Chicago Air & Water | F-22 Raptor The F-22 Raptor is a single seat, twin-engine, all-weather, stealth, top line fighter. Remember, 300mm with the 2.7 crop factor of the Nikon 1 V3 converts to 810mm. On a clear day you can see the vapor. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
Chicago Air & Water | U.S. Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin Rescue Helicopter The MH-65 is dispatching a diver into the water near North Street Beach in a simulated water rescue. There’s a person in the water. The water spray generated by the helicopter’s downdraft obscures our view of the person in the water. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
Chicago Air & Water | High Flight As this Blue Angel’s F/A-18 Hornet climbed high above the clouds, the poem “High Flight” came to mind. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr. 3 Sep 1941
Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr. During the desperate days of the Battle of Britain, hundreds of Americans crossed the border into Canada to enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Although breaking the law, but with the approval of the still officially neutral United States, they volunteered to fight. John Gillespie Magee, Jr., was one such American. Born in Shanghai, China, in 1922 to an English mother and a Scotch-Irish-American father, Magee was 18 years old when he entered flight training. Within the year, he was sent to England and assigned to the newly formed RCAF Fighter Squadron #412 where he flew the Supermarine Spitfire.
Flying fighter sweeps over France and air defense over England against the Luftwaffe, he rose to the rank of Pilot Officer. On 3 September 1941, Magee flew a high altitude (30,000 feet) test flight in a newer model of the Spitfire V. As he orbited and climbed upward, he was struck with the inspiration of a poem — “To touch the face of God.” Once back on the ground, he wrote a letter to his parents. In it he commented, “I am enclosing a verse I wrote the other day. It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished soon after I landed.” On the back of the letter, he jotted down his poem, ‘High Flight.’ Just three months later, on 11 December 1941, Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr., was killed flying a Spitfire V. He was 19 years old.
Chicago Air & Water | Blue Angels The Blue Angels, of course, are the main attraction to any airshow. This image tries to capture their F/A-18 Hornets flying formation; only an amazing 18 inches apart. The Blue Angels have been performing since 1946, making this their 71st season and making it the oldest formal flying aerobatics team in the USA. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
Chicago Air & Water | F/A 18 Super Hornet Notice the “F/A” in the F/A-18 designation since it’s both a fighter and an attack aircraft. Even with these bald skies, the vapor trail provides some contrast. Turn & burn! For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
Chicago Air & Water | Police Boat The water part of the Air & Water Show always entertains. These boats really move across the water. Add a few waves and a cool simple click is easy. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
Chicago Air & Water | Navy Seal Leap Frogs Of course, skydivers start the show displaying the American flag while the National Anthem is played. The Leap Frogs executed some amazing maneuvers with their chutes. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story Before the air show gets started, there’s time for a nice Chicago skyline image. Of course, skydivers start the show displaying the American flag while the National Anthem is played. The Leap Frogs executed some amazing maneuvers with their chutes. Then, the water part of the Air & Water Show begins. These boats really move across the water. Merging air and water, the MH-65 dispatched a diver into the water near North Street Beach in a simulated water rescue.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet always impresses; even high time pilots. Notice the “F/A” in the F/A-18 Super Hornet designation since it’s both a fighter and an attack aircraft. Even with these bald skies, the vapor trail provides some contrast. The Blue Angels, of course, are the main attraction to any airshow. Their F/A-18 Hornets fly in formation only an amazing 18 inches apart. The Blue Angels have been performing since 1946 making it the oldest formal flying aerobatics team in the USA. As this Blue Angel’s F/A-18 Hornet climbed high above the clouds, the poem “High Flight” came to mind. To read the entire poem and a brief bio on its author; Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr., see Chicago Air & Water | High Flight. Finally, one of America’s top of the line fighters, the F-22 Raptor makes a beautiful demo flight. The F-22 Raptor is a single seat, twin-engine, all-weather, stealth, top line fighter.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Chicago Air & Water.
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