McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet - USA - Navy | Aviation Photo #1014787

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wowee, you can even see the shockwave!

Anonymous

16 years ago

The shockwaves!

Anonymous

16 years ago

WOW WOW Superb. Pozdrawiam Mati

Anonymous

16 years ago

A real impression of speed and power. The perfect way to spend taxpayer's money!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

This one could make it into the Editors Choice Section as you can see the soundwaves as clear as water...

Anonymous

16 years ago

This is truly a remarkable picture. What a thrill it would be to fly something so beautiful. your position to get this shot one in a million. the clarity of the f18 is great. this plane is on the verge of breaking the sound berrier as shown by the wake. you have great equipment and know how to use it. congratulations

Anonymous

16 years ago

Incredible... the clarity of the cones is just amazing. Great work!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Nice Shot!, cant wait to see the blues this year.
NVM airliner's! ;)

Anonymous

16 years ago

There appears to be a prismatic effect of the pressure waves that look like "spears."

Anonymous

16 years ago

Can I give it 10 stars?!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Very good

Anonymous

16 years ago

Break the sound barrier!!! Sonic wave hits the water!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Sweet...

Anonymous

16 years ago

Amazing shot! This is why the pilots want to fly.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow, very nice and spectecular one. Well done!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow! The plane can't be more than 20 feet off the deck and approaching the speed of sound. Now that's precision flying! Would have absolutely loved to have seen it in person . . .

Anonymous

16 years ago

So sharp you can even see the chock waves of the sound barrier. Amazing!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

This one is simply perfect!! unbelievable effect and a very clear pictuce! WOW !!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Amazing! Great shot!

Anonymous

16 years ago

This is also a visualization of the ground effect. I don't recall having seen this before. GREAT!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Is that a sonic wave?

Anonymous

16 years ago

It’s fantastic, you can see the pressure waves building from the aft, its very cool. First picture rating I have done, just felt compelled to comment. Top marks

Anonymous

16 years ago

Simply outstanding. Congratulations on this very fortunate shot..

Anonymous

16 years ago

The most amazing photo i've seen on a.net! Look at those soundwaves!!!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Beautiful!....very nice catch of the action!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Real Power!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Hey Gunawan, you captured #5's "need for speed" high speed pass less than 30-feet above the waves perfectly. The only thing missing is the Roar from those twin F-404-GE engines!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wonderful pilot and wonderful photograf

Anonymous

16 years ago

Amazing! perfect conditions, perfect plane, perfect picture!

Anonymous

16 years ago

I CAN FEEL THE FORCE!

Anonymous

16 years ago

I was there, the show was not that great over all but this pic is definitely the bees knees

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow I'm glad at least SOMEONE had grabbed a shot of this and got it on A.net! I saw it live too and boy was that a great flyby...the humidity that weekend made for some nice effects :D

Anonymous

16 years ago

Superb shot...I managed to see 2 US F5s wen I was at San Francisco 4 yrs ago and they go right through the golden gate sadly i was not carrying my camera and they came surprisingly it was amazing to see them under the bridge!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow. Simply amazing.

Anonymous

16 years ago

How did he do it? This is a "once in a lifetime" shot, to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right equipment and the quickness of eye and fingers to capture this.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Simply awesome! You'll never see a T-bird do this.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow

Anonymous

16 years ago

It's a Five Star

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow super f-18 blunge angel

Anonymous

16 years ago

The photo is beautiful, but whats even more incredible is the pilot holding in ground effect at high speeds, especially since unlike low passes over land, you lose some depth perception over water and it's hard to tell how high you are from the water, some real nice flying.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Nice shot because of the sonic boom efect on the water

Anonymous

16 years ago

The shockwave formation is a great educational point for those interested in that sort of thing. You get an idea of speed from the backdrop and height from the shockwave/sea interaction. A great dynamic shot.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow. I thought it's not possible/permitted to brake sound barrier on such a low altitude. This pilot has cojones.

Anonymous

16 years ago

So low

Anonymous

16 years ago

Brilliant shot. can see lots of detail in the rear..
the Blue Angels ROCK !

