You know it is July in Washington state when vintage and experimental aircraft migrate north for the annual Arlington Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention. The fly-in, held July 7-11 at Arlington Municipal Airport (AWO) north of Seattle, attracted aircraft ranging from helicopters and warbirds to experimental, vintage and light sport designs.
The newly constructed Antique Airplane Barnstormer Barn was a big hit. Vintage aircraft owners were invited to park there, creating the ambiance of a fly-in at a farm. The Skagit Aero Education Museum in Concrete, Wash., brought several aircraft for display, including a 1937 Ryan STA Special. The interior of the barn was decorated with artifacts from the museum.
Other stars of the show included a Consolidated PBY-6A and a one-of-a-kind Stinson O Replica, which also made for a shady space to watch the afternoon air show.
On the south end of the display grounds, the Replica Fighters Association set up camp, which included a pair of World War I-era Nieuport 11s. The single-seat fighters were used by the Lafayette Escadrille in France in 1915. This airplane was flown down from Canada by Allan Snowie of the Escadrille Northwest.
Also on the south end were the ever-popular RV aircraft. Mike Quatacker of Porterville, Calif., got a lot of attention with his RV-8 painted a luminescent green and accented with a pair of dice and a gold stripe. If you look carefully at the gold you can see the designs of playing cards and money in the paint.
The laid-back atmosphere of the show allowed for plenty of downtime to sit and enjoy the sunshine. Tom Williams from Everett, Wash., used the afternoon sun to sketch a Travel Air.
Next year’s show is slated for July 6-10. For more information: ArlingtonFlyIn.org