Usually Ascot with its iconic Grandstand is the venue for horse racing diary events throughout the year but on the 16th and 17th of August it was the venue for the Red bull Air Racing World Championships, an entirely different high octane action sport like motor racing in the sky.It showcases the skills of elite pilots from around the world in very nimble tiny planes that tear around the race course,very much like aerial jockeys ducking and diving between huge inflatable obstacles and missing by the skin of their teeth.I witnessed the practice session on Friday 15th 2014 and I must say,it is certainly a hair raising event.In between storm clouds and blue skies,the light was certainly quite something and a 300mm Nikon lens made it all the more dramatic.
Also present were an RAF Chinook carrying out manoeuvres nobody would believe possible with an aircraft of this size,dropping,climbing and virtually nose down vertical,quite remarkable!
There were also Breitling Wing Walkers and a fantastic rare display from Spitfire MH434,the Spitfire of the late Ray Hanna, probably the most famous remaining Spitfire in the air today,with a list of wartime actions and movie roles to its name.
More on MH434 here:http://www.mh434.com/history/index.html
All Images copyright Kerry Davies/No unauthorised reproduction.
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