Best Pictures From The Royal Air Force Photographic Competition 2018

Every year the Royal Air Force celebrates the skill and technical work of its professional and amateur photographers, and in its 100th year it will also have special amateur category, open to everyone. Traditionally there has always been an amateur category but this year it will be open to the general public, service dependents, families and cadets.

Since the start of the Royal Air Force, photography has played an important role within the service. What started off as a method of intelligence gathering has grown into a wide-ranging trade responsible for a number of activities, from use in engineering and flight safety through to helping inform people about what the RAF is doing today.

The theme of this year’s competition will be around RAF100, which the entrants should use for inspiration. The imagery submitted should look to commemorate the history of the RAF, celebrate the RAF of today or inspire future generations.

Above: “Parallels”. Image of the Year, first prize: The Red Arrows arrive over Doha, Qatar, as part of their Eastern Hawk tour. (Photo bu SAC Hannah Smoker/RAF)

More: The Royal Air Force Photographic Competition

“Avro Legacy”. RAF100, second prize: The RAF100 parade and flypast took place over London on 10 July 2018. The evening before an Avro Lancaster bomber flew a practice flight over Lincolnshire. (Photo bu Cpl Tim Laurence RAF/RAF)

“Selfie”. Image of the year, second prize: Taken while flying in a Hawk T2 as part of a routine training sortie over the coast of Anglesey, Wales. (Photo bu Cpl Tim Laurence RAF/RAF)

“Tunnel Vision”. Technical and engineering, third prize: Sgt Danny Wass of IX Squadron, 903 Expeditionary Air Wing inspects an engine bay of a Tornado GR4 aircraft. (Photo bu SAC Phil Dye/RAF)

“Magnificent Tonka”. Amateur photographer, second prize: Taken on the Mach Loop from Cad West, a Tornado GR4 manoeuvres through the valleys. (Photo bu Stacy Woolhouse/RAF)

“Smoke in the Sun”. Amateur photographer, first prize: Taken at Weston air day, Weston-Super-Mare, seven of the nine Red Arrows Hawk T1 aircraft come over the top of a loop in formation. (Photo bu Mark Thompson/RAF)

“Where to start”. Technical and engineering, first prize: The empty engine bay of a Royal Air Force A400M Atlas aircraft. The Atlas underwent an engine change at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus while hopping between the UK and the Middle East. (Photo bu SAC Phil Dye/RAF)

“Almost touching”. Equipment, second prize: In September 2017 Typhoons from 6 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth deployed to Thumrait Air Base in Oman as part of Exercise Magic Carpet. (Photo bu SAC Laura Bullas/RAF)

“Biting Point”. Technical and engineering, fourth prize: Two small cogs of a hydraulic pump biting together to create traction that moves the pump. (Photo bu SAC Simon Armstrong/RAF)

“Lynx sunset”. Photographer of the year, first prize: 657 Sqn Army Air Corps Lynx helicopters land in the sunset at RAF Odiham. (Photo bu Cpl Rob Travis/RAF)

“Perfection”. Image of the year, third prize: A pair of Typhoon FGR4 aircraft perform a dynamic crossover on their arrival at the RAF Cosford air show. (Photo bu Sgt Paul Oldfield/RAF)

“This Way Up”. Photographic section portfolio, first prize. A Chinook CH-47 weapon systems operator prepares his aircraft during a training exercise in June 2018. (Photo bu SAC Ed Wright/RAF)

“Remembrance” (Cpl Tim Laurence/ACSSU RAF Halton/RAF)