Some of the finest vintage warbirds in the Pacific Northwest will make their public debut during the Northwest Experimental Aircraft Association Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention in Arlington, Wash., July 6-10. The aircraft, part of the Flying Heritage Collection owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, are normally kept in hangars at the Arlington Municipal Airport (AWO).
“We will be getting a significant portion of the collection for display,” says Barbara Tolbert, the fly-in’s executive director. “In addition to the outdoor display, we will have a shuttle bus running between the show grounds and the hangar so that people wearing a fly-in wristband can tour the rest of the collection for free.”
The collection comprises more than 40 rare vintage warbirds and related machinery. Many of the aircraft are airworthy and, according to warbird buffs, about as close to perfect as you can get. The collection features a 1940 Vickers-Supermarine Ltd. Mk.Vc Spitfire, a 1939 Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Rata built in Russia, a Curtiss Wright JN-4D Jenny, and a North American Aviation P-51D Mustang.
Of course, the fly-in also will have Light Sport Aircraft, experimental aircraft and certificated aircraft on display, including the first Arlington appearance by Diamond Aircraft.