Low Level aircraft - Mach Loop - Wales

[Al.Grant]

For the past year or so we've been making some regular visits over to an area in Wales (Snowdonia National Park) known as the 'Mach Loop'

It's an area used by UK and US military aircraft for low level training. A quick climb us some of the hills and you can be level with, or above, the jets as they come through at speed well in excess of 500mph. 

Camera: EOS 750D

Lens: Sigma 150-600mm

 

When the aircraft don't come through the scenery is amazing, peaceful, quiet and I love it!

The place also has some very dark skies (although some restricted views E & W!) which I intend to make full use of.

The view to the S/SW

 

They when they do come through .....

USAF F-15E 48th Fighter Wing 

 

F-15 close up of the cockpit - not a bad day job

 

RAF Tornado - sadly all now retired

 

Not just the jets .... the bigger transports turn up for a go 

RAF A400M

 

And the smaller jet and prop trainers

 

I should be back there in another 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[Chris P.]

Impressive photography

[+RonC]

Love the F15's, still my favourite plane!! Great photo's ?

[+Bino-viewer]

I'd love to take a trip up there....

One day i will...

 

[Bottletopburly]

Brilliant, we had a Hercules fly over the train carriage as we waited on the snowdon railway  very very low great photos 

[BAZ]

Awesome pics. That guy in the back of the Tucano is holding on for grim death. ?

[Al.Grant]

Thanks for the comments ....

Currently the aircraft don't come through as often as they did at this time last year, but still through most days.

It's like fishing .....you don't know if or when you'll get anything, but even the blank days are enjoyable. 

 

It took a while (and a new lens) before I started to get on top of the tracking needed to follow them at that distance and speed.

Still not mastered it but getting better and of the images I get there are far more 'keepers' than I used to get

 

19 hours ago, Ron Clarke said:

Love the F15's, still my favourite plane!! Great photo's ?

Here's a couple of 15's for you. 

Not the best quality image as it was at the far end of the 600mm reach, but I love trying to catch them head on with the wingman slotting into position behind.

 

19 hours ago, Bino-viewer said:

I'd love to take a trip up there....

One day i will...

 

If you do get over there give me a shout, we might be there at the same time.   

There is a campsite just over a mile down the road that costs £5 per person/night and the aircraft fly directly overhead.

We had an RAF Puma helicopter pass low overhead at about 01:30 a few weeks ago - got woken up but just laughed and rolled over.

Also there are times when the aircraft will NOT come through, like weekends and bank holidays. 

If you find the 'official government timetable' then totally ignore it, it's not even for that area!

 

I'm lucky to be able to get over there at least once per month and even luckier that my wife likes it as much as I do. If fact, today she's suggesting we go back next week - who am I to argue! 

 

 

Finally, as an indication of how low they are compared to where we are on the hills

Not many places where you can stand and look down on an aircraft doing over 500mph!

 

These F-15's came through early in the morning just as we parked the car and were about to head up the hills -  we walk up that slope on the left 

Heard them with just enough time to grab my phone.

 

 

 

Cheers again for the comments .....

    Al

 

[+RonC]

Looks like a EMS day out sometime!! Thanks for the F15 shots!

 

Ron