WOW, just WOW. Very impressive Spitfire, P51, Mosquito, Zero, B25, V1, V2, piloted 'V1' (!!) various armour....and much much more. What most shocked me most was going into the 2nd hangar and being confronted by this "mobile artillery piece". Huge barrel that could deliver tactical nuclear weapons. The Liberator's "tactical firepower" was impressive, and the 'plane maybe moreso because I see it and its little buddies flying over my house every year for Seafair. Slightly disappointed to not see the Hurricane - especially after watching Plane Resurrections https://www.netflixreleases.com/plane-resurrection-2015/ on Netflix - and because I'd built a 1:24 scale Hurricane in my teens. The Mosquito - albeit in pre-new-paint-no-props mode - more than made up for the missing Hawker. Next time, and no excuse needed. Just WOW. Oh, and the entry feel is paltry, which means that it makes sense to just keep returning to see what has changed, or just more detail, more chats with the docents or technicians.... (Had a good chat with the technician working on the latest tank acquisition. The engine and gearbox on the floor being worked was a special treat - instead of it being all covered up). read more

There's a reason the Flying Heritage Collection is unanimously given 5 star reviews by Yelpers. Well two reasons: 1) These are authentic, gorgeous, sometimes battle-proven World War II aircraft. 2) They can STILL fly and are flown on special times throughout the year! Trust me, this isn't your typical aviation museum. Almost every major plane that served in World War II is on display or occasionally in the air in this museum. Whether it was Allied or Axis, both of these power's air forces are given an equal representation. Each aircraft has its own unique story and for those of you who are not aviation buffs, the Flying Heritage Collection has an excellent mix of media and displays on World War II. Some examples of the aircraft they have here: Curtiss P-40C Tomahawk, Focke-Wulf FW 190 A-5, Hawker Hurricane Mk.XIIA, Me 163 Komet, Me Bf 109 E-3, Mitsubishi A6M3-22 Reisen Zero, Nakajima Ki-43(one of the very few left that is considered airworthy), North American B-25J Mitchell, North American P-51D Mustang(which was reunited with its original pilot after 58 years!), Po-2, Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc(a combat vet, part of "Free Czech" Squadron for RAF), Il-2M3 Shturmovik, and many others! I'd give the Flying Heritage Collection a 6th star for educating visitors on the less well known but heroic history of the "Night Witches". The "Night Witches" were the all-female Russian pilots who flew Polikarpov Po-2 bombers(unsophisticated & slow yet reliable biplanes) against German military units from 1942 to the end of the war. The women of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment(aka 46th "Taman" Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment flew over 23,000 sorties, became the most highly decorated female unit in the Soviet Air Force and had 23 pilots receive the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title. There is a great video on them which tells one of the many courageous stories of the men and women who served in World War II. Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, established the Flying Heritage Collection during the late 90's and his passion for these planes really shows. The museum is well maintained and everything on display looks clean and orderly. It really is special to see something that was flown over 60 years ago taxiing on the runway then watch it soar above the clouds as it was in WW2 today. read more

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My grandfather flew in the Royal Air Force. And when he came down with dementia all he remembered was his time as a pilot. Well they had a Lancaster there, it's actually cut so you can walk and see inside, and this was the type of plane he flew. It brought back so many memories for him, and it was amazing to see him be himself again! We will never forget our experience here! read more

Memorial Day Festivities....free for Veterans It was such an enjoyable visit. Never been here before and we picked a great day to make it. They shot off cannons, they had face painting, kettle corn popcorn, espresso and of course military vehicles and cool planes. read more

Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum - I saw this man with his WWII Vet hat on, just looking at the plane. Made my eyes water. - Museums Near Me - Everett, Washington

This is by far the best little collection of planes around. What makes it really great is knowing that they are all in flying condition. Even better, you are up close to each plane, none of this hanging from the ceiling, far away stuff. Drip pans under each plane to catch oil and other fluids from messing up the floor, really gives you the sense that are "on alert " and ready to go at a moments notice. They have a story of each plane's history, if only those birds could talk. Even my wife and daughter were captivated! I was burning up the sd card in the digital camera, the battery was even starting to fade, first time that's ever happened. You could almost picture the mustang performing a weave with his wingman. The B-25 was just unbelievable. FW, BF, Hayabusa, I could go on and on. Point is, you got to go to this place, better than Boeing. read more

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I could not believe it when i saw the aircraft that they had here. On top of that most are still in flight ready condition! When we showed up the lady at the counter told us that if we were interested in a guided tour she could set us up with someone in about 5 min. Shortly after that a man named Allen came over and gave us roughly a 2 hour tour of the aircraft. Pointing out all kinds of historical notes and bits that we would have missed had we just strolled through. This was so worth it, a great start to a wonderful day! If you are in the area, like history and cool machines, and have a couple hours to spare, you REALLY are doing your self an injustice if you don't give this place a visit. read more