Anonymous

16 years ago

This is actually formed by the evaporation of water, drag and speed. The movement of the aircraft is creating the air to become less dense due to the amount of drag. You are seeing the cloud forming around the largest part of the plane with the highest amount of drag. Would be cool, but this is not the sound barrier. This form only happens over lakes or oceans.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Better than the SU-30s! :P
Nice work.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Ahhh..."Fleet Week." My favorite Bay Area pastime. Features parade of ships, different kinds of aircrafts, Fat Albert Airlines, & finally the Blue Angels aerial exhibition team. You can also tour the USS Coronado & other navy ships if they're doing an open house. Then topped off by a Navy Ball in Alameda. Celebrates the b-day of the US Navy.

Anonymous

16 years ago

COOL!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Effin sweet!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Cool nice not blurred

Anonymous

16 years ago

The impression of speed is quite clear in the focus of the jet and the background. great composition.

Anonymous

16 years ago

The focus is dead on. nice.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Fantastic to see a fighter flying so fast and so low over the water. The (water) vapor trail and wake were a surprise, though understandable once you think about it.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Fake

Anonymous

16 years ago

W00t

Anonymous

16 years ago

Beautiful action shot and it doesn't hurt that it's a spectacular image.

Anonymous

16 years ago

"great shot!"

Anonymous

16 years ago

Boring!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Great picture!

Anonymous

16 years ago

First of all the minimum altitude for aircraft flying over an inhabited area (a marina qualifys) Is 500 ft What makes this excellent is the pilot has only to blink wrong and he is toast There is no manuevering room at 50 ft at mach 1. Hell there is none at 200 mps at that altitude

Anonymous

16 years ago

AWESOME!

Anonymous

16 years ago

This jet makes a striking image set against the marina and San Francisco Bay.

Anonymous

16 years ago

The clarity with which the aircraft is shown is amazing considering the speed involved. The visually apparent effect upon the water is also very spiffy.

Anonymous

16 years ago

That's crazy low

Anonymous

16 years ago

Nice framing, just enough blur to convey motion without making it hard to look at, and freakin' great timing on the shot!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Takes GIGANTC balls to do that. I salute those pilots

Anonymous

16 years ago

This is a marvelous shot, regardless of what it is depicting. The drag/ evaporation point made in the April 27 post was interesting, but I'm not sure I buy it.

I'll buy that air is being compressed at the nose and a negative pressure [the 'less dense air' point]is being generated aft, but I don't think that negative pressure is both creating this effect and allowing the mist to rise above the plane [away from the negative pressure]. This may actually be the shock wave.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Its is a rare photo of a jet at mach 1, the mist about the plane and the trail ,wake, in the water.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Tis cool

Anonymous

16 years ago

Incredible!

Anonymous

16 years ago

It's an aircraft breaching the sound barrier just a few metres above the water. What more can you ask for?

Anonymous

16 years ago

Engine exhaust/sea water reaction.

Anonymous

16 years ago

How often does an aircraft leave a visible wake in the water?

Anonymous

16 years ago

EXCELLENT FOREGROUND CLARITY. REALITY MEETS IMPRESSIONISM.
JD

Anonymous

16 years ago

Great shot, I was on the water that day and we saw a great show. For all those commenting on this being mach 1 please consider returning to junior high school.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Soooo... can YOU fly a fighter jet at Mach 1 just 30 feet in the air? Major props to the guys who can.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Amazing, technology at work.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Tight!

Anonymous

16 years ago

It's a freaking sonic boom.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Wow. Once in a life time shot.

Anonymous

16 years ago

Right over a grey whale surfacing. What timing!

Anonymous

16 years ago

How do you think those rich people in their pretty yachts liked the sonic boom removing their windows?

Anonymous

16 years ago

If this pic shows a mach 1 speed and that is the shock wave from passing through,why aren't the boats all laying over?

Anonymous

16 years ago

Outstanding! Go Navy!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

This is an awesome photo. A pilot who can do this has the bravery and skills needed in the military.

Someone in the UK said this photo was boring. He's entitled to his opinion, but I believe he's jealous becase the RAF can't do this.

Anonymous

16 years ago

The focus and composition is great. Surely the water vapour is due to the turbulence and vortices and not due to supersonic speed

Anonymous

16 years ago

I love the roster tail off the tail end!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Man that is sweet. Hell ya for America

Anonymous

16 years ago

No, this isn't a picture of a Blue Angel breaking mach 1. We (Naval Aviators) aren't allowed to break the sound barrier over the continental United States.

