Goldwater Bombing Range Gila Bend, Az.

scottcolbathscottcolbath Registered Users Posts: 278 Major grins
edited May 8, 2012 in Other Cool Shots
Good times yesterday.

IMG9199-X2.jpg

In this shot, you can see a 30mm round in the left of the frame.
IMG9187-X2.jpg

Being in the tower and watching these guys do strafing runs was truly impressive. One of the cool things was seeing the gun fire, watching the bullets hit their target, then hearing the sonic boom of about 100 30mm rounds fly by you, followed by the report from the gun itself. The sonic boom from the rounds was loud, but the report from the guns was this deep, super loud BRRRRRROOOOOOOOP that lasted no more than a second in most cases.

I'll get some more pics up later.

S.C.

Comments

  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,325 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2012
    Great work, Scott. thumb.gif I was able to watch some similar action once, staged while I was a guest on a Navy carrier. You're right....it's most impressive to be real close when one of those cannons is at work. However, in my case, it was a 20 MM gun.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2012
    Great shots, Scott. Always glad to see military A/C in action!

    Lauren
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2012
    I love in #1 you can see the pilot looking at you.

    Any chance of finding him and sending a copy?
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • scottcolbathscottcolbath Registered Users Posts: 278 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2012
    Thanks guys.

    Zanotti, we always make sure to provide shots to the pilots. They love seeing them. There is always a PR person or someone who has direct contact with the pilots and they sort that out.

    S.C.
  • rwellsrwells Registered Users Posts: 6,084 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2012
    Great shots Scott!

    How cool is that to catch a round in the frame thumb.gif
    Randy
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2012
    scottcolbath wrote: »
    Thanks guys.

    Zanotti, we always make sure to provide shots to the pilots. They love seeing them. There is always a PR person or someone who has direct contact with the pilots and they sort that out.

    S.C.


    Scott:

    Do you have special access, or is this close enough to public lands to capture these?

    Z
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • toragstorags Registered Users Posts: 4,615 Major grins
    edited February 3, 2012
    Well done Scott

    Nice captures
    Rags
  • scottcolbathscottcolbath Registered Users Posts: 278 Major grins
    edited February 4, 2012
    Zanotti wrote: »
    Scott:

    Do you have special access, or is this close enough to public lands to capture these?

    Z

    I was fortunate enough to stumble across a group of aviation photographers who accepted me into their fold. One or two of the guys have connections to get us on bases and such. As a result a small handful of us get to go with them for shoots like this, or NAF El Centro last November ( http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=210351 ), where I will be heading back to in two weeks for a Blue Angels practice.


    S.C.
  • NewsyNewsy Registered Users Posts: 605 Major grins
    edited February 5, 2012
    Great shots!
    http://newsy.smugmug.com

    .
  • scottcolbathscottcolbath Registered Users Posts: 278 Major grins
    edited May 3, 2012
    Another day out on the Barry Goldwater bombing range today.

    IMG1786-X2.jpg

    IMG9962-X2.jpg

    How close are we? This close......

    20120503%20BMGR_0436%20OA-10A%2081-0954%2047FS%20left%20front%20in%20flight%20l.jpg

    It's a spectacular way to spend a day.

    S.C.
  • dave6253dave6253 Registered Users Posts: 229 Major grins
    edited May 4, 2012
    Very Cool. You guys look real close. The A-10s used to practice their attach runs using my Forward Operating Base in Iraq. Lucky for us they weren't firing. Great shots!
    dave6253.smugmug
  • GSPePGSPeP Registered Users Posts: 3,992 Major grins
    edited May 4, 2012
    Great pictures thumb.gif
    Greetings from Belgium, Peter
    gspep.smugmug.com & steendorp.smugmug.com
    FB: www.facebook.com/peter.perdaen - Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/1150GSPEP/videos
  • DaddyODaddyO Registered Users Posts: 4,466 Major grins
    edited May 6, 2012
    Really nice shots thumb.gif Great sharp. Really cool you got round in frame. Sweet :D
    Michael
  • scottcolbathscottcolbath Registered Users Posts: 278 Major grins
    edited May 8, 2012
    dave6253 wrote: »
    Very Cool. You guys look real close. The A-10s used to practice their attach runs using my Forward Operating Base in Iraq. Lucky for us they weren't firing. Great shots!

    Thanks, and thank you for your service to our country.

    DaddyO, capturing a round in turns out not to be that difficult. With all that light out there, you can crank up the shutter speed. Just be ready to anticipate when the pilot will pull the trigger and you have a good shot at stopping the action.

    S.C.
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