The broadcast of modern NFL football games utilizes from 12 to 20 cameras or more. This weekend’s superbowl will have a least (48) 4K slow motion cameras. There will be unprecedented coverage from every conceivable angle. What is also unprecedented is the estimated 23 billion dollars gambled on the game. High stakes indeed.
In 1972 when I was starting Jr. High School, Dad was stationed at Edwards, AFB as an aerial photographer. At that time, the first McDonnel Douglass F-15 Eagle was delivered. Flight testing would hopefully confirm that the United States had developed the most advanced air superiority fighter jet in the world. A necessary tool to help defend us in our cold war with those Fookin Rooskies. What kind of video coverage to capture this crucial testing? The Air Force provided a large film motion picture camera to some hillbilly from Moundsville, WV and stuffed him the back seat of an F-4 or T-38 to follow alongside the Eagle flights.
It may have been months or even years later, but I did see the video taken by dad where a missile came off the rail of the F-15 but did not fire. It veered toward the chase plane and thankfully up and over the canopy. That woud have put a serious damper on Christmas that year. Even if the missile was inert and only clipped the chase plane and caused an emergency ejection, that would have been bad. An ejection has to be well over 10 Gs. Punching out with a 30 pound camera would be like having Jason Kelce sitting on you balls as you exited the plane.
Thankfully everything worked out and his next duty assignment was in Alaska where he would participate in some “Surveillance” on those Fookin Rooskies.
Jim