Anonymous

16 years ago

In the early 1990s, one of the Blue's F-18 flew Low, overhead MCAS El Toro's carpark & broke the sound barrier with an Almighty Boom. That incident shook the ground which immediately set off car alarms & Many in the crowd had a good laugh afterwards. The Blues forever!

Anonymous

16 years ago

Nice to capture the essence of the F-18 during demonstration. Hard to capture but someone did their homework.

Anonymous

16 years ago

These guys are the best of the best. Lead solo #5 is one sneaky guy!!!

Anonymous

16 years ago

The aircraft is not breaking the sound barrier, just to let you wittle pwane watchers know.

Anonymous

15 years ago

I guess no matter what the navy uses, they make a wake!

Anonymous

15 years ago

The Blue Angels RULE. They RULE! Best team in the world! Great picture!!!!!

Anonymous

15 years ago

I've seen the condensation many times at high speed, but getting it on film? Timing, Focus, absolutely beautiful!

Anonymous

15 years ago

I just loved

Anonymous

15 years ago

Awesome!

Anonymous

15 years ago

Captured a mock diamond in detail

Anonymous

15 years ago

It is very intersting to see how the air refracts light differently in the different pressure regions.

Anonymous

15 years ago

Getting the Plane sharp with good blur, and getting the wave are just great!

Anonymous

15 years ago

Go Navy!

Anonymous

15 years ago

I got to get me one of those!

Anonymous

15 years ago

Nice shot

Anonymous

15 years ago

Awesome! Superb picture capturing the shock waves off the leading edges and canopy as the aircraft is going transonic.

Anonymous

14 years ago

Awesome, this picture really shows how much force is behind those jets.

Anonymous

14 years ago

Making a statement in the place of my birth!!
The city of Oakland(former Oak Knolls Naval Hospital) with the reason of my favorite air demo team/squadron and military aircraft.
Rock the boat,baby and show 'em some sting!!

Anonymous

14 years ago

Fantastic, so close to the water. Great photo.

Anonymous

14 years ago

What A Great Shot! Keep up the good Work.......

Anonymous

14 years ago

The most amazing photo ! Look at those soundwaves!!!!!

Anonymous

14 years ago

To look closely and physically SEE the distortion of the sound/heat waves in this is awesome!!!

Anonymous

13 years ago

Shock wave really visible

Anonymous

13 years ago

It's hard to get the shot like this angle unless to stand on the boat.Also hard work to make it stable to get the shot like this if stand on the boat

Anonymous

13 years ago

Who is faster? #5 or Gunawan ? Good job!

Anonymous

13 years ago

Look at the clarity of the pilot, and the distortion of the boats behind. This is a shot by a master photographer!

Anonymous

13 years ago

Perfect time... nice man! 5stars

Anonymous

13 years ago

Wonder how many fish that killed. Since fish are very sensitive to shortwaves.

Anonymous

13 years ago

It's called the Prandtl–Glauert Singularity.(try wikipedia) It forms at close to the speed of sound. The volume inside the cone formed from the nose to the leading edge of the condensation cloud is under very high pressure. (Which is why drag increases exponentially the faster you go. Origin of the term sound barrier.) The cloud forms in the relative low pressure behind the high pressure but only in atmospheres of high moisture. It only occurs close to the speed of sound but it occurs around every aircraft going that fast. It's only visible when you add moisture. In this photo there are two, one at the tail the other at the canopy. The boundary between the two areas of different pressure is a visible shimmer in the cone similar to heat lensing off a hot surface. You can see it above and below the '5' on the tail and above the rear of the canopy. The masts on the boats below the engine intake are also being distorted by this effect. Sorry for the tedious lecture but the number of people who think this is the 'sound barrier'(no such thing) being broken is getting me down. It is a condensation effect close to the speed of sound. Great effort. All of the effects described above are difficult to capture so clearly. Well done

Anonymous

12 years ago

Amazing photo!!!!! i once flew over golden gate bridge, long, long time ago.

Anonymous

12 years ago

Thanks for sharing
M.R.N.

Anonymous

10 years ago

Whoa, awesome!!!!!!

Anonymous

4 years ago

Yes, very good flying skill and lots of Passion and courage required.
Indian pilots fly very conservatively and have poor control on fighter jets. They would fly their machine at higher and safer altitudes and you would Never find a picture of Indian fighter jet making making an aggressive maneuver. .

Aviation Photo #1014787 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet - USA - Navy

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