This air-to-air photo of a Singaporean Chinook almost didn't happen!

Click for hi-res image

I was invited to the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Family Day, as part of its 45th Anniversary celebrations held in conjunction with the RSAF's involvement at Singapore Airshow 2014. As part of the event, we were given a ride on a CH-47SD Chinook helicopter on Saturday the 8th of February. Arriving at Changi East Airbase that morning, it was obvious from the number of people going for the ride that there were to be two helicopters provided for the flight, which meant that I would get a rare chance at an air to air photo of the other Chinook.

I had assumed that the only way I would be able to get the shot would be to sit on board the lead ship near the rear, and shoot the No.2 aircraft out of the (open) rear ramp. Now at this moment we had no idea which was the lead Chinook and which was No.2 so I had to take a punt and chose one of the Chinooks to board. As it turned out I had gotten on board No.2 ship, and to top it off I ended up sitting somewhere near the centre of the helicopter. As we departed the base I rued what I thought had been a missed opportunity as both helicopters headed to the waters south of Singapore's Central Business District for a flight at 500ft AGL in loose echelon formation.

It was during this portion of the flight that I spied the lead Chinook, visible off the open port front window of our Chinook. Flying on a roughly northerly heading at that point, it also meant the morning light was falling perfectly on the lead helo. What luck! I hurriedly snapped off a series of photos, thankful that I had mounted a 70-300mm lens on my camera so I would have enough reach to zoom close enough and confident I would get a few useable shots. As you can see, the lead Chinook had its rear ramp closed, so even if I had boarded the lead Chinook, the closed ramp would have meant no photos of the second aircraft would have been possible!

As it was, I did get a number of photos of the lead Chinook which I'm really happy with. And as a bonus, the rear ramp of our Chinook was open as well, which meant that shots like this were also possible:

Click for hi-res image

Special thanks to the kind folks at Singapore's Ministry of Defence Public Affairs Directorate and the Air Force Information Centre, who made the event possible

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 10 Sept 2013

Delayed by the grounding following a recent crash, two KAI-T-50 trainers are currently on a delivery flight to Indonesia. The two jets will make stopovers in Taiwan and the Philippines for refueling before landing on Indonesia's Iswahyudi Air Force base on Wednesday. Here's a photo of one of the Indonesian T-50s by South Korea's Yonhap news.

According to this AIP Supplement issued by Airservices Australia, Singapore's F-16s will be taking part in the upcoming Exercise Wallaby 2013 to be held at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland, Australia. A Singapore Armed Forces annual combined arms exercise, it will also involve Singapore Air Force Super Puma, Chinook and Apache helicopters.

My latest piece for The Diplomat Magazine is up online. Aircraft Carriers or Not? Flattops in the Pacific surveys the recent proliferation of through-deck helicopters carriers in the region and looks at their potential for operating fixed wing aircraft.

PHOTO: Aussie Chinooks resume Afghan operations

Photo © Commonwealth of Australia. Click on thumbnail to view high-res imagery

Sergeant Andrew Reid of Rotary Wing Group 7 prepares an Australian CH-47D Chinook for take off at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The Australian Defence Force's CH-47D 'Chinook' helicopters have returned to duty in Southern Afghanistan providing medium lift transport capability to Australian and International Security Assistance Force units. The helicopters will be operated by the men and women of Rotary Wing Group 7 (RWG 7) who are embedded with the United States 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, known as Task Force Wings. RWG 7 is made up of approximately 60 personnel from the Townsville-based 5th Aviation Regiment and from across the 16th Aviation Regiment. Photo by Sergeant Mick Davis 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit.

More related imagery on the Australian Defence Force Image Gallery

Australia acquires more Chinooks, replaces aircraft lost in Afghanistan

Australia is to acquire two Boeing CH-47D Chinook transport helicopters to replace the CH-47D lost in Afghanistan earlier this year. The aircraft will be delivered to Townsville by the end of January 2012 to be brought up to similar standard with the five remaining aircraft and are expected to be fully operation by June.

