Move over Ellen DeGeneres: The Oscar selfie snapped with a gaggle of celebrity A-listers at the Oscar’s has been trumped by an F-16 fighter pilot.
An in-flight pilot, wearing a Joint Helmet Mounting Cueing System, or JHMCS, managed to capture from the cockpit his military-dressed self against the background of an air-to-air missile, complete with fiery discharge, streaking across the sky, The Aviationist reported.
As far as military imagery goes, the JHMCS is cool enough.
It’s the latest in fighter pilot technology that allows the wearer to cue and guide onboard weapon systems just by pointing their heads toward their targets.
But the selfie with the AIM-9L/M streaking in the background is believed to be a first in pilot photography, The Aviationist reported.
The news outlet said: “Selfies have always been a must among fighter jocks and you can find thousands taken by military pilots in the most unusual flight conditions. However, selfies taken while launching missiles are much more rare just because firing activities involving the launch of an air-to-air missile don’t take place too often.”
The Royal Danish Air Force’s pilot’s selfie comes as social media went haywire over one snapped by Ms. DeGeneres at the recent Hollywood awards ceremony.
Reportedly, so many retweeted the shot that Twitter shut down for a time. The photo was then revealed as possibly being a company sponsored snapshot, rather than an impromptu picture.
And it’s not the first time a Dane has been at heart of a stunning selfie.
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt caused a stir snapping selfies with President Obama during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service earlier this year.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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