Tag: military aircraft

Hradec Králové Aviation Fair – 2026 Edition

Posted on by Kevan V

May 30 and 31 marked the 2026 edition of the Aviatická Pouť airshow.

This year, the show was held at Hradec Králové rather than Pardubice where it usually takes place. The change of venue was due to the Czech air force Saab Gripen fleet being temporarily based at Pardubice and the hightened security measures in place because of it.

In late 2025, the Czech military decided they wouldn’t allow the show at Pardubice and told show organizers to find an alternate location. Happily, the show organizers were able to secure the airport at nearby Hradec Králové as the new location. In the scope of planning an event like an airshow, they were given relatively little time to find a solution. The show this year was quite enjoyable and the organizers should be commended for their perseverence.

I was there on Saturday, here’s a gallery of the show through my lens:

DSA Citation
DSA AS-355
DSA Mi-2
HK MiG-15
HK Typhoons 1
HK Typhoons 2
Let C.11 HK 1
HK Enstrom 480 1
HK WWI 1
HK WWI 2
Junkers A50 at HK
HK WWI 3
Beech 18 at HK
Typhoons at HK 3
Typhoons at HK 4
Bleriot at HK 1
Z-242 in HK
HK Enstrom 480 2
Enstrom and Beriot at HK
Stearman at HK 1
PT-22 at HK
Typhoons at HK 5
Typhoons at HK 6
Typhoons at HK 7
Typhoons at HK 8
Typhoons at HK 9
Flying Bulls at HK 1
Flying Bulls at HK 2
Flying Bulls at HK 3
Wing walker practice at HK
Dak and Beech at HK 1
Dak and Beech at HK 2
Dak and Beech at HK 3
Let C.11 at HK 2
Red Bull Lightning at HK
Red Bull Mustang at HK 1
EC-135 at HK 1
Stearman at HK 2
Trainer formation at HK
L-39NG Skyfox at HK
L-39C Albatros at HK
Red Bull Corsair at HK 1
Red Bull Mustang at HK 2
Wing walkers at HK 1
Red Bull Corsair at HK 2
Typhoons at HK 10
Red Bull Lightning and Mustang at HK
L-200 Morava at HK
Morava and Mustang at HK
Wing walker at HK 2
Wing walker at HK 3
Wing walker at HK 3
Typhoons at HK 11

Na shledanou, Snowbirds!

Posted on by Kevan V

Word has come down today that following the 2026 airshow season, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Snowbirds team will be stood down pending a new aircraft. Most likely the Pilatus PC-21.

I grew up watching the Snowbirds fly the Canadair CT-114 Tutor aircraft. However, these days the CT-114 is irrelevant to anything other than the Snowbirds.

My feeling is that if an air force is to have an aerobatics team, it should use an aircraft that represents something most people who join the force will have to work with regardless of where they go from there.

Turboprop aircraft are definitiely the way most air forces are going with training.
The Swiss made Pilatus PC-21 is the most likely choice of new aircraft for the Snowbirds.
I’ve seen the PC-21 perform and it’s definitely no slouch. It will serve the Snowbirds well if that is ultimately what they choose as their next mount.

Here’s some photos of a few European turboprop based teams I’ve had the pleasure of seeing.

Berlin-Gatow Revisited!

Posted on by Kevan V
Panavia Tornado, Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29, and DeHavilland Chipmunk in the museum’s indoor exhibition hall.

A Decade of Changes

In early April of 2026, I visited the aviation branch of the Museum of Military History of the Bundeswehr in Berlin-Gatow.

It was my second visit to the museum, the first being in 2016, and a lot has changed in 10 years! In fact, enough has changed that I had to make some significant revisions to my existing article about it.

Please pay a visit to the revised article to see what’s new at this excellent museum.