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I present to you my next aviation calendar. When selecting the photos, I primarily considered the votes on my Facebook fan page (thank you!). I made the final selection also based on my personal feelings. It wasn't easy, as in 2025 I participated in many interesting photoshoots, during which many good pictures were taken. For me, the most important photos are, of course, the "three-dimensional" ones, which, in addition to the two known dimensions, also include a third dimension, representing the sheer number of memories and experiences I had while photographing. I believe that the photos selected for the calendar must make the greatest impression possible throughout the month! Overall, the calendar must be diverse to please the widest possible audience, although it's clear that you can't please everyone.
Below are descriptions of what's in the photos, the circumstances in which they were taken, and brief explanations of why I chose each photo and why it's featured in a given month. 
Enjoy reading, and thank you for your interest in my photography :)

 

COVER 

Date the photo was taken: 28.08.2025. 
Object: Boeing 737-800. Ignacy Paderewski. BBJ version (Boeing Business Jet). 
Affiliation: 1st Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport : Dęblin (Poland). 
Mission: International AirSHOW Radom. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon Z 9. Nikkor Z 100-400 mm (140 mm), f/4.5-5.6 VR S (1/2000 f/5.6 ISO 140). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1017,2025-airshow-radom.html 
Why this particular photo and why on the cover?
Because in my opinion, this is the most spectacular aviation photo I've managed to take in 2025. Even during the shoot, I knew it would be the cover of a calendar! I'd never seen a photo of a Boeing 737 deploying flares before, and here I had the opportunity not only to witness this phenomenon in person but also to radio this giant during the shoot. What's more, in the right seat of the Paderewski's cockpit was a very good friend of mine, with whom we'd done several air-to-air shoots in the past, although he was flying a Su-22 at the time :). To quote a classic – things like this don't happen every day! These were incredibly special moments for me.

 

PAGE INFO 

Date the photo was taken: 13.05.2025. 
Object: 4x Lockheed Martin F-16. 
Affiliation: 32nd Tactical Air Base, Polish Air Force. 201st and 301st Fighter Squadron, Portuguese Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Air Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport: Šiauliai (Lithuania). 
Mission: NATO Baltic Air Policing Block 67, Polish Military Contingent ORLIK 13. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (86 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/800 f/6.3 ISO 160). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1012,pkw-orlik-13.html 
Why this particular photo?
Because it was a wonderful, powerful, two-day session over Lithuania, which we organized together with the incredible pilots from Łask. It's no coincidence that two photos from this session ended up in the calendar. This shot of formation of our and Portuguese F-16s allowed me to include the most important information about the calendar. Thanks to this, it landed on the info page – smuggled in as an extra, as it were.

 

JANUARY 

Date the photo was taken: 23.04.2025. 
Object: 2x KAI FA-50GF Fighting Eagle. 
Affiliation: 23rd Tactical Air Base, Polish Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport: Mirosławiec (Poland). 
Mission: Farewell session with Su-22 aircraft. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (48 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/800 f/6.3 ISO 140). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1011,pozegnanie-su-22.html 
Why this particular photo?
Because the calendar couldn't lack a photo with FA-50s! Not because they're my favorite planes, although I like them very much, but because of the pilots flying them in this shot! These are wonderful, open, amazing people, thanks to whom and with whom we have done, are doing, and I hope will continue to do in the future, wonderful aviaphoto work! The cold tone of the photo perfectly matches the cold colours of January.

 

FEBRUARY 

Date the photo was taken: 12.05.2025. 
Object: 2x Lockheed Martin F-16 Jastrząb. 
Affiliation: 32nd Tactical Air Base, Polish Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Airlift Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport: Šiauliai (Lithuania). 
Mission: NATO Baltic Air Policing Block 67, Polish Military Contingent ORLIK 13. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (70 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/1000 f/7.1 ISO 1250). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1012,pkw-orlik-13.html 
Why this particular photo?
I already mentioned this session above in the info page description. While we were returning from the sea with our Łask’s F-16s towards the base in Šiauliai, incredible things were happening in the sky. We had some time, so I tried to use it to capture frames with such an incredible background. It was like painting a picture! Staring at the background, I aimed our F-16s either towards the left side of the CASA on the echelon left, or towards the right on the echelon right, or towards the axis of the CASA on the trail. It was brilliant in every setting. The wonderful memories from those days over Lithuania and the number of votes cast for this photo meant that the Lithuanian photo landed on the calendar. It wasn't too warm then. Hence, February.

