Paine Field Aviation Day 2012

Paine Field Aviation Day 2012

Messerschmitt Me-262B @ Legend Flyers

This is a reissue of an older blog Messerschmitt Me-262 Stormbirds, the original was corrupted somehow and just didnt look right. I have fixed it up now and tried to put back the information that was lost (slightly different from the original version). Apologies to anyone who was trying to read the corrupted version –…

The Gray Whales of Whidbey Island

April 14th, 2012 – Whidbey Island, Washington I went on a Gray Whale watching cruise to Whidbey Island to see the whales on part of their annual migration from Baja, Mexico up the coast to Alaska. There is one group of around 12 whales though that return to this area each year and stay for the season, even though most…

The Supermarine Spitfire and it’s Mighty Merlin Engine

The Supermarine Spitfire and it’s Mighty Merlin Engine.

Il-2 Sturmovik – The ultimate WW2 “Beast From The East” arrives in Washington

ILYUSHIN IL-2 STURMOVIK “The IL-2 aircraft are necessary for our Red Army now, like air, like bread“ Joseph Stalin (he demanded prompt and efficient production from factory officials…or else!) The Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik was known to the Soviet troops in WW2 as the “Flying Tank” and to the Germans as “Der Schwarze Tod” (“The Black Death“). It was a low level ground attack aircraft, heavily…

Boeing Factory Tour

December 5th, 2011 There are a large number of Boeing facilities dotted around Seattle and Everett in Washington state, but the main aircraft factory for construction of Boeing 747, 767, 777 and the new 787 Dreamliner aircraft is at Paine Field in Mukilteo near Everett. The Boeing 737 is built in Renton in southern Seattle. The Mukilteo location…

Messerschmitt Me-262 Stormbirds

October 18th, 2011 Today I had the privilege of visiting Legend Flyers at Paine Field, Everett. They are a group that has reproduced a number of Messerschmitt Me-262 Scwhalbe (“Swallow”) airframes (the original German aircraft was the first operational jet fighter of WW2). The aircraft have been built to the exact production standards of WW2 right down to rivet placement…

Soviet “Night Witches” and the Flying Beasts from the East

September 10th, 2011 Eastern Front Flying Day Once again I returned to Paine Field, Everett (almost becoming my summer weekend getaway) to see the latest flying day held by the Flying Heritage Collection! Todays display was to showcase the collections Russian aircraft: Polikarpov U-2/PO-2 A general purpose biplane mainly used as a flight trainer, built between 1928-1953. This…

Achtung! Jabos!

August 27th, 2011 Ground Attack Flying Day On a beautiful sunny Pacific Northwest summers day the Flying Heritage Collection museum at Paine Field, Everett put on another great flying day by to showcase two famous ground attack aircraft, one from WW2: the museums Republic P-47D Thunderbolt “Tallahassee Lassie” (known as the “Jug” by WW2 pilots),…

Battle of Britain: A Duel of Eagles

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain was the largest and most famous air battle in history. By day and night the combatants from Britain (along with pilots from other allied nations) and their enemies from Germany (with some limited support from Italy) fought in the skies over Britain between July 10th and October 31st, 1940. France…