Visiting aviation museums and private collectors is one of the finest ways to engage in the history of our beloved aviation through the ages. But add in some meticulously planned photo shoots with period re-enactors and a pro team of shooters delivering stunning scenes, and you’ve got some aviation heritage magic. Based in the UK, the Centre of Aviation Photography (COAP Wings, www.coapwings.com) has been undertaking night shoots and photo shoots of classic airframes during group photography events every year of its 10-year operational calendar. Over the last 6-12 months, however, the heat was turned up to bring more to each scene being recreated for the gathered photographers and aircraft owners alike.
Under the guidance of Rich Cooper and Steve Comber & the wider COAP team, the organisation has delivered 18 heritage-based photo shoots in 2025, ranging from RAF & USAAF in WW2, through the 1950s and into the Cold War – including US, UK and Soviet-built hardware. They take place during daylight hours, fall through sunset, and conclude with the drama of night photography.
‘It’s been an incredible year’, said Rich Cooper, Head of Operations at COAP. ‘We absolutely love bringing history back to life. Imagine recreating scenes that you grew up with as a kid – or only read about in books – and going and seeing it with your own eyes & capturing it all on modern digital camera equipment. There’s been some real pinch-yourself moments this year!’ Rich also says that the whole COAP team has really put a huge amount of effort into the overall quality of the shoots, as well as the overall customer experience. ‘An attention to detail and our real-life operational experience translates well to recreating heritage scene. We also want our attendees to feel welcome and really enjoy the whole thing – no matter how cold it is outside!’ he said.
‘And then there’s the re-enactors. These guys are so very dedicated to the cause of preservation and spend thousands of pounds on gathering kit from all eras – not to mention the years it takes to accumulate,’ Rich added. ‘We’re talking right down to the correct buttons, threads, wires, the kit-fit… everything, it’s amazing to just listen to them. We’re super proud of the team, and we are continuing to build and refine it”. Over to Rich for his recollections about the 2025 heritage shoots…
By Rich Cooper
LIGHTS, CAMERAS, ACTION! The COAP Wings team has delivered an amazing series of living history events in the aviation photography world.
The last 12 months of COAP Wings photo shoots began in January at the excellent Lighting Preservation Group at Bruntingthorpe. Despite being a regular venue on the COAP calendar, the scenes and results differ each time – and this was no exception. ‘The RAF Manston History Museum in Kent was up next, with this packed collection getting the full COAP treatment as the Lightning, T-33, and Jaguar were brought to life – the latter in a full arctic winter scene. We were particularly impressed by the volunteers here.
The following event was in conjunction with one of the many COAP partners, TimeLine Events, and saw the lenses turn onto the freezing scenes at the RAF Wattisham Station Heritage Museum and its ex-RAF Phantom XT914.
Things grew in size for the next scene, with an Engineering shoot with the Vulcan Restoration Team at Southend. Here, the Vulcan B2 XL426 was shot during winter maintenance, with the VRT on hand as they performed under-the-skin checks whilst the team of period re-enactors were in full RAF Engineer uniform as if it were the 1980s all over again.
Now into the spring, towards the end of the UK’s night shoot season, COAP concentrated on the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum. Taking pride of place was a very special set-up with “Neville Duke” and the stunning, record-breaking, scarlet Hunter Mk3, WB188. A super scene, but not forgetting those set-up with the resident Lightning, Sea Vixen, Sea Harrier and Harrier GR3.
The beautiful Hunter F1 of West Raynham proved to be a worthy addition to the programme of events in the spring, with a great-looking machine in amongst an almost untouched RAF airfield scene & control tower, dashed with superb hospitality.
New to 2025 were a couple of European heritage-based shoots, with Greece, Poland, and Portugal receiving the COAP treatment. In Poland, the simply stunning Su-22 ‘Fitter’ of the Pilskie Muzeum Wojskowe and the MiG-23 & MiG-21 of the Fundacja Srebrne Skrzydła – both at Piła – heralded some stunning results from the East of the Cold War borders. In Portugal, it was quite something to get re-acquainted with an immaculate Portuguese AF A-7 Corsair II at Monte-Real – the last example of the type to fly. That shoot was followed by the inaugural night shoot at the Portuguese AF Museum at Sintra, a real treasure trove of aviation. Also in warmer climes was our second night shoot in the Hellenic AF Museum at Tatoi – more rare and exotic machines at this friendly place!
We also like to include some of the establishments that supported the aircraft we shot. Accordingly, we enjoyed a return to the Sir Keith Park Operations Building at RAF Northolt for a superb WWII Battle of Britain ‘Sector Ops’ scene, as well the RAF Air Defence Radar Museum at RAF Neatishead for a real Cold War alert feel. Once the summer was over and the nights started to draw back in, the second phase of 2025’s night shoots began, and I feel we really raised the bar here.
We recommenced the season in Woodford, home of the Avro production line. The sole anti-flash white Vulcan, XM603 of the Avro Heritage Museum, was brought back to life, complete with flight-test crew & ‘Roly Falk’ in his trademark suit, whilst the super rare Avro 707 completed this unique scene.
The next day we hit something of a rarity – a night shoot with a Concorde. G-BOAC is resident at Manchester International Airport, just down the road from Woodford, so this supersonic shoot was completed with a complement of “British Airways” flightcrew, cabin crew, and passengers.
Going further back in time, we then recreated an entire USAAF WWII scene with a P-51 Mustang (‘Jersey Jerk’) and P-47 Thunderbolt (‘Nellie’) on the grass at Sywell. We had a full team of period re-enactors, including pilots, crew chiefs, engineers, and vehicles for an 8-hour shoot from daylight into the night. It was incredible.
We then fast-forwarded the time machine and hit the Harrier Heritage Centre at RAF Wittering with their four stunning variants of the jumpjet. What was special about this one was that the entire shoot took place in the ‘Vigo Woods’ area – the very woodland that they used for confined hides operation back in the 1980s and 1990s.
The last two shoots of the year saw us undertake another first, this time with the DE Havilland Aircraft Museum at London Colney, with no less than three Mosquitos (including the prototype). To wrap up, we then headed toward the north of England to undertake a shoot with the gloriously repainted Victor K2, XL231, resident at the Yorkshire Air Museum.
What. A. Year. It’d be difficult to choose a favourite or single out any of those shoots as a favourite. We have been so pleased with the results taken by the attending photographers and blown away by the teamwork and hospitality of all those involved. For next year, we are realigning the branding slightly to bring a new identity & reflect the strength of these events in their own right. From January 2026, they will be known as COAP Heritage Wings shoots. It is very exciting to come up with new ideas and face the challenge of delivering them – and myself, Steve Comber, and the rest of the team trust that 2026 will once again deliver for you!
