Attendants of Tankfest Northwest look through the barrel of a M2 155mm Field Gun on Saturday at the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum in Everett. (Ian Terry / The Herald)

Attendants of Tankfest Northwest look through the barrel of a M2 155mm Field Gun on Saturday at the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum in Everett. (Ian Terry / The Herald)

Thousands attend family-friendly Tankfest at Paine Field

EVERETT — Tankfest has grown from a handful of armored vehicles chugging around a patch of tarmac at Paine Field into a full-day festivity with tug of war, a water balloon toss, a pinata (dangled from a military tractor) — and tanks. Lots and lots of tanks.

The dozen or so tanks tearing around Saturday gave the Flying Heritage &Combat Armor Museum a bigger tank force than Luxembourg, one of NATO’s smallest members. There were also artillery pieces, armored personnel carriers, jeeps and other restored military vehicles. Thousands of spectators came out to see the powerful machines rumble and roar.

Gripping the steering bar of the museum’s biggest tank, an M60 main battle tank, Dusty Smiley took it out for a few laps for the crowd. He showed off the roughly 50-ton beast’s nimbleness, chugging left and right. The turret spun around, swinging the tank’s cannon past spectators in grandstands and lining the metal barricades ringing the driving range. The tank’s gun does not fire.

After the display, Smiley, who works for the museum, pulled back into the M60’s parking spot among the stable of military vehicles.

“You need to tighten the tension on the left,” called one man standing on the other side of the temporary fence.

“You probably got two cylinders not firing properly,” said another man to Smiley, as he lifted himself out of the driver’s hatch on the M60.

The men all know the M60.

“I used to sleep in one,” said Bud Gleim, a U.S. Army tanker from 1976 to 1978. He served in A Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment, in Friedberg, which was then in West Germany.

Seeing and hearing the M60 move “was awesome,” said Gleim, who lives in Tacoma. “It was just like old times.”

Serving in the armored forces was challenging and rewarding, he said. “We worked hard together, we played hard together, we trained hard together — and if need be, we were ready to all die together.”

Smiley was glad to have the former Army tankers on hand, even if they did tease him for his time in the Marine Corps.

Driving the M60 “is a lot of fun,” he said. “It handles really well, actually.”

The tank came to the museum in 2016, a gift from the Jordanian army. It is part of its growing collection of military vehicles and planes. It unveiled two additions Saturday: a British Churchill tank from World War II and a massive 155 mm field gun from the Cold War.

The museum, which is owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, plans to add several more items over the next few months, said Adrian Hunt, its executive director.

Tankfest is Flying Heritage’s biggest event of the year. Crowds likely exceeded the 6,000 spectators expected, Hunt said.

“Our goal is to have operating planes and tanks, and to share them with the public,” he said. “There’s no better opportunity for that than Tankfest.”

His goal is to make it Snohomish County’s must-do event for Memorial Day weekend, he said.

The event started in 2010, and has been especially popular with families. The museum is working to expand its audience.

“We want to get more people and get more young people and school groups here,” Hunt said.

Flying Heritage’s goal this year is to increase the number of visitors from about 35,000 in recent years to 41,000 this year.

“We’re ahead of schedule through first four months of the year to reach that,” he said.

Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dcatchpole.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Family searches for answers in 1982 Gold Bar cold case murder

David DeDesrochers’ children spent years searching for him before learning he’d been murdered. Now, they want answers.

A SoundTransit Link train pulls into the Mountlake Terrace station as U.S. Representative Rick Larsen talks about the T&I Committee’s work on the surface reauthorization bill on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Larsen talks federal funding for Snohomish County transit projects

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Everett) spoke with Snohomish County leaders to hear their priorities for an upcoming transit bill.

Irene Pfister, left, holds a sign reading “Justice for Jonathan” next to another protester with a sign that says “Major Crimes Needs to Investigate,” during a call to action Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Arlington. (Aspen Anderson / The Herald)
Arlington community rallies, a family waits for news on missing man

Family and neighbors say more can be done in the search for Jonathan Hoang. The sheriff’s office says all leads are being pursued.

Mary Ann Karber, 101, spins the wheel during Wheel of Forunte at Washington Oakes on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lunch and Wheel of Fortune with some Everett swinging seniors

She’s 101 and he’s 76. At Washington Oakes, fun and friendship are on the menu.

Northshore School District Administrative building. (Northshore School District)
Lawsuit against Northshore School District reaches $500,000 settlement

A family alleged a teacher repeatedly restrained and isolated their child and barred them from observing the classroom.

Jury awards $3.25M in dog bite verdict against Mountlake Terrace

Mountlake Terrace dog was euthanized after 2022 incident involving fellow officer.

Everett City Council on Wednesday, March 19 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Everett council to vote on budget amendment

The amendment sets aside dollars for new employees in some areas, makes spending cuts in others and allocates money for work on the city’s stadium project.

Bryson Fico, left, unloaded box of books from his car with the help of Custody Officer Jason Morton as a donation to the Marysville Jail on Saturday, April 5, 2025 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Books behind bars: A personal mission for change

Bryson Fico’s project provides inmates with tools for escape, learning and second chances.

Protesters line Broadway in Everett for Main Street USA rally

Thousands turn out to protest President Trump on Saturday in Everett, joining hundreds of other towns and cities.

Signs in support of and opposition of the Proposition 1 annexation into RFA are visible along 100th Avenue West on Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Voting underway in Edmonds RFA special election

Edmonds residents have until April 22 to send in their ballots to decide if the city will annex into South County Fire.

LifeWise local co-directors Darcie Hammer and Sarah Sweeny talk about what a typical classroom routine looks like on Monday, April 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett off-campus Bible program draws mixed reaction from parents

The weekly optional program, LifeWise Academy, takes children out of public school during the day for religious lessons.

An EcoRemedy employee checks a control panel of their equipment at the Edmonds Wastewater Treatment Plant on Thursday, April 17, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds launches technology to destroy PFAS

Edmonds is the first city in the country to implement… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.