WWII Reading Airshow and Night Shoot 2024
In June 2024, the museum hired Lerro Photography to provide the lighting for the 4th annual night photo session during the World War II Airshow at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, PA. The night session featured three planes: a TBM Avenger, a Nakajima B5N2 replica “Kate,” and the C-53 “Beach City Baby.”
At night, each aircraft was illuminated and photographed individually. Before the engines were started, the airport’s fire truck sprayed water around and in front of each plane to create a reflection. Each plane provided a captivating display by running its engines, allowing photographers to capture the spinning propellers in motion and flames coming out of the exhaust. Those shooting video were able to capture the roar of the engines running at high RPMs when they revved up to produce flames in the exhaust.
During the airshow on Saturday morning, Lerro Photography enlisted five reenactors to pose with the B-25 aircraft. The main feature of the B-25 photo shoot was the recreation of an injured crew after a mission. We placed a couple of injured flight crew members on a stretcher, and a reenactor portraying a nurse provided medical treatment.
Once we completed with the B-25, some of us moved on to the P-51. There, a couple of male reenactors were posing as airmen, while a female reenactor posed as a WASP pilot (Women’s Airforce Service Pilots).
The WWII airshow showcased numerous WWII planes and hundreds of reenactors and vehicles, including tanks. I’ve been a reenactor since 2017, and along with others, we portrayed the Allies, Axis, and civilians. Throughout the three-day airshow, we held several small-scale battle reenactments to demonstrate various aspects of the war. The European theater was set up around a French village, while the Pacific theater was in a grassy field. In addition to the reenactments, the airshow featured jazz dance events on Friday and Saturday nights, providing a social gathering for all the reenactors once the airshow activities concluded for the day.
Before this year’s airshow, I spent two weeks modifying an old 4×5 Speed Graphic Anniversary camera to conceal my modern Nikon Z9 digital camera inside it. After some trial and error, I successfully created a prototype that worked well. Most people were surprised to learn about the digital camera concealed inside the modified camera until I showed them the back of it. This setup allowed me to take photos while maintaining an accurate reenactor impression for others to view.
During the three-day airshow, I walked around with the retrofitted camera, looking for opportunities to take pictures. I also had the chance to pose for numerous other photographers, which is unusual for me because the modern camera doesn’t capture the same aesthetic.
