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To be honest, I found it rather boring. It was just film of a C.17 inflight refuelling off a KC10. Not sure about it being magnificent or stunning. I found it rather ordinary, in fact. Perhaps I'm becoming a boring old f..t!.
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I'm glad it wasn't just me who thought that, JEM60. About the video, that is...
Some of the framing was pretty weak and the whole thing lacked much direction.
But perhaps it's just those of us who have seen plenty of air-to-air refuelling who are rather blasé and see it as less than 'magnificent'? To the average person it might well seem spectacular.
Well, I'm an average person, and to me it looks like good CGI. But definitely, CGI. At first I wondered if the separation of the aeroplane from the background in the opening sequence was just the result of pronounced sharpening artefacts, but no, it's like that all the way through. Not to mention the implausibility of the camera movements.
I would bet money on it NOT being CGI-google the mans work if you are bothered-the internet is littered with his/their stuff. Just a good HD cam and some quality shooting/editing IMHO. For some of us who routinely stare into another sunrise heading back across the oggin, a pleasant reminder of why we got into this game.....
So just how did he do some of those panning shots, overtaking the KC-10 at some 100knots faster, cutting across its nose, and all with no obstructions from parts of the chase aircraft?
I bet it wasn't done leaning out of an F-16, even with a "good HD-Cam"...
The trouble with YouTube nowadays is the vast number of sims. You are looking for something interesting and you get part way in before realising. Not restricted to aircraft, classic locomotives are suffering too.
I'm not sure I'd go as far as spectacular but I thought it did bring a sense of beauty to aviating in a pure sense. The point about it, for me, is that you don't get that view when you are piloting yourself as your view is so restricted. The only time I have had that sort of view is seeing other aircraft on the Atlantic tracks. Naturally if one was experienced in AAR (Beags) then I understand why it would seem passé.
Ernest Gann described something similar in "Fate is the Hunter" when he described a Captain looking at a sunset as someone might regard a favourite oil painting.
I would bet money on it NOT being CGI So just how did he do some of those panning shots, overtaking the KC-10 at some 100knots faster, cutting across its nose, and all with no obstructions from parts of the chase aircraft?
I bet it wasn't done leaning out of an F-16, even with a "good HD-Cam"...
Yep, looks like struts in top r.h. corner at 32"-37". The backgrounds, I'm sure, are bona fide aerial shots. But the lighting of the aircraft is just a little too beautiful, as well as the camera moves being somewhat infeasible. Note also that there is no sign of jet exhaust, which would surely have interfered with the view of the background on some shots. OTOH, one early shot of the tanker take off does include strobe lights. It is, as I said, very well done.
Just looked at the video once more with regards to comments as its CGI. There is simply no way that is CG. Even George Lucas with Industrial Light and Sound could not produce that detail.
Last edited by nomorecatering; 23rd Aug 2012 at 03:00.
You know what, I had a look at a Clay Lacy clip of three 737s in formation, and there's not much jet efflux visible in that either. And although the crossing in front shot is lower and closer in this vid than in the Boeing one, it does have the slight quirkiness of lighting that looks like reality. The matte finish of the paint on the military aircraft also makes a big difference. So yes, I guess it is the real thing, and I was wrong. Very clean aircraft. Very impressive video.
It's typical of Laceys work. Does a lot for the movies, aviation industry (manufacturers, airlines etc) and military. Uses a Learjet fitted with Astrovision periscopic camera lenses on the bottom of the aircraft. A similar lens is located on the top of the aircraft, and a third lens is mounted in the nose. Formats available include 35mm, 65mm, IWERKS, 70mm and IMAX.
My main delight was in seeing some live footage from Travis, taking me back exactly 40 years to my time out there. For Saintsman: the 60th Wing had some 50 C-141A aircraft at the time, plus C-5s building up to equip two squadrons, with a SAC KC-135 lodger unit into the bargain. A lot of concrete.
I was surprised by the final approach as it became increasingly clear that the landing was to be on 21R, never used for landings back then - but I see on Wikipedia that 21L has been dug-up to provide a C-17 Assault Landing Zone and will then be reinstated. And it looked as if the massed rows of WWII Liberty Ships, a lovely radar target, are no longer in the Carquinez Straits area - hardly surprising as I imagine they must have been pretty rusty by 1972.
KC-10 and C-17 air-to-air footage. Magnificent!
) then I understand why it would seem passé.
