Whilst last year I was only able to do the Friday show, which sadly was called off due to the weather, the Antidotum airshow in Leszno, Poland did leave me with a feverish desire to do both days this year ! Leszno airfield hosts many events throughout the year including world glider championships, and aerobatic championships, the airshow itself is in its fifth year on 2025 and hoped to attract some 60,000 spectators over the two days.
The lineup for the show this year promised some amazing acts and a great contribution from the German armed forces with the NH90 and Eurocopter Tiger demo teams as well as the Eurofighter and a welcome return from the Tornado display from Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 33, one of only two shows they will participate in this year.
The Polish air force also made great additions with the f16 Tiger display team. As part of the 6th Squadron, based at the 31st Air Base near Poznan and the team’s pilot remains Major Maciej “Slab” Krawczy for the 3rd year, the refreshed display sequence has drawn inspiration from both the Belgian and Danish F-16 displays. A C-130 display featuring the now legendary flare dump from 33rd Transport Aviation Base in Powidz, adds a spectacular finale to “traditional” airshow expectations.
Alongside the military attractions the show also manages to show warbirds, classic jets and civilian teams throughout an extensive programme. It seems last years unavoidable mass evacuation on foot from the airfield in a torrential storm, had prompted the organisers to put in place road closures to allow for foot traffic to easily get to and from the show and it worked brilliantly. The beginning of the show itself was unlike anything I’ve experienced before (something Antidotum spectators must be used to saying now ) The line up of German NH90, Tiger, UH-1Huey PL and BO15 took off, formed up and returned to the airfield under an arc of water jets from two well placed fire engines, as they came through the cascading spray, the rotor wash made a great spectacle, this had been choreographed in conjunction with Planes Tv, the ever present and respected voice of live streamers for airshows around Europe.
From here on, the crowd were left to feast on an incredible aviation banquet, leaving nothing to the imagination. As Dusk began to make its self known, the action hotted up with the NH90 display again featuring a climax of flares, as well as a “badge” flyby, from both the Polish air force F-16, German air force Eurofighters and Tornado flying through in formation.
With the sun setting it left many ,including myself, with goosebumps and admiration. Then it was the turn of the Polish Air force F16 to dominate the sky and did they just. Entering the show in a way we could only dream of in the UK, the display was loud, rapid and dynamic. As the demonstration culminated without flares this year, a rousing round of applause with the overwhelming sense of pride and almost heroic devotion came from the crowd, again something maybe we take for granted in the UK, a sense of pride for the pilots and their skills.
The show closed out with an aerial spectacle I doubt can be beaten easily, aircraft including the Ts-11 Iskara, BO15, aerospace glider to highlight a few of the many took to the air at night with an array of lights, strobes, flares and sparklers alongside a choreographed firework display. Mind blowing to watch and take in. Antidotum provides a wide array of aircraft of all guises and can easily satisfy the tastes of any action fan. The tickets are competitively priced and the show really offers great value for money. Fast jets, rotary and fixed wing displays, warbirds and stunt teams all elevate the show to what must now be one of the premier events on the European show calendar. For sure I’ll be looking to book tickets for next year, and I am sure the show will go on and go from strength to strength.
