May 2013
A reprocessed HDR that takes the harshness out of the bright, midday Hawaiian sun. I really like the reflections on the glossy radome and the reasonably uncluttered backdrop. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum has grown since its opening in 2006 and now has over 40 aircraft in its collection, including this Phantom which has since been painted in Vietnam era colors. The U. S. Air Force’s first version of the venerable Phantom, the F-4C made its first flight in May 1963. In 1965, the USAF sent its first F-4Cs to Southwest Asia where they flew air-to-air combat missions against North Vietnamese fighters. In its air-to-ground role, the F-4C could carry twice the payload of a World War II B-17. Phantom II production ended in 1979 with over 5,000 aircraft built. Nikon D300 w/18-200mm.