Today was the first day of the Wings over Houston Airshow, CAF Houston Airshow and I went to my usual viewing area in the neighborhood. I view did not disappoint. Highlights this year were a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Blue Angels team. It was a sunny day with bright blue sky and cool temps. A good outing!
Firstly the Raptor was an incredible machine. God help our enemies, or not. There is something weird about the Raptor surface reflectivity. It photographs a little funny. Sharp but not specular. Some kind of stealthy material that affects visible light as well as other parts of the EMR spectrum(??). A specialized radar-absorbing material (RAM) is used. While the details of RAM are classified, RAM is applied to the outside of the aircraft and converts the incoming radio waves into magnetic fields and thermal energy. The radar-absorbing coating may be a combination of carbon or iron particles. Certainly it does something to reflected light, and this can be seen in some of my attached images.
Finally the Blue Angels put on a great show of precision flying and exciting demonstrations. The Wings over Houston Airshow has never disappointed me in all the years I have taken the time to get out and watch. Check out my images below.
