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View Full Version : A Day at Cessnock Airport



Ausfree
28th July 2013, 05:25 PM
After reading an article in yesterday's "Newcastle Herald" that indicated there would be some restored military training aircraft and vintage model A Fords at Cessnock airport. Mrs Aus and I decided to go as I wanted to practice on taking photo's of aeroplanes before we go to the "Warbirds Downunder" airshow in Temora later this year.:D

For those not familiar with the Hunter Valley, Cessnock Airport is about an hour west of Newcastle right in the heart of wine country.:D

I took with me my trusty Nikon D5100 along with a 18-55mm AF-S Nikkor VR lens and a 55-200mm AF-S Nikkor VR lens which was coupled to a Bower MC 2X teleconverter.:D The following photographs are basically as they came out of the camera with a little manipulation here and there on some of them using Photobucket's basic program.:D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/131.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013065_zps95b3873e .jpg.html)

A row of vinatge A Model Fords outside the Museum Hangar at Cessnock Airport.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/132.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013070_zps395633f6 .jpg.html)

Close up showing the engine on one of the old cars.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/133.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013112_zps7e6bfb0d .jpg.html)

All the mod cons in the old days, a dickie seat with protection from the weather.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/134.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013006_zps449680ef .jpg.html)

An L39 Albatross jet trainer, capable of about 900km per hour, yes you can hire it for a flight which costs in the vicinity of $600 for a 20 minute flight.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/135.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013052_zps9e04b3e1 .jpg.html)
Business was brisk, it was flying in and out of the airport all the time while we were there.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/136.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013001_zpsa2403b84 .jpg.html)

A Robinson R44 taking off on a joy flight.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/137.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013027_zps99c136a6 .jpg.html)

Two more Robinson helicopters parked at the airport, must be a good business for the operator.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/07/532.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013041_zpsfc86184d .jpg.html)
A real surprise:eek: A Storch flying in it's WW2 German colours, that's as close as I managed to get to it.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/138.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013072_zps4f528dcc .jpg.html)

The star of the show, a 1942 Boeing Stearman biplane which has 9 cylinder 300hp Lycoming Radial Engine. Only 282 were built for the U.S. Navy.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/139.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013080_zps2c671154 .jpg.html)

Another angle.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/918.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013097_zpsa3a7334d .jpg.html)

The Lycoming Radial Engine.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/140.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013102_zps508fd122 .jpg.html)

The rear cockpit.

Ausfree
28th July 2013, 05:49 PM
Right-O, back again, had to stop for tea!!:p
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/125.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013106_zps56ac734c .jpg.html)

A Harvard T6 Texan.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/126.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013107_zpse2bdb6af .jpg.html)
Another surprise, a Yak 25 was parked outside the Museum.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/127.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013077_zps4ddb205c .jpg.html)

A Bell Helicopter, being an old codger, I immeadiately thought of the old 1950's TV series called "the Whirlybirds" which featured one of these.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/128.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013093_zps7efd74f9 .jpg.html)

Of cause, it's not an airshow, without the good old Tigermoth.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/129.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013111_zpsf6dd046a .jpg.html)

They had to move it, to refuel it, so the bloke just picks the tail up and turns the plane around.:o


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/130.jpg (http://s756.photobucket.com/user/Ausfree/media/CessnockvintageAricraft28thJuly2013103_zpse8c15a96 .jpg.html)
Refuel, straight out of a handheld jerry can. No mod cons here.:p

All in all, we had a good day and I had a chance to correct my photographic technique before we go to "Warbirds Downunder" I hope you guys enjoyed these photo's as much as I enjoyed taking them.:D:D:D:D