SIXTY YEARS OF ADVENTURES.....
It was in February 1966, at the age of 13 that I recorded my first aircraft sightings at Schiphol-Oost, the former location of Amsterdam's international airport. And in 1967 I took my first black & white aircraft pictures, using the Agfa Clack (6x9cm) camera borrowed from my mother. The 6x4.5cm Voigtlander fold out camera of my father was next. A beginning of a hobby that would bring me incredible pleasure and exitement in the years that followed and still does so today!
As these hobby activities progressed, I started to publish features and accompanying photography in an array of magazines all over the world. Later a range of books also followed. These activities have since continued almost without interruption. The Publications section on this website provides you with a small selection of examples.
Based on my expanding writing and photography activities, I established Aviation Photos International as the ‘umbrella’ for my aviation collection. This also facilitated the recovery of at least a small portion of the considerable costs involved in travel and flying to conduct my hobby, versus generally very marginal remunerations from aviation publications and alike.
A true milestone in my hobby career took place on 27 March 1981, when the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force provided the opportunity for my very first air-to-air session. Several more flights followed that year, including the unforgettable first fast jet experience on board of a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-104D. Air-to-air photography instantly became a never ending passion!
In June 1982 it was Cor de Blij who arranged my first Harvard flight over Lelystad airport in the PH-KLU and introduced me to the Fokker Four Team on the same day. That was the start of a treasured friendship and dozens of exiting photo sessions together. In August 1982 he also brought me to the Stichting Vliegsport Gilze-Rijen, now the Koninklijke Luchtmacht Historische Vlucht – KLuHV (Royal Netherlands Air Force Historical Flight). On this day I flew my first session with them nearby the home base. Adventures with Cor in the area of his previous home in the United States are separately collated in the “Hidden River” gallery.
Many more photo missions from Gilze would follow with the expert assistance of many different pilots. The Historic Flight's quarters have meanwhile become a ‘second home’. My airborne photography of KLuHV aircraft over the years was extensively featured in two books about the Flight and its history. “35 Jaar bewogen door de tijd” appeared in September 2004 and “De Tijd Vliegt” in August 2013. The latter can still be ordered via www.kluhv.nl
In September 1985 I was granted extensive facilities by the Portuguese Air Force. Contacts established then became long lasting friendships. And features published after the visits over the years resulted in additional exclusive photography experiences. Please visit the 02G) gallery for the results of these.
In 1994 I was invited to visit the Royal Jordanian Falcons in their home country. One of the sessions was flown out of Aqaba early morning over the spectacular Wadi-Rum desert and produced the picture that was chosen “Best of the Best” in the annual photo contest of Aviation Week & Space Technology. A coveted award. In the following year I was asked to portray the aircraft of the Royal Jordan Air Force in flight. An unforgettable privilege and experience. Several visits to this beautiful country have followed since. Galleries 02H) and 03B) show you many results of these visits.
My aviation photography ran parallel to an always demanding full time occupation. Starting in 1974 I organized logistics for a company trading chemicals. Later, from 1982 onwards, I progressed to senior management positions in the worldwide transportation of liquid products by tank containers. In 2013 I was able to retire early from this exciting industry.
Already in 2000 Robert van Diemen en I made the first flight together and the 200th flight was accomplished on 30 August 2023. Many more followed and hopefully this will continue for a long time. Jointly enjoying the fun of flying and adding photography experience each time, we have become a real team. Robert also owns a beautiful and photogenic Bolkow 207 that has been a cameraship and target several times!
In the course of decades some very special photo missions took place. The encounter with Martinair's MD11 “Prinses Máxima” In 2003, KLM's 90th anniversary celebration flight in 2009 and joining up alongside several Fokker airliners are just a few of many unforgettable encounters.
In August 2006 I spent an impressive weekend in Lausanne with the Association pour le Maintien du Patrimoine Aéronautique (AMPA) portraying several of their flying ‘gems’. Also in the years after I would meet these friends and their aircraft again at several locations. Please have a look in the special AMPA gallery!
AMPA friends were regular visitors of the annual fly in at Schaffen-Diest (Belgium). For decades already this event, with the fine assistance from the organizing team, has offered me exceptional air-to-air opportunities. Reasons enough to fill a gallery 09) with the results of many memorable encounters. Sadly the event no longer takes place.
