This post is for Week 99 of Tara's Gallery - click here to see all the other great entries.
The prompt this week was 'Morning'. (I'm intrigued to see which theme she comes up with for Week 100, by the way - no pressure Tara...). It's hard to capture the split-second timing and controlled chaos of our mornings on a school day here - I suspect they are pretty much like yours - so instead I'm going to show you something completely different.
Yesterday morning was the last one of my parents' visit to us, and before they headed off back to the UK my father had expressed a particular wish to see a plane junkyard that is situated around 4 kilometres away.
I think that originally, the planes were gathered together on what is a historically important site for Russia's aviation industry with the intention of creating some kind of museum. I think - but I'm not sure. As with so many initiatives here, the real reasons have been lost in the mists of time and the project has been seemingly abandoned. All that remains of the original grand plan is around 30 once-proud, now dreadfully decaying combat planes and helicopters, graffiti'd, vandalised, and forlorn, herded into a 200 metre strip at the edge of an airfield which is now used by a driving school.
It's a balmy 28degC outside right now, but yesterday morning when we made our visit it was around 12degC, grey, dank and chilly. The perfect day to photograph what is left of a once-mighty war machine. It seemed only right to show it in black and white... (as ever, click on the photo to enlarge it).
The prompt this week was 'Morning'. (I'm intrigued to see which theme she comes up with for Week 100, by the way - no pressure Tara...). It's hard to capture the split-second timing and controlled chaos of our mornings on a school day here - I suspect they are pretty much like yours - so instead I'm going to show you something completely different.
Yesterday morning was the last one of my parents' visit to us, and before they headed off back to the UK my father had expressed a particular wish to see a plane junkyard that is situated around 4 kilometres away.
I think that originally, the planes were gathered together on what is a historically important site for Russia's aviation industry with the intention of creating some kind of museum. I think - but I'm not sure. As with so many initiatives here, the real reasons have been lost in the mists of time and the project has been seemingly abandoned. All that remains of the original grand plan is around 30 once-proud, now dreadfully decaying combat planes and helicopters, graffiti'd, vandalised, and forlorn, herded into a 200 metre strip at the edge of an airfield which is now used by a driving school.
It's a balmy 28degC outside right now, but yesterday morning when we made our visit it was around 12degC, grey, dank and chilly. The perfect day to photograph what is left of a once-mighty war machine. It seemed only right to show it in black and white... (as ever, click on the photo to enlarge it).
Fab shot and a great take on this weeks theme x
ReplyDeleteIt definitely has impact when you click on the image to enlarge it. Excellent photo.
ReplyDeleteEverybody loves a plane junkyard! Is that one of those 'Only in Russia' things?
ReplyDeletewow, love the photo :)
ReplyDeleteXxX
MamaS, thankyou!
ReplyDeleteTrish, yes somehow the thumbnail doesn't convey the same menace, does it?
SES - I'm sure they exist elsewhere but not sure that they would be treated with quite such contempt.
GWM, thankyou - compliments always appreciated!
Fantastic photo - would look incredible enlarged. Very Magnum. Love it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great pic, very moody x
ReplyDeleteVery grim, redolent of the Cold War. Caught husband's attention when I was enlarging it as he walked by and he (former military pilot) thought it was great(as do I.) Well done. Reminds me a little of this place, which we visited a few times when we were living in Arizona, although it had a completely different vibe:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.desertusa.com/mag06/apr/airplane.html
Thanks Liz!
ReplyDeleteGina, very glad you liked it.
MsC, I'm delighted & flattered that you and your husband liked it. Took a look at the site you mentioned and that looks interesting - although the planes there are a million times better cared for that the sad specimens I saw here on Tuesday.