During our last trip to Las Vegas for the ICAS – International Council of Air Shows Convention, Cockpit USA had the distinct honor of serving as the proud sponsor of the prestigious Bob Hoover Wingman Award at the Chairman’s Banquet. This year’s recipient was someone very close to our aviation family,  American Airpower Museum and Cockpit USA photographer, Ricardo von Puttkammer of Aviation Photojournal. Captured above by Larry Grace, Ricardo is seen accepting this well-deserved honor.

Named after legendary aviator Robert A. “Bob” Hoover, the Wingman Award recognizes an individual in the air show community who exemplifies loyalty, reliability, support, and selflessness qualities that define the spirit of aviation and the tight-knit community that surrounds it. 

For years, Ricardo has captured that spirit through his lens, documenting pilots, performers, and historic aircraft while preserving the moments that make the air show world so extraordinary. Join us in this special Off Duty feature as aviation photographer Ricardo von Puttkammer reflects on how his journey with Cockpit USA began and what receiving the Bob Hoover Wingman Award means to him.

Cockpit USA : How did you first connect with Cockpit USA and Jacky, Jeff, and Scott Clyman?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: I remember going to the store in SoHo back in the 1990s and seeing a yellow T-6 hanging from the ceiling. I first met them at an airshow at the American Airpower Museum in 2006 or 2007. At the time, I was there simply as a spectator. A few years later, I was working for a digital aviation magazine and received my first media assignment to cover an airshow at the museum. That was when I officially interacted with Jacky, since I had to call her to obtain media credentials. She was very nice and made sure I was legitimate. After that, I kept coming back to the museum for airshows and special events, got to know the family and Cockpit USA better, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Cockpit USA :You’re a recipient of the Bob Hoover Wingman Award. What is the significance of the award, and what does it mean to you personally?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: Receiving the Bob Hoover Wingman Award was a huge surprise, especially since it was the first time in ICAS history that the award was presented to a photographer. It means a great deal to me. It tells me that all the work I have put into covering an industry I truly love has been recognized. It is also important because it acknowledges the role photographers—both professional and amateur—play in showcasing and advancing the industry through their images.

Cockpit USA : When did you first become interested in photography, and how did that passion evolve into aviation photography?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: I first became interested in photography while growing up in Brazil in the 1970s. My mother had a 35mm camera that I would sometimes “borrow” and use around the streets of my neighborhood in São Paulo. When I later started attending airshows in the United States, I went mainly to watch airplanes fly. Eventually I got my own camera and began photographing the shows—first the aircraft in flight, and then airplanes on static display so I could capture details for the plastic scale models I was building.

Cockpit USA : You’re known for capturing attendees at airshows as much as the aircraft themselves. What do you believe sets your photography apart?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: Over the years, my airshow photography evolved to include more of the people behind the scenes who make it all happen, as well as the crowds attending the shows. I think my candid shots are what set my photography apart. My goal is to capture not only the people working behind the scenes, but also the performers and the public in a way that makes you feel like you were there at the show. 

Featured below are images that Ricardo has captured for both Cockpit USA and the American Airpower Museum that are now immortalized in our archives forever. 

Cockpit USA : What is Aviation Photojournal, and what inspired you to launch it

Ricardo von Puttkammer: Aviation Photojournal is an online publication whose mission is to showcase the best in airshows, military aviation, and aviation in general through photography. My friend Dan Adams and I launched Aviation Photojournal in 2015 because we felt something like it was missing in the market. We are now embarking on our second decade. Check out the new issue here. 

Cockpit USA : What continues to inspire you to photograph aviation?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: Seeing the work of other photographers continues to inspire me. We all have different ways of capturing that airplane in flight or the action on the ground, and I always enjoy seeing those different perspectives.

Cockpit USA : What has been the most dangerous or high-risk shoot you’ve undertaken?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: I do not really find myself in dangerous or high-risk situations. Air-to-air photography can be unforgiving, but when it is well planned and properly briefed, the risks are greatly reduced.

Cockpit USA: Is there a single photograph you’re most proud of? What makes it stand out?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: There are two photographs that stand out to me. The first is an air-to-air image of the museum’s P-47 Thunderbolt flying over the American Airpower Museum, which stands where the Republic Aviation factory buildings once were. The museum’s hangar itself is an original Republic plant building. That location carries so much aviation history that capturing that image remains one of the highlights of my career.

The second (shown above) is a photo I took a few years ago of the Navy Rhino Demo Team’s F/A-18s en route to Niagara Falls for a photo shoot. It was just me and another photographer in the back of the National Warplane Museum’s C-47 Whiskey 7 when the two F/A-18s approached and flew alongside us for the shoot. I will never forget that moment. I have done many air-to-air photo missions, but that one has always stayed with me.

Cockpit USA: Are there any photographers who have influenced your work or whom you would recommend others explore?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: Definitely. In aviation photography, I grew up admiring Katsuhiko Tokunaga and Frank B. Mormillo, whose work I followed in the Japanese publication Koku-Fan. More recently, I have been influenced by the work of James DeBoer, Jeff Deckerman, Haagen Klaus, Glen Watson, Jim Koepnick, and Rich Cooper, among others.

Cockpit USA : Do you have favorite Cockpit USA jackets? What draws you to those particular pieces?

Ricardo von Puttkammer: That is a hard question to answer. In the winter, my go-to jacket is the Super Fortress sheepskin jacket (shown below), which has kept me warm even in subzero temperatures. On warmer days, I like wearing the Black Stealth CWU Aviator Jacket (featured below on Ricardo posing with WWII C-47 Pilot Alan Shapiro) or the WEP USN USMC Jacket. Of course, my newest favorite is the Classic Naval Aviator’s “100 Mission™” Flight Jacket (on the cover), which Scott Clyman of Cockpit USA gave me when I received the Bob Hoover Wingman Award at ICAS. That jacket has special meaning to me because it is tied to such an unforgettable honor.

When the weather is unpredictable, I rely on my Leather B-15 jacket (shown below). Its incredibly versatile, the zip-out vest and removable collar make it easy and reliable. Of course, my newest favorite is the Classic Naval Aviator’s “100 Mission™” Flight Jacket (on the cover), which Scott Clyman of Cockpit USA gave me when I received the Bob Hoover Wingman Award at ICAS. That jacket has special meaning to me because it is tied to such an unforgettable honor.

Cockpit USA :  What camera bodies and lenses are currently in your kit?

Ricardo von Puttkammer:  For airshows, my usual kit includes a Canon R5 with an RF 100-500mm, a Canon R5 Mark II with an RF 600mm f/4 and a 2x converter for an effective 1200mm focal length, a Sony A7R V with a 24-105mm f/4, and a Sony A7R IV with a 12-24mm f/2.8. 

For air-to-air photography, it depends on the mission, but I prefer to bring two bodies when possible. My setup might include a Canon R5 Mark II with an RF 28-70mm f/2 or a Sony A7R V with a 24-105mm, paired with either a Sony A7R IV with a 70-200mm f/2.8 or a Canon R5 with an RF 100-500mm. 

For street photography, I prefer a Fujifilm X100VI and a Ricoh GR III.

Ricardo’s work reminds us that aviation isn’t only about the aircraft in the sky, it’s also about the people on the ground who support, document, and share those moments with the world. Through his dedication to aviation photography and storytelling, he has helped preserve the passion, heritage, and camaraderie that define the air show community.

At Cockpit USA, we are proud to call Ricardo both an ambassador and a friend. His recognition with the Bob Hoover Wingman Award is not only well deserved, but a reflection of the commitment and spirit he brings to the aviation world every day.