Freewing 90mm F-22 Raptor - Official Thread

[xviper]

Hugh, how do you manage to center the plane so well while it's flying around?

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hugh, how do you manage to center the plane so well while it's flying around?

That's the excellence of the photographer, Marvin Alvarez!! Fortunately, he's one of my best friends! He uses a Cannon with auto focus zoom lens. Occasionally I'll crop some of his photos to center it, but on this set (actually took over 70 photos), virtually every one was dead center (the first on landing was cropped). He also happens to be one of the best modelers in South Florida and the absolute best pilot I've ever seen. He and his father build and design mostly large turbine aircraft for clients all over, including the Caribbean and South America, and he is always in charge of their maiden flights and trimming them out.. When Top Gun was still operating, their work usually won many of the scale competitions. He also helps build/paint/set-up members large gas warbirds, especially WWI Bi-Planes. He designs and prints his own graphics. And the majority of our 250 club members who have large expensive turbines have him paint and set them up and always maiden them! He is also a rep for BVM Jets and travels all over the South to serve as "Air Boss" at many of the big jet events.

That's a long way to say he really knows RC Flying which helps him position and anticipate where to take the best photos. He gives me a series of very specific flight moves/orientations/speeds/elevations before and during the flight so he can get the exact photo he wants. I've been taking some of his photos when he maidens his large creations, but I'm not as proficient at centering as he is, but I'm working on it!

I'm actually an X-semi-professional underwater and wildlife photographer back in my "early" years, so I have a decent feeling of how the plane needs to be oriented for a decent shot. Many of my photos were published and even have a series of photos in the Library of Congress (but that was another life time). I find it excellent piloting practice to have someone call out to you requesting the aircraft be at a certain place in a certain orientation while you're flying. Breaks with my kinda pre-set regular flight plan and maneuvers and forces me to think "on the fly" (pun intended).

[xviper]

Hugh, you have friends in HIGH places, but then, you're pretty "famous" yourself. Been following your adventures for years now.