Paine Field, located about 30 miles north of Seattle, is an aviation fanatic’s dream. The Museum of Flight’s restoration hangar contains the only Comet in the Americas, the last airworthy Boeing 247, as well as Kelly Johnson’s JetStar, an F7U Cutlass, and many other treasures. The Me262 Project builds replicas of the first jet fighter. At the north end of the field, Boeing builds the planet’s most modern widebody airliners, in a factory that is the largest building in the world by volume. And if you poke your head around the airport’s many general aviation hangars, you will find L39s, Fougas, Yaks, Stearmans, Nanchangs, Texans, Trojans, old twins like a Cessna Bobcat and a Beech 18, even a four-engine DH.114 Heron. Unusual airplanes like a T-35 Buckaroo and a Piaggio 149 make even the most knowledgeable spotters scratch their heads in confusion. And, to top it all off, two diverse collections contain even larger and rarer warbirds.

  These two collections are John Sessions’ Historic Flight Foundation and Paul Allen’s Flying Heritage Collection. Between them they house almost thirty aircraft: the airplanes range from the first monoplanes of the early 1930s to the first jets of the early 1950s, and most are World War 2 veterans. While some of the airplanes do not fly, they are remarkably rare finds, such as a tailless rocket-powered Me163 and a long-nose Fw190D. The flying aircraft are also quite rare, ranging from an F7F to a Malcolm-hooded P-51B at the Historic Flight Foundation, and from a Spitfire to an Me109 at the Flying Heritage Collection. The largest airworthy aircraft in those hangars include a B-25 and a Lockheed Electra.

  Once a year, Paine Field celebrates the history and diversity of its aircraft by holding a General Aviation Day. While the words “general aviation” might make you think of single-engine Cessnas and Pipers, at Paine Field it brings all of these interesting aircraft out of their hangars. The crowd gathers over the taxiway by the firehouse at the south end of the airport, wanders around these aircraft on static display, and enjoys a series of fly-bys throughout the afternoon.

  This year, the day started with the Blackjack Squadron flying their numerous RV kitplanes in a variety of tight formations. Then the warbirds started flying: John Sessions did several passes in his B-25 with a Mustang on each wing. The Cascade Warbirds did a formation takeoff and several fly-bys in their gaggle of Navions, Yaks, Nanchangs, and L-19s. The FHC’s Fieseler Storch took off at what looked like walking speed, and was repeatedly buzzed by the collection’s much faster P-47 Thunderbolt. Not to be outdone, John Sessions put his two Grumman Cats in the air, an F7F and an F8F that are among the fastest piston-powered airplanes ever made. Boeing added to the show with its business-as-usual flying: a 777 was taken through a couple of short pre-delivery test flights, and an enormous 747 Large Cargo Freighter brought in a 787 wing assembly from Nagoya. Sharp-eyed observers with long lenses also picked out the first 747-8 being flown through the flutter track for high-speed tests with Boeing’s T-38 following alongside it, and later the first 787 setting up for an approach into Boeing Field.

  GA Day was the perfect way to kick off the airshow season in the Seattle area. Both the Flying Heritage Collection and the Historic Flight Foundation will be flying their warbirds during “fly days” throughout the summer. Their hangars – as well as the Museum of Flight’s restoration center – are open to the public. The Boeing factory tour is also not to be missed. And you never know when you might see something interesting flying out of Paine Field. If you live or work in this area, every day brings a little airshow past the window, and GA day is a great reminder of this airport’s remarkably diverse aircraft.