Heritage Flight Museum

Museum Location

Nestled at the Skagit Regional Airport just west of Burlington, Washington, the Heritage Flight Museum is another interesting aviation museum in the Washington state. Founded in 1996 by William and Valerie Anders, this museum boasts a collection of approximately 15 aircraft, some with very unique history.

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Founding and Early History

The inception of the Heritage Flight Museum can be traced back to the North American P-51D Mustang “Val-Halla” that Bill Anders flew in the Reno Air Races. This aircraft became the first in the museum’s collection. Bill Anders, a notable figure in aviation history, became a U.S. Air Force Major General and NASA astronaut. He is renowned for his role as the lunar module pilot on the Apollo 8 mission, during which he captured the iconic “Earthrise” photograph.

North American P-51D Mustang “VAL-HALLA”

Aircraft Garden

Museum’s visitors are greeted by an impressive F-89 Scorpion Gate Guardian, similar to the one Bill Anders flew early in his military career. This iconic aircraft, together with the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM and the Bell UH-1B Iroquois, forms the Aircraft Garden at the front of the museum. These displays, along with a Wright Cyclone engine, offer a glimpse into the diverse range of aviation aircraft housed within the museum. We visted the museum when the Aircraft Garden was still under construction.

Northrop F-89J Scorpion

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero

One of the standout exhibits is an aircraft that looks like a Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Interestingly, this plane is actually a heavily modified Harvard Mark IV, a Canadian version of the North American T-6 Texan. It was meticulously converted to resemble a Zero for the 1970 movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and has since appeared in numerous aviation films and television shows.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM

The Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider

Another notable aircraft in the collection is a Douglas AD-4NA (A-1D) Skyraider, known as “The Proud American”. This aircraft has a storied history, having served aboard the USS Kearsarge during the Korean War. It was later sold to the French Air Force and saw action in Algeria, Djibouti, Madagascar, and Chad. The museum acquired this aircraft in 2004 from Belgium and brought it back to the United States.

Douglas AD-4NA (A-1D) Skyraider “The Proud American”

The Interstate Cadet “The Pearl”

One of the more historically significant aircraft on display is a blue and yellow Interstate Cadet, nicknamed “The Pearl.” This aircraft holds a special place in history as it was flown by Cornelia Fort and her student over the island of Oahu on the morning of December 7, 1941. Cornelia Fort had the distinction of being the first U.S. pilot to encounter Japanese aircraft during the Pearl Harbor attack. Despite the chaos, she managed to safely land the aircraft, narrowly avoiding being strafed and rammed. Cornelia Fort later became a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) but tragically perished in March 1943 during a ferry flight.

Interstate Cadet S-1A “The Pearl”

The Cessna O-2 Skymaster

The museum also features a Cessna O-2 Skymaster, distinguished by its unusual push-pull engine configuration. This military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster was utilized during the Vietnam conflict for forward air control and psychological operations roles.

Cessna O-2A Skymaster

The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver

Part of the early museum collection, the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver remains a beloved aircraft among bush pilots, particularly in Alaska. Although its production ceased in 1967, hundreds are still in operation. The museum’s Beaver is painted in USAF rescue colors, reminiscent of the aircraft Bill Anders occasionally flew in Iceland.

de Havilland Canada L-20A (DHC-2) Beaver

Additional Aircraft on Display

During our visit, several other aircraft were on display, including Cessna O-1G Bird Dog, Cessna 180, and Fairchild PT-19 Cornell, as well as two Beechcraft T-34B Mentors, a Boeing-Stearman PT-13 Kaydet, and the North American T-6D Texan “Hog Wild Gunner”. We also spotted a Cessna T-37B Tweet, Bell H-13G (Model 47), and a partially disassembled Convair L-13B Grasshopper.

Beechcraft T-34B Mentor

Grumman G-44 Widgeon

While roaming the tarmac outside the museum, we also encountered a privately owned Grumman G-44 Widgeon amphibious aircraft. The Widgeon was originally designed for the civil market, but during World War II, it served with the US Navy, Coast Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and Army Air Force, as well as with the British Royal Navy.

Grumman G-44 Widgeon

John Deere tractors

On the day of our visit, we were also surprised to see a couple of dozen vintage John Deere tractors parked in front of the museum. It turned out that members of the Cascade 2-Cylinder Tractor Club, who also share a passion for historic aviation, were visiting as well.

John Deere tractors

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