90-010 Fire Bomber

During the 1997 Avalon Airshow, I had watched the Canadian Super-scooper fire bomber drop its 20-ton payload of water between the boundary fence and the runway. The following day I set myself up to take a shot as the plane flew past me and dropped its load. I figured it would make an impressive side-on shot. As the aircraft approached I realised it was on the wrong side of the boundary fence and I started shooting as it dropped its load right in front of me. The overspray completely drenched me, but I got a great sequence of shots before crouching over my camera gear at the last second to protect it. It was later revealed that the pilot had seen me and slightly altered his course to deliberately “give the photographer a bath”.