‘Aviation nut’ photographs Trump’s secret mission to Iraq
A Sheffield man, who describes himself as an ‘aviation nut’, made US president Donald Trump’s top-secret mission to Iraq public when he photographed Air Force One flying over the city.
Alan Meloy was taking photos of passing planes on Boxing Day when he saw the president’s aircraft flying over the Sheffield suburb of Chapeltown. He took a picture (below) and posted it on Flickr, sparking a debate on both sides of the Atlantic.
Trump and First Lady Melania had left Washington DC in the middle of the night on the secret mission.
When other enthusiasts recognised the plane in the photo, they worked out the president was probably heading to the Middle East.
The published photo was shared on social media and a ban on reporting the trip, agreed with the White House press corps, was lifted.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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