VIDEO: CNN tours Libya's Mitiga Airbase

1980s Soviet plane-porn alert! CNN's Nic Robertson takes us on a tour of Libya's Mitiga Airbase soon after the fall of Tripoli to Libya's rebels, including climbing into the cockpit of a derelict Mi-8, shots of other derelict Mi-8s, MiG-23s, Chinooks, various VIP transports and the show-stealer of the piece, a carcass of a Tu-22 Blinder bomber.

Last Special Operations MH-47G Chinook delivered

The last remanufactured MH-47G Chinook was delivered by Boeing to the US Army in mid-March. This completes a Service Life Extension Plan contract for 62 MH-47Gs of the Army Special Operations Command.

RAF bracing for Tornadoes, Chinooks to face further cuts

Hot on the heels of losing its Harriers and Nimrods, the RAF is bracing itself for further budget and capability cuts with its Tornadoes being slashed by more than half to just 60 jets, along with 12 Chinooks ordered by the previous government.

Boeing expects German CSAR selection to slip into 2011

Boeing expects that the selection process for Germany's combat search and rescue helicopter requirement may slip into the first quarter of next year. Germany's tender called for awarding a contract for eight aircraft, plus 11 options and Boeing is offering the CH-47E Chinook in the tender.

PHOTO: Australian soldiers board Chinook helicopters

(Click on thumbnail for high res image)
20101015adf8115142_202 Soldiers from the Australian Army's 2nd Mentoring Task Force board a US Army Chinook helicopter to fly out to their new patrol base homes, spread throughout the Uruzgan Province of southern Afghanistan. (Australian Defence Force Photo)

Australian Chinooks depart Afghanistan

After 737 flying hours and having moved in excess of 691,000 kilograms of supplies and equipment over the last eight months, Australia's Rotary Wing Group and its two CH-47 Chinooks are returning home from Afghanistan. The task group will return to Afghanistan in early 2011 to recommence flight operations in support of ISAF efforts.

See related Australian Defence Force Image Gallery

PHOTO: Australian Army Blackhawks and Chinooks air mobility training

(Click on thumbnail for high res image)
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Black Hawks from Battle Group Pegusus which has been assembled to support the 3rd Brigade during Exercise Hamel lead the formation as they conduct air-mobility training in Townsville on October 9. (Australian Defence Force Photo)

Summary of UK's Strategic Defence and Security Review

The British Ministry of Defence has put up a summary of the changes which will occur as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review which has just been made public. Most of the details reported here yesterday have come to pass, and among other things:

• Either the HMS Ocean or HMS Illustrious will be decommissioned, and after a capabilities study comparing the two, instead of the HMS Illustrious as reported


• The upcoming buy of Chinooks will be reduced to 12 from 22


• The Nimrod MRA.4 program will be cancelled


• All RAF C-130s to be withdrawn ten years ahead of schedule in favour of the A400M

Singapore AF in Australia for Ex Wallaby

Over the past few weeks several Republic of Singapore Air Force aircraft have been flying into Rockhampton, Queensland in support of the annual Exercise Wallaby. On Friday the 15th of October, six F-16D Block 52+ from 145 (Hornet) Sqn arrived at Rockhampton via Darwin, supported by a KC-135 Stratotanker and C-130H Hercules. They were preceded by 2 CH-47SD Chinooks of 127 Sqn in early October which flew into Rockhampton via Darwin, Mount Isa and Longreach and supported by another C-130.

In addition four AH-64D Apaches of 120 Sqn are also in Rockhampton for the exercise, having flown in by a Volga-Dnepr Antonov 124 in early October. They are joined by AS332M Super Pumas from the RSAF detachment in nearby Oakey.

ISAF Chinook attacked in Afghanistan; 1 killed

The International Stabilisation Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has reported that a Chinook helicopter carrying 26 personnel has been hit on the ground by an RPG anti-tank rocket. An Afghan interpreter has been killed and eight ISAF and Afghan personnel wounded.

Canadians perplexted by Chinook downing

An investigation by Canada has still not determined what brought down a Canadian forces Chinooks in Afghanistan in August. Eight of the 21 crew and passengers aboard the aircraft sustained minor injuries.