Accompanying Texan SE-CHP on its ferry flight from Sweden to Lelystad in 2016 and later portraying the aircraft in its current PH-TXN livery was an exceptional combination. And meanwhile PH-TXN has been an invaluable camera plane already several times. The mission to Sweden also brought me together with Cessna 210 N8241M, that since has proved to be a major asset in portraying an array of flying beauties.
Over the years, fine friends at the Aeroretro organization in St.Dizier (France) not only provided a chance to fly in some of their own unique aircraft, but also assisted in capturing some of their associates in the air.
In November 2015 I had a first opportunity to visit the Escuela de Ultraligeros of Daniel del Rosario at El Berriel airport on Gran Canaria (Spain). A memorable day that would lead to multiple sessions over the beautiful island, portraying locally based helicopters from Dani's ELA07 gyrocopter. Many results can be found in gallery 1H0-01. Unfortunately the school meanwhile moved to Fuerteventura.
Also in Spain, but at the mainland at Cuatro Vientos near Madrid, I was hosted in 2017 by the Fundacion Infante de Orleans portraying their imaculate DH.89 Dragon Rapide over a variety of locations. What a beauty! Another very fine Spanish session that year was with two helicopters of the 802 Squadron based at Gando/Las Palmas. Yet the highlight then definitely was meeting up with a KLM Cityhopper Fokker 70, just before the type was phased out. In 2022 another ‘magic’ Fokker join-up took place capturing a Colombian Air Force F-28 Fellowship (one of the last five of the type then still flying) during test flights over the Netherlands.
2018 was an exceptional year with many unforgettable sessions. Capturing the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster had been a wish for many years already. Portraying Dakota PH-PBA over my city of birth Amsterdam also had been on the ‘list’ for a long time. And the ability to picture a Polish Army MI-17 helicopter near the island of Texel then was one of several sessions linked to the airshow there.
Jaap van Mesdag, founder of “Vroege Vogels” (Early Birds) at Lelystad passed away in 2015. Already in 1987 he facilitated a photo session for me with one of their aircraft. Many followed and results can be found in the dedicated “Vroege Vogels” gallery. In 2019 two immaculate newly airborne aircraft from the collection ‘posed’ for pictures in the air, spanning a few decades of aviation history. Gallery 10) includes a range of "Early Birds". A sad photoflight in the same year was one accompanying Catalina PH-PBY on its last stretch in Dutch air space on its way to a new ‘life’ in the United States in May 2019. What a loss that was for historic aviation in the Netherlands!
Due to Covid and some unfortunate personal circumstances, the years that followed were not filled with a lot of air-to-air flights. But meanwhile, albeit at a somewhat slower pace, I am still actively ‘on the hunt’ for new flying targets. The News section of this website and the Recent Encounters gallery 00) will enable me to share the results with you. New photo sessions will also feature on my Facebook page.
Mentioning only a few names in this summary of fifty years plus of photography activities is doing many others short, but I know this will be understood. It is simply impossible to mention all of the hundreds of other people that have flown with and for me over the years or have supported my photography in other ways. On this website the tribute section is gratefully dedicated to all of them.
I have been truly blessed by meeting and flying with some of the best pilots around. Benefiting from their flying skills, inspiring suggestions and safety consciousness. And I am more than aware that those flights could never be made without the support of many technicians. My biggest supporter and facilitator over the years has undoubtedly been my dear wife Meta! Portraying her three times during air-to-air sessions was more than a special ‘treat’.
The Dutch monthly Piloot & Vliegtuig has meanwhile used well over 200 of my photographs for their "In the Picture" feature that includes a centrefold spread. See the Publications section for some examples of these. If you think your aircraft is a ‘centrefold’, I will be happy to consider portraying it in flight. Experienced pilots and a variety of camera planes are available to support a safe and successful photosession.
Receiving the right assistance in practising my hobby always is a crucial factor. My endeavours have been and still are dependent on the generous support of many people and authorities. Thank you in advance for providing such support and for granting me facilities requested. This will enable me to fulfil my continuous objective: Capturing Tomorrow's Aviation History Today.
Thank you very much for your interest in my work.
Ben Ullings
Opening portrait courtesy of Peter Franken. Pieter van Gemert portrayed me in 1995 flying in the backseat of an F-5F from the rear ramp of a Royal Jordanian Air Force Hercules.