If you thought that as the Lancaster was a relatively large aircraft then the cockpit must be quite spacious, think again! Note also the small gap that the bomb aimer had to squeeze into. Only the nose section, not the whole aircraft, is on display in the Flying Heritage Collection hangar at Paine Field.

I was looking forward to visiting the Flying Heritage Collection at PAE and wasn't disappointed. Super aircraft along with informative displays made the time waiting for the 'Luftwaffe Fly-Day' to start go very quickly. I'm not particularly interested in photographing aeroplanes preserved indoors but with an immaculate I-16 just sitting there what else was there to do! Incidentally, due to the backlit nature, this shot was taken with centre rather than multi-segment metering - makes a huge difference.

This Komet served with JG400 at Husum during WWII but it is unknown if it ever flew in combat. At the end of the war it was shipped to the RAE in England and now is on display at the Flying Heritage Collection.

Photographed at the conclusion of the Flying Heritage Collection's 'Luftwaffe Fly-Day'. A super day for any aviation fan!

The Flying Heritage Collection's beautifully restored Il-2 is pictured enjoying some downtime. Note even the oil buckets are in pristine condition at the FHC!!

This aircraft was manufactured too late to see action in WWII but is painted as 'Tallahassie Lassie', a P-47 flown by Seattle-born Colonel Ralph C. Jenkins who led the 510th FS through Europe after D-Day. She now belongs to the Flying Heritage Collection at Paine Field. Note the nose art is on the port side only.