Overall a great way to spend an afternoon with my son. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of their collection. We definitely need to come back on one of their special days where they get the tanks out (the reason my son wanted to here in the first place). They one star deduction is my son is probably a little young for all their static displays and all the brochures show all of their special days. If your older, this is a must see. read more

I'm coming back, that's for sure. 2 hours VANISHED and I was still in the first room. When I came home and told my friends about this fantastic place, no one really knew about it (even my friend who is a plane nut). Such a shame... FHC should put some $ into marketing to the their neighbors to the North, I bet people up here that spend time to see air shows in abbotsford that would really enjoy the FHC, if they only knew about it! 5 stars without a doubt. read more

Not only do you get to see old aircraft, you get to see them in perspective. This facility is not only about the planes, but the technology behind the planes. The best part is they are all still flyable. http://www.airlinereporter.com/2011/01/exploring-the-flying-heritage-collection-at-paine-field/ read more

Excellent museum, with very friendly docents. Keep in mind, everything you're seeing on display actually functions and flies.

Four of us had a great morning here. Two of us are pilots, but the non-pilots loved it too. A lot of unusual aircraft and the docents know them well. Don't take the "causes of war" exhibit as a source of history unless your essay title is "It is never the U.S.'s fault"! read more

When you first walk in, you get a nice smell of working engine parts and hot machine oil. It is a working collection and Mr Allen has some true rarities that actually do fly. Too much good stuff to list here but I highly recommend a visit and spark inspiration and interest in old-time flying machines and pretty bad-ass tanks as well. read more

We came here as a last minute decision to kill time before our late afternoon flight. And we are happy we did! Everett is about a 40 minute drive from Seattle and it's really easy to get to the museum. They have a great display of various kinds of aircraft used in the World War II. It was nice to be able to see aircraft, tanks, and other battlefield vehicles from other countries. Very clean and well organized too. Not to be missed! Especially if you are going to the Museum of Flight. read more

A True Gem There collection is amazing, with many rare finds. The docent that I spoke with was well informed and I learned many things about combat aviation that I did not know coming in the door. A wonderful visit! read more

Very well curated and maintained. They have a senior discount, and will also apply AAA discounts! I enjoyed the video displays , especially the night witches short film, about women Russian pilots. Two hangers, two small gift shops, and some beautifully restored planes. We enjoyed the experience. read more

This is probably the most engaging and technologically savvy air/combat museums I have ever been to. I could spend hours at the "Why War" interactive exhibit. I love how the collections are all accessible and well laid out with very creative videos and descriptions. This makes history come alive! Super job Mr. Allen!!! read more

The Flying Heritage Collection, to put simply, is amazing! Everything within the museum is restored to the point of the aircraft rolling brand new off the assembly line back in World War 2. The fly days are really good family fun and there are plenty of opportunities to get photographs of the planes in flight and on the ground. You also have the chance to meet the pilots who fly the aircraft as well as meet some of the veterans who also fly these aircraft! A number of the volunteers who work at the FHC are veterans who are more than happy to talk to you about the aircraft and their personal experiences with them and that just makes the whole museum atmosphere a more personal experience. read more

Tip top!! Beautiful planes and tanks, some one of a kind. If you are a plane enthusiast, make this a stop on your trip. A well informed staff will answer questions and shoot the breeze with you. We spent three hours and easily could have spent a couple more. Thank you Paul Allen for using your money to preserve these machines! read more

Awesome collection of vintage military aircraft. It's been a few years, but this is were I saw Bill Clinton speak on a campaign visit for local democrats. Grandma in soccer shoes,etc. At that time I saw a soviet tank, mig and some nazi aircraft. As I recall, Paul Allen brings everything in his collection back to a functionally restored state. We are lucky to have this facility in everett. Thank you Mr. Allen. read more

A fantastic place to spend the day. We took our uncle who was visiting from Houston. Weather was typical for January but the museum was warm, dry and welcoming. Had a blast looking at their vast collection of antique planes. Great employees who knew a lot about the specific planes and the history of the model. We'd highly recommend seeing it. read more

My grandpa the plane lover was in heaven. This place was nostalgic for him in ways I don't think anyone can understand whose father wasn't a barn stormer. He knew every plane in here, but it was something called the Mustang that really made him smile. I was impressed by the variety of the collection and I think I would've enjoyed it even if I hadn't been watching my grandfather's face light up as he found a plane just like the one his father flew. read more

Super awesome! the original White Knight One just landed here.

