Gary Whitcutt

Another iconic WWII fighter/bomber capable of 400-plus mph. The Germans hated it. The Japanese hated it. And, for good reason. Twin 12-cylinder Allison engines, heavy duty machine guns and cannons in the nose.

An older Italian single engine jet trainer that has good speed and handling. Good for sightseeing.

This is a very fun plane. It's been around for a number of years, but it handles very well. That is, until it can drop like a rock as you've slowed down above the airstrip and discover flaps aren't what they should be. Just avoid short runways.

The B.2 shown here has a wingspan of 105 feet - 10 feet wider than the earlier B.1. I've flown it in X-Plane only 3 or 4 times and have managed to land it without any trouble - whereas I struggle with the B-52. Parking requires a good sense of peripheral vision. So far, so good.

We all know what this is. This image captured over North Seattle as it approaches Seattle-Tacoma International on the horizon.

Another 70 year old plane the U.S. Air Force still has plans for. I have yet to land one successfully. They are hard to slow down and even the runways at Edwards AFB are not long enough for me. Pathetic.

What is there not to love about the Hercules? For 70-some years, it's done nearly everything our military has required. And, it keeps going and going. I got to take the controls of one for about 10-15 minutes many years ago.

If you haven't tried one of these yet, you're missing out. It feels big, heavy, cumbersome and slow because it is. The PBY was built in more variants during WWII than nearly any other airplane, yet it is a flying boat. Over time, many have been converted into military and civilian water tankers that still survive.

Several of our allies flew this aircraft with great effect during WWII. It was one of the earlier and most advanced monoplane designs at the time. Other fighters were introduced as higher performance was needed, but many of the P-40s flew throughout the entire war.

As soon as the war in Europe ended, Douglas Aircraft refitted the tried and true C-47 for commercial air travel. We all know it now as the DC-3. So dependable and forgiving, hundreds are still in service in all parts of the world.

At first glance, it has similar lines of a Spitfire. It was a decent fighter, but the French developed this plane in too few numbers to be of any real consequence to the German Luftwaffe.

I was not aware of the Havoc until recently. Douglas aircraft designed and built many airplanes during WWII and this is as nice as a twin engine attack bomber got in that time frame.

Touch and go practice at Ault Field, NAS Whidbey Island - just a few miles west of me.

You're looking a the business end of the most famous carrier-based fighter of the Vietnam War era. 60-some years old and a number still fly with the rag tag air forces of underdeveloped countries around the world. The Phantom has a speed of over Mach 2.

WWII produced quality aircraft of every conceivable description. The Corsair was excelled in every way but visibility at takeoff and landing. It was a hot rod - get it in the air and open the throttle - this plane could handle over 400 mph. And, with its huge flaps and an experienced pilot, it could approach a carrier deck at only 60.