Some of my Diecast Models in the Light Box

 One day I was saying to my mom that I was thinking about getting a light box.  I figured that it would make taking pictures of my models and figures much easier.  I didn't think she would actually get one for me, but she did.  It is pretty neat and it is pretty helpful I think.

I didn't really feel like going out to take pictures today even thought it was a nice day when it started.  As I was about to go out, it started to cloud over.  I checked the weather around Port Huron because that's where I wanted to go and I found it was raining there.  Since I wasn't feeling particularly motivated anyway, that pretty much settled it.

But I couldn't pass on taking pictures, so I decided to bring the light box out and mess around.

I think I need to get a bigger box.  But I do like this one but after I took my pictures, I discovered that I should have set it up with the lights to the top.  I can see where that would help to make the lighting a little more even.  

I had to start with the F-14 Tomcat since that is one of my favorites of all time.  This particular one is from VF-84 which was on the Nimitz for a time.

Next up was an A-7 Corsair II.  This is a plane that served through Vietnam and up until Desert Storm.

This particular one was from the Sidewinders.

After that was the A-6 Intruder.

This is the plane made famous by Flight of the Intruder.

Another favorite of mine is the A-10 Thunderbolt.

I'm going to have to work on the front shot a bit but this one wasn't too bad.

This particular one is stationed at Selfridge in Michigan.

An F-4 Phantom wearing the Vietnam War era paint.

This particular one was flown by Robin Olds.

I like the scheme but I like the Navy scheme better.

Another of my favorites is the F-16 Fighting Falcon.  This particular one is in the Wild Weasel configuration, which means it goes after enemy surface to air missile sites.

I like this tail art.

The other view.

A MiG-29 Fulcrum wearing Ukrainian colors.

Since the Russians brought pretty heavy air defenses, you don't hear too much about this.

But apparently, the US sent anti-radar missiles and that might help.

A Panavia Tornado.  This plane was a joint design between Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy.

It is now retired.

But it was pretty cool in the day.

A Harrier.

This particular one is wearing British colors.

It is retired by the British but still sees service in the US Marines.  In fact, I think the British sold some of their newer units to the Marines.

My last one is an A-4 Skyhawk.

This plane was designed by a person from Michigan.

This is a model of the plane that was flown by Senator John McCain as he was shot down.

The Cherry Festival Air Show - Part I

 I've been meaning to go the Cherry Festival in Traverse City for a number of years.  They have an air show and it wasn't until this year that I realized I could see it for free because they did it over the bay.  I figured I had to get up early to make it up there to find a spot.  Sadly, I didn't get up there early enough.

The Bristol Bay was serving as show center.  That was pretty cool.

One of the many boats that were there.

A pair of HH-60s that are assigned to the Coast Guard Air Station in Traverse City.

I've wanted to see one of these for a long time.  They are painted to look like old Coast Guard aircraft.

I think they are more capable than the Dolphin that I usually see.

IT was pretty cool to see.

If I had been closer, I could have seen them doing a rescue demonstration.

The Manitou was near where I was watching the air show.  She was just going out on a tour of the bay.

It was pretty cool because they were raising the sails.  I could hear them barking out the orders.

Another shot of the Jayhawk.

The other sail raised.  The Manitou is a schooner.

Next up was a MiG-17.

The MiG-17 is the successor to the MiG-15.  The MiG-15 was made famous by the Korean War.

The MiG-17 was equipped with an afterburner.

A pretty cool shot.

A Huey helicopter that belongs to the State Police.

The Manitou with full sail.

Another shot.

An AV-8 Harrier belonging to the Marine Corps.  This plane was designed by the British and can take off and land vertically.  They did a demonstration of it hovering, that was pretty cool.

This plane is called a Yak-110.  

It has two Yak-55 planes together with a jet engine between them.

It was debuted at Oshkosh.

I need to get there one of these days.

A Mediflight helicopter.

A mallard.

Another shot of the mallard.

Mrs. Mallard and her baby.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from Shaw Air Force base.

It is painted to look like a snake.

One of the other nicknames for the F-16 is the Viper.

I liked watching this plane.

The paint scheme was pretty cool.

There was just enough moisture in the air.

Turning.

A P-51 Mustang.

This was pretty cool.

The did a heritage flight with the P-51.

A view I wouldn't want to see.

The P-51 is wearing invasion stripes.

They break apart.

One more view of the Falcon.

And of the P-51.

Part II has more pictures.