4 July 2021 – Olbia Airport (LIEO)
Sunday morning. I am on vacation in the wonderful Sardinia e, after waking up, I lie on the bed for a while fiddling with my cell phone.
The noise of the turboprops of a plane flying over me reaches my ears but, at first, I don't care: it will be one of the Olbia-based Canadair he reaches (unfortunately) a place of intervention. The trained ear, however, makes me ring a bell in my brain: it is not a CL 415. I put my head out the window and look up: I am without glasses but the silhouette is familiar to me, even if it seems impossible to me. I ask Flightradar 24 and I have confirmation of what I see: is a US Navy Grumman C 2A Greyhound and the altitude suggests it could land in Olbia, only a few kilometers away. I just follow it for 2 minutes and I have confirmation.
The time to pull up the backpack with the trusted Canon and all the equipment, get into the car and head at full speed to the airport. I go to the headroom 05, where there is also the parking of private planes, hoping to find it there. And indeed there is, but it is not alone: I'M 2!!!
I'm 2 Greyhound del VRC-40 Rawhides, the US Navy Squadron which has the task of supplying goods, men and materials the aircraft carriers of the 2nd, 5a and 6th Fleet. I catch a glimpse of the brightly colored queues between the fuselages of the parked corporates. The writing on the fuselage indicates that the aircraft carrier they are on board is the Dwight D.. Eisenhower I've been aboard by now 21 years ago (you can find the photo shoot which)
Parking and, standing, I head to a perimeter road that allows me to get a little closer.
They are parked on the opposite side of the square but, being in use just the 05, they will have to pass in front of me to take off. The 4 July, in Sardinia it is hot, very hot. And the sun is relentless. The images are not razor sharp but I hope they do, approaching, things can get better.
The traffic of private jets engaged in the transport of wealthy tourists to the Costa Smeralda is very intense and the fuel tanks delay a bit.
It's past 12:30 long ago when supplies arrive e, immediately after, I see the propellers starting to turn. Before starting to move, they extend their folded wings into the parking lot. They start taxiing and I see them, after a few meters, bend, as expected, to me: optimal!!!
I am forced to shoot between the meshes of the net: I try to keep the aperture as open as possible even shooting with times that allow me not to freeze the propellers but, with all this light, it's not easy. Even the flickering of the heated air does not help but I must say that, at the end, I thought worse.
Enjoy the result
