Real or Photoshop?

[F9 Buff]

If it is a photo on airliners.net you can take it to the bank that it is real. Those photos are the most scrutinized in the world. The shadow is correct under the aircraft and there is no indication of any photoshop work done to the photo even when I adjust the levels, and brightness/contrast in photoshop. There was no gear removed, that is sure. Besides, look what the plane is over. If he had the gear out the right main would be in the grass. I know russian planes are tough but I doubt they taxi around like that. Also if you compare it to other photos you can see that he is slightly too high to have the gear out anyway. He is just a few feet higher than other photos of these planes taxiing around. Also to me, he looks to be slightly pitched up when compared to taxiing. I vote real!

 

[tej823]

Photoshop...if engines are running (and at high thrust) why no heat distortion on the area aft of the exhaust.

 

[VNugget]

Photoshop...if engines are running (and at high thrust) why no heat distortion on the area aft of the exhaust.

I think that totally depends on lighting conditions and a host of other photographic factors relating to lenses, focal distance, etc. I probably can't even think of.

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

C'mon guys, ground effect!!! Less drag = less lift needed = lower AOA. It's real!!!

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

Photoshop...if engines are running (and at high thrust) why no heat distortion on the area aft of the exhaust.

If the photoshopper can remove the landing gear and make it look THAT good, you better believe they would have blurred the area behind the engines. That's a pretty hefty detail to overlook when you're that talented at photoshop.

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

Found on the web (it must be true)- apparently this same pilot is the one who flew his jet through the Tianman Cave the same weekend. I remember somewhere on this site I saw a thread where someone mentioned tickets were being sold to watch that. I wanna see a picture of that!

http://www.szed.com/szdaily/20060322/ca2232823.htm


Actually I found other news reports that said they gave it up and didn't fly through the hole. Couldn't get it up I guess.

 

[LJDRVR]

I vote photoshop. If I was gonna beat up some airfield at 300kts, you'd better believe I'd be right over the centerline of the runway. Looks like he's taxiing in a two ship formation. (Thus the offset.)

Perhaps some of the large watch/larger ego/questionable genitalia size fighter dudes would care to pipe in.

 

[FN FAL]

I can agree with comments made by all of you guys...the comment on the shadow, the comments on whether the photo or the background would be blurred, the comment on whether or not the landing gear would be in the dirt, the comment on whether or not there would be a heat signature, the comment made by F9 Buff about adjusting the levels when he/she viewed the picture.

I believe that all of those points are valid arguments as to whether or not the picture is real or altered.

 

[banned username 2]

The horizontal stab is in a "nose down" position... Like a relaxed, stick forward of neutral position...

This is fake...

 

[LJDRVR]

The horizontal stab is in a "nose down" position... Like a relaxed, stick forward of neutral position...

This is fake...

You're assuming the Sukhoi's stabilator has a traditional mode of operation. On the F-16 for instance, the stabilator with a trailing edge deflected up is actually nose down due to some combination of CG and aerodynamics. (Correct me if I'm wrong here fellas, but I'm pretty certain.)

 

[FN FAL]

You're assuming the Sukhoi's stabilator has a traditional mode of operation. On the F-16 for instance, the stabilator with a trailing edge deflected up is actually nose down due to some combination of CG and aerodynamics. (Correct me if I'm wrong here fellas, but I'm pretty certain.)

I'd have to go back and look at the picture again, but if you're fighting ground effect, you'd have a "nose down" stab effect. Plus, if you were taxiing, you'd have the same thing, if your hand wasn't on the yoke, stick or whatever.

 

[LJDRVR]

I'd have to go back and look at the picture again, but if you're fighting ground effect, you'd have a "nose down" stab effect. Plus, if you were taxiing, you'd have the same thing, if your hand wasn't on the yoke, stick or whatever.

I have no idea if the Sukhoi's stabilator is reversed like the F-16, I'm saying any use of that parameter as a tool to authenticate this picture had best be left up to somebody who understands fighter aerodynamics. (Not me)

My point is there's more than meets the eye.

 

[banned username 2]

My point is there's more than meets the eye.

You're right, lets look at this picture from a slightly different angle, shall we???

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/cessnaflyer123/ttttt.jpg

 

[FN FAL]

I have no idea if the Sukhoi's stabilator is reversed like the F-16, I'm saying any use of that parameter as a tool to authenticate this picture had best be left up to somebody who understands fighter aerodynamics. (Not me)

My point is there's more than meets the eye.

I agree...for the first time in FI history, I agree with all of you dudes. Take a poloroid. :laugh:

 

[YourNameHere]

Not sure if this is real or photoshopped but I turned this

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/277/08908313gv.jpg

into this

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7837/0890831edit9gr.jpg

in about fifteen minutes. Not great, but If I had an hour to work on it I think I could get it to look very realistic.