Royal Netherlands Air Force Puts On A Show In Southern California

There is so much to love about this video, it’s kind of hard to even choose a place to start. I mean, who doesn’t love insane Air Force jets? And who doesn’t love those jets performing high speed maneuvers? And who doesn’t love those jets performing high speed maneuvers while photographers and videographers lock on to their subjects, creating amazing moving and still images of these badass fighter jets in action?

I’m guessing there are very few people out there who don’t like those, so that’s why we’re sharing this video with you today. Last year, the Royal Netherlands Air Force sent a couple of it’s finest pilots over, presumably to test out the new Lockheed Martin F-35a. While we know the F-35 to be somewhat polarizing as far as it’s use as a political pawn and a bit of a sticking point for those who claim the military budget is entirely out of control, we’re not really hear to argue about that. We’re here because this thing is a beast in the sky and with these pilots at the controls, this wicked machine is an absolute joy to watch in action.

Screaming through Death Valley, a location that gives photographers and videographers several opportunities to shoot from a perspective above the planes, the fly boys execute a numbers of turns, rolls, dives and climbs that allow them to get a feel for the plane’s limitations, while also offering the media members stunning views of the undeniably menacing, yet strikingly beautiful form of the F35. Aside from the great views and the beautiful subject, the audio is on point as well, with the camera doing an excellent job of capturing the engines’ scream as the pilots put in work above the desert.

Check out the last few moments of the video, where the creator included some of the awesome still shots of the plane. As a trackside drag racing photographer, I know very well how hard it is to track a fast-moving subject moving along a horizontal plane. I can’t even imagine how hard it would be adding vertical movement to the equation. This is some amazing footage and some great photography, I just hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did!