Gallery > 2009 > MAKS 2009, static part 2

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There was a great variety of aircraft present but I missed a few. I missed the Kamov Ka-50 (my favorit combat heli), the Mi-24/35 (it wasn't there!!!), Su-33 to name a few. But that doesn't mean the static wasn't impressive!

When we were walking back to the main static they just started to pull the Mig-29OVT from the flying display parking to the static display! A great oppertunity to take some cool shots! Only at MAKS... Two years ago a fellow spotter visited MAKS 2007 and send me THIS self-made video of a Mig-29 taxiing through the visitors area. He was walking there when soldiers told him to move out of the way... Only at MAKS!!!

The Russians have 2 (bad) habbits: they throw their garbage everywhere (although Moscow was very clean!) what made the static one big mess and they have to pose in front of EVERY aircraft, car, poster or whatever!! Pretty irritating when you wan't to take a picture...

Some of the pictures in this album have a lot of people in front of the aircraft. In some of these cases it was impossible to photograph the aircraft without the people but in most cases I had no time to wait for the people to clear. I visited MAKS 2 days but if wan't to photograph and watch about everything you need a lot more time. A reason for me to go back some day...

Some people say the static at MAKS is terrible: people everywhere. I don't think that is true. Ok there are a lot of people in front of the aircraft posing and stuff but if you have a little patience and luck you are able to photograph most of the aircraft without people between you and the aircraft. But MAKS static has also a few very cool things you won't see here (besides the aircraft)...
...First there is the moving static like the Mig-29OVT (see pictures above) which allows you to take some cool shots. You just have to be in the right place at the right time! The second is jumping the blue fences! We jumped the fences a few times. First was with the Su-30MKI. A large group of people allready jumped the fences and everybody followed. It took the soldiers a time to clear the area (that's how I got the Su-30MKI belly shot at page 1). Later that day we jumped over two fences and ran to the Tu-160! I took a picture of Willem who was trying to lean against the Tu-160 exhaust! When it was my turn (I wanted to sit on the gear) there was an angry soldier shouting... time to leave :P We went back one fence and 50 meters further we jumped the fence again tot take a picture of Willem below the An-22. If I would jump a fence at the annual RNLAF open doors to take a picture a dog would be unleashed...

Guus Luijten, November 19 2009

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