MARCH 

Date the photo was taken: 14.06.2025. 
Object: PZL SW-4 Puszczyk and Mil Mi-2. 
Affiliation: 41st Training Aviation Base and 49th Air Base, Polish Air Force. 
Photo platform: GippsAero GA8 Airvan. 
Take-off/landing airport: Płock (Poland). 
Mission: 3rd World Helicopter Rally in Płock. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (55 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/15 f/13 ISO 64). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1014,atam-34.html 
Why this particular photo?
Because the calendar couldn't be complete without a photo with a helicopter! And why not with two of them? With the leader, a beautifully lined Polish SW-4 helicopter, and the wingman, the legendary Mi-2 helicopter. This was a great session during another World Helicopter Rally, organized for several years by the amazing Serafina Ogończyk-Mąkowska. A wonderful session, amazing people, beautiful helicopters, a perfect backdrop with the Vistula River near Płock – all this meant this photo ended up in the calendar, and since the weather was starting to turn green, we chose March! :) 

APRIL 

Date the photo was taken: 28.08.2025. 
Object: Dassault Rafale 
Affiliation: Rafale Demo Team, 3/4 Aquitaine Squadron, French Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport: Dęblin (Poland). 
Mission: International AirSHOW Radom. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon Z 9. Nikkor Z 100-400 mm (170 mm), f/4.5-5.6 VR S (1/2000 f/5.6 ISO 280). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1017,2025-airshow-radom.html 
Why this particular photo?
This photo has a long history. So, to cut a long story short: Thanks to my connections with French Dassault Rafale pilots from the session over Lithuania, I managed to reach the Rafale Demo Team pilot. We had a great connection, we worked out all the details of the session, etc. On the day of the session, he wrote to me that unfortunately, due to increased traffic over Europe, he would be at least 30 minutes late. That would have messed up our session plan, as we were supposed to rendezvous with the Greek F-16s at that time. So I asked him to try to get to the Initial Point (IP) as early as possible and we'd figure something out. I was thrilled when the Rafale radioed in almost exactly on time! He had tailwind and was using afterburners to help him get there on time. He's a great guy! He can't be missing from the calendar, especially since this photo received so many votes! And why April? It's so colorful, like the end of April. :)

 

MAY 

Date the photo was taken: 22.07.2025. 
Object: 2x EADS CASA C-295M. 
Affiliation: 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport: Krakow (Poland). 
Mission: a2a session done in connection with the 8th Base Day. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (38 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/125 f/9 ISO 64). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1020,swieto-8.-bltr-krakow.html 
Why this particular photo?
Oh, the fight for this photo in the calendar lasted almost until the very end. It had a strong following from the start, but… there was a strong competitor – a photo featuring both CASA and Bryza. The second one would have perfectly represented the 8th Base, and many Bryza supporters were in favor of that second one! The vast majority, however, chose this photo. I stood with my legs apart, as I saw the power of both shots. On one side, CASA and Bryza in tight formation, on the other, two CASAs with the famous Giewont mountain in the background. Finally, I wrote to the commander of the 8th Base, a wonderful man, my namesake, and… I no longer had trouble choosing – the commander ordered it! :) Wouldn't it be beautiful to have such a view on our walls in May?

JUNE 

Date the photo was taken: 28.08.2025. 
Object: Lockheed C-130 Hercules. 
Affiliation: 33rd Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport: Dęblin (Poland). 
Mission: International AirSHOW Radom. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (38 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/60 f/14 ISO 64). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1017,2025-airshow-radom.html 
Why this particular photo?
Because things like this don't happen every day! This was my first air-to-air session with a powerful C-130 firing flares! Plus, a beautiful backdrop of the Vistula River and its unique sandbars! What more could you ask for? Warm colours – I hope June 2026 will be warm! :)

 

JULY 

Date the photo was taken: 28.08.2025. 
Object: Eurofighter Typhoon. 
Affiliation: Bavarian Tiger Neuburg, 74th Fighter Wing, German Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airport: Dęblin (Poland). 
Mission: International AirSHOW Radom. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (31 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/1250 f/9 ISO 360). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1017,2025-airshow-radom.html 
Why this particular photo?
I didn't think twice about. From the moment this German Eurofighter Typhoon flew in for our photoshoot, and we all went wild with excitement. This paint job is phenomenal! Taking photos at almost noon usually doesn't yield good results due to the flat light at that time. Despite this, I asked the CASA pilot to fly along the Vistula River and suggested the Eurofighter pilot fly almost below our ramp for a portrait session. It was a perfect match! His silhouette and paint job complemented the reflective water surface and the sandbars on the Vistula River beautifully. It was a wonderful moment! Hot July, the colors of this photo suit it best. :)

 

AUGUST 

Date the photo was taken: 23.04.2025. 
Object: 4x Sukhoi Su-22. 
Affiliation: 21st Tactical Air Base, Polish Air Force. 
Photo platform: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Transport Aviation Base, Polish Air Force. 
Take-off/landing airfield: Mirosławiec (Poland). 
Mission: Farewell session with Su-22 aircraft. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (50 mm), f/4G ED VR (1/800 f/8 ISO 72). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1011,pozegnanie-su-22.html 
Why this particular photo?
It was a special session for me. After a short break in my participation in photo sessions air-to-air events organized by the General Command of the Armed Forces, suddenly, to my great surprise and even greater joy, I was invited to organize and lead a farewell air-to-air photoshoot with Su-22 aircraft. It couldn't have been better! After all, I was trained on the Su-22 aircraft, and as everyone knows, we love Sukhois the most! Four Su-22s and two FA-50s participated in the photoshoot. A lot was happening that day, and we managed to capture some wonderful footage. This is one of my favorite photos. The sunset and the farewell of our Su-22s, retiring from service under the red and white checkerboard. It's a tear, but that's life! Why August? I think everyone knows. :)

