Imagine your boss saying:
“Tomorrow we gonna shoot some Typhoons in the air from a military cargo plane.”
Would you sleep that night?
Air-to-air photography is a mesmerizing art within aviation, requiring exceptional skill and coordination between pilots and photographers to capture breathtaking images of fighter aircraft in flight. One particularly striking example of this skillful coordination is the air-to-air photoshoot of Eurofighter Typhoons from the back ramp of a C-130 Hercules.
The planning and execution of an air-to-air photoshoot of this caliber demand meticulous preparation. It all begins with selecting the right aircraft for the shoot. In this case, a C-130 Hercules is chosen as the photo platform. This versatile cargo plane features a rear cargo ramp, which provides a stable and secure platform for photographers to work from.
From the perspective of the pilots flying the Hercules and the Eurofighter Typhoons, synchronization is key. They maintain a precise formation in the sky, coordinating speed and altitude with the C-130’s position for the photographers to have the best angles. Communication between all involved parties is constant and clear.
