4/6/2006 - The Runway is Wet [VIDEO]
Perhaps you have seen the magnificent photos of the Harvard Flying Lions Aerobatic Team from South Africa by professional photographer Frans Dely from their web site. If you have, this is a good example of how good news travels around the world, fast. Many of us "states side" have affections for a local award winning T-6 aerobatic group named the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team and an Alabama T-6 Air Racer, Joey Sanders. We know these pilots and have watched them perform with delight through the years. The T-6/Harvard is one of those "icon" type military planes. Many people can recognized them just by their sweet round engine sound. But to see them "water skiing"?
Click for larger view- Frans Dely image
It wasn't until I received the intriguing photos of the Flying Lions doing their "water ski" formation that I wondered if this was truly real or a good case of Photoshop magic. It turns out I was not the only skeptic. Apparently, a long list of people contacted the Lions team and voiced their questions on the Lions website; is it real? Then I received the video version of the Water Skiing Harvards and there was no doubt, this is real, beautiful and wonderful. The videos were every bit as magnificent as the Dely photographs which lead to the search for the amazing film crew.
Click to View the Flying Lions Aerobatic Team Water Skiing Harvards
Turns out the mystery video was captured solely for the purpose of proving the act and photos are for r-e-a-l. It was then hosted on a web site, just for that purpose. According to the person capturing, it was edited from a television segment broadcast in South Africa. The program called "Aviation Action", was broadcast on a channel called SuperSport. The program is produced by a company called Blue Sky Productions.
In a previous AL Aviator article the Flying Lions Aerobatic Team formation, the original Water Ski photos and their search for a sponsor was discussed. A talented photographer, Delay was discovered and now an outstanding and creative video production crew from South Africa . One thing remains constant in all this extraordinary talent, the Flying Lions is still looking for a sponsor. -Betty Meyer, Staff Report
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