Destinations: Arlington Air Show

Text and photos by Wayne Pridemore

Just an hour north of Shoreline the 50th Annual Arlington Fly-In Airshow was held July 7th through 9th. Hundreds of small personal planes flew into Arlington Field and many pilots and family members camped out under the wings of their aircraft.

There was entertainment for everyone. A person could view antique aircraft, historic military vehicles, and watch world class aerosport performances.

A wonderfully restored Lockheed Electra 12A Junior was on display. The first flight of the 12As series was on June 27, 1936 and there were 130 total built. The Junior was slightly smaller than the custom built 10A for Amelia Earhart's around the world flight in 1937.

During World War II this plane served the Free French Air Force flying military leadership such as General Charles de Gaulle around to various locations.

Flying in close formation were two warbirds of World World II. The USAAF's P-47 Thunderbolt and the Royal Air Force's Hawker Hurricane.

The P-47 had heavy armor, eight guns, and a powerful radial engine. It weighed nearly five tons empty, more than any other single engine fighter.

The Hawker Hurricane was not as famous as the British Spitfire but it destroyed more German aircraft because it was used mainly to attack enemy bombers and the Spitfire to destroy enemy fighters.

Aerobatic pilot Renny Price is a retired airline captain and has logged over 23,000 hours since his first flight in 1969. Renny dives his Russian designed and built Sukhoi-29 during his performance. The Sukhoi is considered to be the very best two place unlimited competition aircraft in the world today.

Veteran air show pilot and performer John Mrazek follows his son in a Harvard Mark IV. Richard is flying a Yak 18T.

The two Mrazek are performing a spectacular aerial ballet.

Vicky Benzing makes a low pass in front of the crowd with the Cascade mountain range in the background. Her flying career has spanned over thirty years. Vicky is also a skydiver and an air racer. In 2015 Vicky made history as the "Fastest Woman Racer" when she qualified at the Reno Air Races at 469 mile an hour.