Afterburner - The Aviation Magazine

16 April 2026

AVIATION HISTORY

17 April 1934 – first flight of the Fairey Swordfish

On 17 April 1934, the prototype of the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber performed its maiden flight, with test pilot Chris Staniland at the controls. In 1933, the Fairey Aviation Company initiated the development of a new three-seat naval aircraft. Designed [...]
MILITARY AVIATION

Operationalising the Shift to Air Defence: Key Outcomes of the 2026 NATO Air Chiefs’ Symposium

On 10 April, Allied Air Command (AIRCOM) reported on its website that it had recently hosted the first of its biannual NATO Air Chiefs’ Symposia (NACS) for 2026. The event represents a vital strategic forum where Allied and NATO Partner [...]
PHOTO OF THE WEEK

AeroSpool WT9 Dynamic Club-TOW

AeroSpool WT9 Dynamic Club-TOW (c/n DV062/2004, OK-JUU 43), Kunětice airfield, June 2025. The WT9 Dynamic is one of two ultralight and light-sport aircraft manufactured by the Aerospool aviation company, based in Prievidza, Slovakia. Introduced to the market in 2001, the [...]
AIR SHOW NEWS

Aviatická 2026 – a classic revamped

The 34th edition of Aviatická pouť (Aviation Fair), the largest civil air show in the Czech Republic, is just a few weeks away. This year, the well-known aviation event will open a new chapter in its more than three-decade-long history, [...]
AVIATION HISTORY

10 April 1963 – maiden flight of EWR VJ 101

On 10 April 1963, the EWR VJ 101, a German experimental VTOL jet fighter, performed its first flight. At the turn of the 1950s and 1960s, the idea of jet-powered VTOL aeroplanes spread around the world. Several nations with well-developed [...]

From active duty to history – a short review of military aircraft retirements in 2025

FEATURED

14 January 2026

The year 2025 marked aviation history with several notable farewells to iconic military aircraft. These included both well-known workhorses from the Cold War era and relatively newer designs that proved ineffective in the modern combat [...]

First ever wingsuit foil soaring flight with altitude gain

DREAMERS AND DOERS

26 November 2025

In its press release published on 19 November 2025, the Red Bull company announced that Austrian wingsuit pioneer Peter Salzmann had once again pushed the boundaries of what is possible in human flight. This time, [...]

FEATURED