Well not really, but I was trying to link three very different photos for today’s blog. The first ‘invader’ was a surprise sighting yesterday of a Soviet warplane (World War II vintage) flying near Falmer. It’s a Yakovlev Yak-3 fighter, i.d. number D-FLAK and dates back to 1944. I know very little about these planes, but by all accounts they were sensational fighters and as influential as the Spitfire. More here.
Now the next subject might not generally be thought of as an invader, and to be fair there have been sheep in England for several thousand years. But they are not true natives, with some suggestion of neolithic farmers introducing sheep, and a much greater influence being played by the Romans who effectively established sheep farming in Britain. I took these two shots at Seven Sisters. A fine looking animal.
The final invader is a true invasive species. It’s the terrapin and my excuse for another photo of them is that this one shows three of them together at the edge of Falmer Pond. The shot was taken through undergrowth. Any attempt to get closer would have (and in fact, did) result in two of them sliding into the water for safety.
Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.
Barry Stocker
11 Sep 2015Thanks, great pictures. On the Yak-3, which I really liked seeing, this must be one of the Free French examples, Cross of Lorraine at the back, colours of French flag at the centre of the propellor. Normandie-Niemen unit which served on the Eastern Front, I think. I guess the comparison with the Spitfire is fair enough, but the Spitfire is a slightly different case serving right through the war, like the Me-109 and the Mitsubishi Zero. The Yak-3 appeared mid-war, though as an evolution from earlier Yaks, so the most precise comparisons are with the Mustang P-51 and Focke Wulf 190, which are later designs than the Spitfire, so inevitably more advanced. Anyway the Yak-3 certainly made a big contribution to the Soviet war effort and makes a great picture flying over southern England.
Words
11 Sep 2015Barry, thanks for such an informative comment. Much appreciated. The colours did have me puzzled.
Darko
12 Sep 2015Thanks for that info, it reminded me on how much I was interested in airplanes when I was teenager.
Paul, I think that this YAK-3 photo took over this post, even though that last sheep photo looks funny 😀
Words
14 Sep 2015There are about 40 Spitfires and Hurricanes flying over southern England tomorrow, but I’ll be stuck inside at work and will miss any that come over our way. 🙁