Photo

Catching Air With Professional Daredevils

A photographer’s look at the Dayton Air Show’s high-flying hijinks.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Sky Azure Sky and Cloud
    Photo: Jamie Kripke
    01
    *The Wright brothers’* early airplane first took flight outside Dayton, Ohio in 1905. Today the same airspace hosts the Dayton Air Show, an an aerial spectacle that draws more than 40,000 people each June.
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    02
    The equipment has come a long way: This year’s show saw fighter jets, bombers, and other aircraft flying upside down, soaring in formation.
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    03
    This restored B-52 was used in a World War II bombing reenactment.
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    04
    This Corsair had “Bad News” stamped on the side. (For Jamie Kripke, the photographer behind this dreamy series, the air show was an unsuccessful attempt to beat a fear of flying. “It made me appreciate being on the ground,” he says.)
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    05
    Kripke thinned out the crowd beneath this C-17 transport plane in Photoshop, and added some pastels to soften the overwhelming military vibe. "It had me feeling a little on edge," he says, "especially around the fighters and bombers designed for combat."
  • Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Helicopter and Aircraft
    Photo: Jamie Kripke
    06
    A view out the nose of a B-25 bomber is a lot less threatening when you’re looking into an Easter egg-yellow sky.
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    07
    Attendees dressed for the occasion, sporting planes and copters on their T-shirts the way sports fans rock team logos—or even flight suits, like these fans posing in front of the Flagship Detroit, a restored DC-3 operated by American Airlines from 1936-1947.
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    08
    People line up for a peek inside a Rockwell B-1 Lancer used by the Air Force.
  • This image may contain Bird Animal Flying Vehicle Transportation Airplane Aircraft Helicopter and Adventure
    Photo: Jamie Kripke
    09
    Hundreds of feet above, pilots nonchalantly chatted with the crowd through a PA system while performing daring acrobatics across the sky. Here Sean Tucker and Rob Holland perform in a red Oracle Challenger III and a Nano Pro MT.
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    10
    Cincinnati's Red Line Air Show team performs in their home-built Van’s RV-8s. "It's about pushing higher, pushing faster and pushing the limits of what machines can do," says Kripke.
  • Photo: Jamie Kripke
    11
    Kripke emerged with a deepened sense of awe and wonder at just how far aviation has come since the Wright Brothers' rickety flyer touched the clouds. Above, the Geico Skytypers write words in smoke. “I just wonder what Wilbur and Orville would think,” Kripke says.
Laura Mallonee is a writer for WIRED covering photography. ... Read More
Contributor
TopicsAMP Stories
Read More
Venture Inside the Command Center of the World's Largest Airline
In the first installment of our series Flight Mode, we visit Delta mission control, where 300 people watch thousands of planes to keep everything running smoothly.
WIRED Staff
The Fancy Tech Pilots Use to Keep Your Flight Turbulence-Free
Bumpy violent air is more than just annoying for passengers, it's damaging and expensive for airlines. But new cockpit tech is helping pilots avoid it.
Jack Stewart
How NASA Tests Shapeshifting Plane Wings
Shape memory alloys could make plane wings that flap, to reduce drag, or increase stability in supersonic flight.
Jack Stewart
The F-35 Fighter Jet Quiets Haters With a Wild Demo Flight
The long-delayed, over-budget jet had a lot to prove. And it put on quite a show.
Jack Stewart
The Most Gasp/Hurl-Inducing Flights of the 2017 Paris Air Show
From the F-35 fighter jet proving its moves to a Boeing 737 takeoff that would put you off flying for life.
Jack Stewart
Top Lenovo Coupon Codes and Deals in August 2026
Whether you’re shopping for a ThinkPad, Yoga laptop, or Legion gaming PC, these Lenovo discount codes and promotions can help you save big on your next tech upgrade.
Luke Larsen
No, You Probably Shouldn’t Lease Your iPhone
With Apple Upgrade, the company is making it easier to pay for its products in monthly installments. Critics call it the “financialization of the affordability crisis.”
Boone Ashworth
Top Hotels.com Coupon Codes for August 2026
Unlock significant savings on hotels, resorts, and getaways with our verified Hotels.com promo codes and gift card discounts. Plan your perfect trip today!
Molly Higgins
Top DoorDash Promo Code: 50% Off for August 2026
Explore today’s top DoorDash promo codes for $25 off your first order, free delivery, and 50% off DashPass for students and select users.
Molly Higgins
A Civilian Plane Crashed in New Mexico. Was the Military’s Tech to Blame?
Drone warfare is making the skies more dangerous, even for airplanes far from the battlefield.
Jeff Wise
Lovehoney Promo Code: Toys, Lingerie, and Gift Set Discounts
Save on Lovehoney, including bestselling toys, lingerie, and popular gift sets for date nights, self-care, and couples’ play.
Amanda Chatel
Steelseries’ Arctis Nova Pro Omni Headset Is for Multisystem Gamers
Its latest Pro headset can mix between four inputs and has better wireless connectivity than the originals.
Brad Bourque