September 01, 1935

September 01, 1935

Sept. 1, 1935

The Messerschmitt Bf-109a fighter prototype makes its first flight at Augsburg, Germany. More than 32,000 Bf-109s will be built (including post-war versions in Spain and Czechoslovakia) in a multitude of versions, making it the second most produced aircraft of all time. (Most produced: Ilyushin II-2; see entry for Dec. 30, 1939.)

Space Force’s Top Guardians Share Their Stories

Feb. 27, 2026

Winners of the Space Force’s fourth annual, service-wide Polaris Awards had the chance to discuss the actions that led to their awards from the main stage here at AFA’s Warfare Symposium on Feb. 24, in a panel discussion moderated by Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John Bentivegna.

Massive Buildup Against Iran Continues: F-22s to Israel, More F-35s and F-15Es to Europe

Feb. 27, 2026

The Air Force has surged F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter jets and aerial refueling tankers to Israel for possible combat operations against Iran as the Trump administration continues to weigh embarking on an air campaign against the Iranian regime, and more fighters appear to be possibly making their way to…

Retired Air Force Pilot Arrested for Illegally Training Chinese Military

Feb. 27, 2026

Retired Air Force officer and former pilot Maj. Gerald Eddie Brown Jr. was arrested Feb. 25 in Jeffersonville, Ind., charged in a federal complaint for “providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization.”

Orbital Warfare Unit Gets Live Satellite to Practice Maneuvers

Feb. 26, 2026

Guardians in the Space Force’s orbital warfare unit, Mission Delta 9, just got a significant upgrade to their training capabilities in the form of a live satellite, which they’ll use to practice precise, advanced offensive and defensive maneuvers for space warfighting.

F-47 Still ‘Doing Exceptionally Well,’ on Track for 2028 Flight

Feb. 25, 2026

The advanced F-47 sixth-generation fighter remains on track to fly in the next two years, the senior Air Force acquisition officer overseeing the program said Feb. 25, as the service continues on its ambitious schedule to debut the air superiority-focused fighter by 2028—only three years after the contract was awarded…

CMSAF Wolfe’s Formula for Building a Winning Team

Feb. 25, 2026

Against a backdrop of a video replay of the U.S. men's hockey team’s stunning overtime victory to win the gold medal at the Olympics, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe presented his leadership ideals at AFA's 2026 Warfare Symposium on Feb. 25.

Related