F Cobra with the Texas National Guard at home base Austin Municipal Airport

The Airport closed and is now housing

Scanned Kodak 35mm Transparency

What is it about an old airplane that makes old pilots nostalgic about the old days of flying; the open cockpit, leather helmet, silk scarf, a wooden propeller, and the smell of mother earth as the open-air rushed by you in it's slipstream?

In those days the usual means of navigation was using a road map, and your map was usually a highway map that showed you where you wanted to go. In the old days of flying many small towns across the United States had the name of their city written on buildings to help guide pilots safely across the skies. Yes, airplanes may not have been as reliable in those days, perhaps more engine failures, no radio communication equipment, but there's nothing like the sound of that deep throaty roar of a radial engine in front of you. Those were the days when every flight, was an adventure in itself.

U.S. Army PT-17 Bi-wing aircraft.

An Army UH-60A Blackhawk taxis out for departure. This aircraft is based at Fort Hood, Texas.

A minifig I made a while back for a potential Sniper Elite brickfilm I was going to animate back in 2015 but sadly never got round to. Would you like me to create a lego sniper elite animation? Let me know down below.

While driving through the Ft Rucker area I was lucky to get this Blackhawk passing by.

Blackbushe Airport EGLK Camberley, Surrey, UK. 2021/09/20.

United States Army Sikorsky UH-60A Blackhawks out on the pan at the West Jordan National Guard Base, Salt Lake City, Utah, October 1996

In the background and co-located there at the time were AH-64 Apache 'Tank-busters'

Note the overflying Boeing 737 and dead trail above

Scanned Kodak 35mm Transparency

Rebel 80 84-00181 at Aberdeen 24/09/2022.

USARMY MH-60M Blackhawk 10-20269 of Battalion 4 Code C Company of the 160th SOAR the Night Stalkers following up the four Chinooks and and acting at what appears as a camera ship.