Historic warbirds touch down at Felts Field for Neighbor Day

For John Sessions, airplanes are more than just machines. They’re like fine art, he said, with only so many in existence.

“You can’t buy them all,” he said.

But the Historic Flight Foundation founder has tried to collect as many planes as he can, ranging from early versions of commercial airplanes to aircraft used during World War II. Five airplanes from the Historical Flight Foundation’s inventory will be on display for the public at Felts Field on Saturday for its seventh-annual Neighbor Day.

Airplanes up for show include a P-51 Mustang, F8F Bearcat, TBM Avenger, DC-3 and DHC-2 Beaver. From Felts Field, a Boeing 40, Grumman Goose, Stearman, T-28 Trojan and the sheriff’s helicopter Air 1 will be among the aircraft on display.

Each plane is historically significant in some way. Built in 1936, the DC-3 was the first successful commercial airplane. It was part of a time when airplane travel was for the elite and people dressed formally to fly, pilot Skip Forster said.

The planes weren’t very fast, with most models able to cruise at 207 miles an hour at the height of the plane’s use, but people would use it for long, transcontinental flights. It was also used during World War II, dubbed the C-47 by the military, to transport people and cargo.

The DC-3 at the event, painted in the livery of Pan American Airlines, flies at about 160 miles an hour and seats 12 people. On Friday, it took passengers on a 30-minute tour of the Spokane area, flying over downtown and much of the city before returning to the airport.

The TBM Avenger was a World War II torpedo bomber used to sink enemy ships; its most famous pilot was Navy Lt. j.g. George H.W. Bush, future president of the United States. In addition to the Avenger, P-51 Mustang and F8F Bearcat fighters will be on display.

Many veterans participate in Neighbor Day and have taken rides in the planes. It’s meaningful for them to have a visual prop to tell their children and grandchildren about their experiences, Spokane International Airport spokesman Todd Woodard said. The airport expects to have about 12,000 people show up for the event.

Living history rides in the DHC-2 Beaver will occur every hour on the half-hour beginning at 9:30 a.m. Rides in the DC-3 will take place every hour on the hour beginning at 10 a.m. DHC-2 Beaver flights cost $95 per passenger, and DC-3 rides are $195.