Never come to an air show. Parking is a nightmare, no directions. Shuttles take forever. Entrance is expensive. Just park outside and watch from outside the fence for free if you want. Everyone is unhappy from the shuttle situation. read more

Love planes??? Love tanks?? Love them when they work and go out and perform? Then this is THE PLACE TO GO! Truly, this is a remarkable collection with a museum facility that amazing. The docents are extremely helpful, the staff very friendly. Each month there is some special main event that occurs - but also other weekend events from board games, to video games, to model events, lectures, etc. Been twice and decided after attending the very successful SkyFair that we will become annual members. Parking, during non-event days, is readily available. If you arrive when it first opens, you may have most of the place to yourself...with docents that will make it an amazing visit. read more

Paul Allen's got a killer collection of warbirds. I had Jack as a docent who was very knowledgeable and whom gave a great tour. I have to make a trip back up when they fly during the summer. If you love this collection make your way down to Chino airport in California. They've got great museums and they fly their warbirds weekly. If you're an aviation nut like I am than it's a must! read more

Simply the best.this is the place to go for German ww2 aircraft enthusiasts. Very nice collection. read more

Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum - Fw190 with access covers open. Superb! - Museums Near Me - Everett, Washington

This was a memorable experience! I took my Fiance for a birthday surprise and he really loved it too. If you have any interest in old planes or WWII history, you will be blown away. If you don't, then the wonderment of it all might be lost on you, so you might as well stay at home and order a pizza, wash your hair, etc. Otherwise... get off your hiney and go. So in the last few years Paul Allen has taken to buying early War era airplanes (no replicas or reproductions... the real deal only!) and restoring them to their original grandeur... even to the point that many of them are still flown today... And they are housed up near the Arlington airport. One of the most impressive parts of our 2 hour tour of the hangar was our guide... an 84 year old World War II Veteran who was a tail-gunner in the B-17's. So he knows the history on each plane and lived through the history of it all. He embodies hero in every way, so if you need a dose of reality in the supposed "craziness" of everyday... this will be a reality check and breath of fresh air for you. We were permitted to get close to the planes and artifacts, take all the photos we want and ask tons of questions. I would love to go up there again on a day that they fly them! read more

I could describe it to you but you really have to see it to believe it. This has got to be one of the best collections of World War II warplanes anywhere (thank you Paul Allen). Sure, the Museum of Flight has a nice collection but they don't fly. All the planes here at FHC are restored to near original flying condition right down to the little oil leaks. These birds all get flown, especially on "fly days" during the summer weekends. The roar of these powerful piston-engined planes will literally send chills up your spine. They also have a Soviet T-34 tank and a few other land-based vehicles and weapons. The docents that work here are friendly and eager to share their knowledge, and boy they know a lot. I actually signed up for the $50 annual membership (single only, no family memberships available). I'm only a 15 minute drive away so I'll be back again and again. You should, too. read more

Our first visit to this small air museum, and so glad to finally come here. We were greeted by one of the docents, Hank, who gave us a very informative tour. You can wander and read the exhibit signs on your own, but the docents add so much information. Thanks, Hank. Beautiful examples of WWII fighter aircraft, US, British, German, Russian, Japanese. And they FLY! Also exceptional cut-away exhibits of piston and jet engines. We will be back, for sure. read more

Excellent museum! Very focused in scope, but the depth and quality of the collection and information presented is unmatched. The museum is extremely clean and the staff is friendly. They do have AAA discounts as well! It's well worth a visit. The Seattle area has many excellent aviation museums and experiences, but the collection makes this one a must see. You will see things that don't exist elsewhere. read more

This looks like an awesome collection on the web page. Don't go on a holiday, especially Memorial Day. The crowds overwhelm the limited parking. Our first attempt to park in an adjacent parking lot was met by a guy in a pickup truck that blocked the entrance and then put yellow caution tape across the opening. After determining that was the only lot that wasn't full we found another entrance that hadn';t been taped off yet. Don't believe the advertising that suggests veterans get in free. That is at the discretion of the woman patrolling the line, unless you are carrying proof that you served. Be prepared to be called a liar otherwise. read more

Super fun museum. We saw Japanese Zero planes. Docents are available to answer questions and geek out about WWII history. Planes from many countries are on display. The coolest part is that all of the planes are flyable. It's part of the mission of the collection. read more

Amazing aircraft in pristine condition. Fly days where they take them out for a spin. Tankfest where they take the tanks out and fire them. The docents are absolutely great - very knowledgeable & helpful, and they really bring the museum to life. It's easy to spend half a day or more there with the entire family. Just 3 words: Go see it! read more