HomeMilitary AviationF-35Check Out This Photo of an F-35 Thundering Through The "Star Wars" Canyon With Visible Shock Waves
Check Out This Photo of an F-35 Thundering Through The "Star Wars" Canyon With Visible Shock Waves
December 5, 2016 David Cenciotti F-35, Military Aviation 22
An F-35 performed some high-speed passes through the famous "Jedi Transition" in the Death Valley. Generating visible shockwaves.
The image in this post was taken by world-renowned Dutch photographer Frank Crébas in the Death Valley on Dec. 2, 2016.
It shows one of the RNlAF (Royal Netherlands Air Force) F-35A Lightning II with the 323 TES (Test & Evaluation Squadron), the Dutch unit based at Edwards Air Force Base and responsible for the Operational Test and Evaluation Phase (OT&E) as part of the Joint Operational Test Team, piloted by Maj. Ian "Gladys" Knight, the 323TES's Director of Operations, flying at low altitude through the famous Rainbow Canyon, located adjacent to Death Valley.
As already explained here, the flight through the canyon (dubbed "Star Wars Canyon" for its resemblance to the ones where some of the most famous scenes of the Lucas's saga were filmed) out into the expanse of Death Valley and referred to as the "Jedi Transition," has become very popular with photographers from all around the world who daily exploit the unique opportunity to shoot fast jets, warbirds and also airlifters during their transit through the canyon.
Interestingly, this time the F-35s performed a really high-speed pass.
Two RNLAF #F35 jets blasting through the "Star Wars Canyon" low level flying route during a training mission. #airpower @Kon_Luchtmacht pic.twitter.com/kYFAWe8y9F
— Bob (@hmmbob) December 5, 2016
The aircraft was so fast it generated visible shock waves Crébas got thanks to his EOS 1DX mk II, with a EF-200-400 lens, at 1/2500 shutter speed.
"It was extremely windy out there and made it almost impossible to shoot with such a lens.. But I got it nailed ;-)" Frank wrote in a message to The Aviationist.
The speed of sound at the surface of the earth is a measure of the speed that a vibration travels through the atmosphere. At sea level, this speed is approximately 760 miles per hour (661 knots).
At speed lower than the transonic region, air flows smoothly around the airframe; in the transonic region, airflow begins to reach the speed of sound in localized areas on the aircraft, including the upper surface of the wing and the fuselage: shock waves, generated by pressure gradient resulting from the formation of supersonic flow regions, represent the location where the air moving at supersonic speed transitions to subsonic.
Check out more Frank Crébas's stunning photographs at the Bluelife Aviation website and Facebook page.
Take a look at these photos of "shock collars" forming around an F-35 during an airshow
All you need to know about the arrival of the first Dutch F-35s in the Netherlands
Crazy photo shows T-38 Jet passing in front of the sun at supersonic speed
Dutch F-16s intercepted U.S. B-52 bombers over Europe. And took some awesome photographs
GoPro footage of a dogfight between Dutch F-16 and U.S. F-15 over the North Sea
The Aviationist " Watch the F-35 perform its international airshow debut with an Air Power Demo
The Aviationist " Polish Air Force F-16 jets deploy to Kuwait to fight Daesh
Jedi Transition
Royal Netherlands Air Force
Star Wars Canyon
Russian Su-33 crashed in the Mediterranean while attempting to land on Kuznetsov aircraft carrier
U.S. Air Force RC-135s teaming up with Marine Corps EA-6Bs (and others..) to detect and suppress ISIS comms
F-35 pilot talking about the 400K USD flight helmet: "It's cool but I don't really use it that often"
July 13, 2015 David Cenciotti F-35, Military Aviation 20
"but I'm an old school pilot…" Few months ago we published the interesting interview Maj. John Wilson, an F-35 pilot with 61th Fighter Squadron, gave to Christian Sundsdal of the Danish website focusing on military […]
This is one of the coolest F-35 photos, ever: Carrier Variant first night take off with full afterburner
June 15, 2012 David Cenciotti F-35 1
The following image shows Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Matt Taylor as he ascends in F-35C test aircraft CF-2, on Jun. 13. It was taken at NAS Patuxent River and depicts the first night […]
Italian Air Force
International Fighter 2008
October 22, 2008 David Cenciotti Italian Air Force, Military Aviation 0
On Nov. 5 and 6, the Istituto di Scienze Militari Aeronautiche (ISMA), Italian Air Force Institute of Military Aeronautical Sciences in Florence, as part of the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the institute, will […]