The biggest challenge wasn’t the day of the shoot — it was getting there. Schwarz adds, “Years passed between our first conversation and the actual shoot — that was the biggest hurdle. Once in the air, you have to stay fully focused and always be ready to capture that perfect shot, but when I saw everything going in the right direction, I thought: Wow, it was a perfect collaboration among everyone involved.” Flaim says, “For me this flight was truly something special; formations like this are extremely rare


in Europe — you


almost never see a lineup like this flying together. Doing it under that sunset light was the cherry on top.”


Still, coordinating four aircraft with crews that don’t know each other well is always a challenge. Flaim explains, “Air-to-air shoots are demanding; a thorough briefing of every possible scenario and a solid contingency plan is non-negotiable. The more you work through on the ground, the better the result is in the air.”


ONCE IN A LIFETIME


Watching these three iconic warbirds from the Vietnam War flying in formation is something hard to put into words. I had the privilege of filming it from the inside — in the doorless BO-105, with my harness on and legs hanging out—and the formation just meters away.


When we landed, adrenaline was still running through me. At that moment, with the sound of the turbines still ringing, I couldn’t help thinking about the soldiers who flew these same machines in actual combat. If it felt like this on a peaceful summer evening in Germany, I can’t imagine what it must have been like in an Asian war.


PREPARED FOR ANY MISSION WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF TRAINING


AW139, AW169, H125, H145 www.coptersafety.com rotorpro.com 55


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