Awesome F-16 pic

[Jeffy-CanCon]

The smoke trails don't look right to me, either. But I've seen fighter jets do some funky moves, so I won't say it's impossible. Though I can't understand making those angles while inverted.

The moon looks far too large and too well-defined in relation to the aircraft, to me. You would need a very powerful zoom, and an incredible depth-of-field to make a shot like that.

[Blennidae]

The smoke trails don't look right to me, either. But I've seen fighter jets do some funky moves, so I won't say it's impossible. Though I can't understand making those angles while inverted.

The moon looks far too large and too well-defined in relation to the aircraft, to me. You would need a very powerful zoom, and an incredible depth-of-field to make a shot like that.

My guess on the original pic would be its at the top of a loop. So its the tightest "corner" the jet is turning, so the smoke trails are quite extreme.

[Blennidae]

Not to keep beating a dead horse, but here is another nice example. I'm not sure why aircraft with pronounced LERX create this type of vortex, but they seem to be much more common in pics of F-16s and F-18s than in other types. I have seen pics of both with their wings more completely covered in vapor.

I think its a combination of angle of attack, airspeed, and humidity in the air which makes them visible.

[Steelrat]

Lets keep beating that horse...Blen, we need to talk planes sometimes, seems like we are both aircraft fanbois

Here is another interesting effect:

[Blennidae]

Here is an example of the Blue Angels F-18 solo maneuver I mentioned in an earlier post. When I first saw this done it was by a single solo, and he pulled up hard as soon as the gear was up. Apparently they are now doing it as part of a simultaneous take off of the opposing solos as part of a dirty loop.

Same LERX only vortex. I don't remember seeing this vortex when they did the slow speed, high alpha pass during fleet week in SF a few years back.

Can you tell I REALLY love airliners.net! Great photos for aircraft geeks like me.