 

SEPTEMBER 

Date the photo was taken: 25.05.2025. 
Object: Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
Affiliation: F-22 Raptor Demo Team, 27th Fighter Squadron. U.S. Air Force.
Event: The Hyundai Air & Sea Show.
Place: Miami Beach (USA).
Photo set and settings: Nikon Z 9. Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S (1/1250 f/7.1 ISO 220). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1024,air--sea-show.html 
Why this particular photo?
Because I love the Raptor! Because I love the Miami Beach Air Show! Because this photo received a huge number of your votes! Because it's the only representative in the calendar of my photos taken from the ground! 
Because... Because I really like this photo! :)

 

OCTOBER 

Date the photo was taken: 16.05.2025. 
Object: Lim-2 (MiG-15). 
Affiliation: Fubar Aviation Ltd. 
Photo platform: Short SC.7 Skyvan, SKY FORCE Polish Parachute Center.
Take-off/landing airport: Piotrków Trybunalski (Poland). 
Mission: Air-to-Air Meeting No. 33.
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (65 mm) f/4G ED VR (1/800 f/5 ISO 64). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1015,atam-33.html 
Why this particular photo?
Not just because it received almost the highest number of votes from you! This was an exceptional session with the Lim-2. We've taken many of them, but this time, Bartek Maciejczyk, the pilot of the Lim, succeeded to maintain speed behind our Skyvan! And not only succeeded. He's simply incredibly good at these things and pulled it off! Flying at a slightly higher altitude also helped, allowing the clouds to blend beautifully into the background. Staying behind the ramp completely changes things. You can take many more photos and interesting shots than with just a few dynamic passes. Thanks to "Mike Bravo" for this session! It was fantastic. The photo goes to my „birthday” October in calendar. :)

 

NOVEMBER 

Date the photo was taken: 11.06.2025. 
Object: SAAB JAS 39C Gripen.
Affiliation: F 17 Swedish Air Force wing.
Platform photo: EADS CASA C-295M, 8th Air Transport Base, Polish Air Force.
Take-off/landing airport: Malbork (Poland). 
Mission: NATO Enhanced Air Policing. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (52 mm) f/4G ED VR (1/800 f/5 ISO 6400). 
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1013,nato-enhanced-air-policing.html 
Why this particular photo?
Not because I like the Gripen, because it's so-so, and not because the photo is of great quality, because that's not entirely the case. This was the end of a powerful session, during which the Swedish pilots did a fantastic job. In the photo, we see a break over the runway in Malbork. So why this photo? Because I love it! Because of the dynamic framing and the dynamic action of this Gripen, which looks exceptionally combative and predatory in this photo. I think that the dynamics of the photo and the flame of the Gripen's afterburner will perfectly warm us from the walls on cold November evenings.

DECEMBER 

Date of photo: 03.12.2024. 
Object: 2x Eurofighter Typhoon EF-2000A. 
Affiliation: TFA 36th Wing, Italian Air Force.
Photo platform: Alenia C-27J Spartan, Lithuanian Air Force.
Take-off/landing airport: Šiauliai (Lithuania). 
Mission: NATO Baltic Air Policing Block 67. 
Photo set and settings: Nikon D850. AF-S Nikkor 24-120 mm (40 mm) f/4G ED VR (1/800 f/7.1 ISO 360).
More from this session: https://www.hesja.pl/galeria,1000,bap-block-67.html 
Why this particular photo?
This was the last session of 2024. Planning a session over Lithuania in December is a big risk, but as you can see, sometimes it pays off. My friend Giovanni Colla, with whom we've been doing many air-to-air projects for several years, invited me to this session with the Italian Eurofighters and the French Rafales (grazie!). It was the second flight of the day. We hadn't planned it, but the pilots wanted to go, so it was stupid to say no. ;) I'm joking, of course, because we were thrilled, even though it was freezing cold and we hadn't yet warmed up from the first flight. Before the flight, I suggested to Giovanni what we could do, to which he replied that I should lead the second flight! And so it happened. In the photo, we see a break. When I gave the command to break earlier, the formation leader said only he could perform dynamic maneuvers, as the other plane was flying with a pilot who wasn't certified for such things. And so our session unfolded, with the pilot flying non-stop in a straight line, while the leader did somersaults around him beautifully! :) You can't see it in the photos, but it was great fun! Needless to say, the light played brilliantly for us. So let the light from this photo illuminate the December darkness for all of us in 2026.
Interested in purchasing my 2026 Aviation Calendar? 
Please place your order :)
Zamówienia / You can order it here:
Polska:
https://www.hesja.pl/sklep,27,kalendarz-lotniczy-2026.html
In English:
https://www.hesja.pl/en,sklep,27,aviation-calendar-2026.html