Best Of The Web: Red Bull’s P-38 And F4U Corsair Airshow

Red Bull is well known for its sponsorship of extreme sports events—everything from skiing to wingsuiting to mountain climbing. And that includes aviation, too. In this 13-minute video shot in 2013, we see multiple views of the Red Bull sponsored Lightning and Corsair aerobatic show. There's quite a lot to take in here in expansive detail from multiple cameras.

As a videographer, I appreciate how the shooters appeared to spare no expense or time in camera mounts. My estimate is at least a dozen, but probably more. Interestingly, the footage appears crisp and of high definition, but the cameras used were GoPro 3s or 4s, early generations long since outclassed by modern cameras of much higher resolution and, more important, in-camera on-the-fly stabilization.

Both aircraft have been extensively restored but appear not to be to World War II period fidelity. The video carries the show from engine start through landing and gives an excellent sense of what it's like to fly formation aerobatics. There's even a camera mount to show the Corsair's wings unfolding and locking into the flight position. Without much imagination, it's possible to sense what it's like to chase down an airplane in combat or be chased down by another.