September 30, 2017 - Easton Airport Day

It's that time of the year again!  Easton Airport Day and world famous rubber chicken drop contest.

I flew over to Easton on Friday.  Mugsy, Lawbreaker and I practiced dropping rubber chickens at a secret, nondescript grass field somewhere on the Eastern Shore.  My practice drop was excellent.  My hopes soared.

Unfortunately, I hardly took any pictures this year and neither did anyone else, so I don't have much to show for the Easton Airport Day.

Here the owners of a big Grumman TBM Avenger are loading the bomb bay with rubber chickens.  You are only allowed to drop one chicken in the competition but can drop as many as you want (or can) only they don't count for competition purposes.
   
Bruce Vinal, professional aviation photographer, was on hand to take great p;ictures like this.
   
The view early Saturday morning outside the place I stayed at.
   
Saturday morning started off with a complimentary breakfast at Trident Aviation at Easton Airport.
   
The owner of Trident Aviation owns and flies this Christian Eagle, among other neat planes including a T-34.
   
The brief of the mass formation/chicken drop contest started at 10AM sharp.  The brief is very serious.
   
Actually, Mozam gave the brief, and it is serious.
   

Panchito, the B-25 based at Georgetown, flew and I think dropped a rubber chicken or two.

This year was the best ever in terms of attendance; over 5,000 people showed up
 
   
Due to some no-shows and mechanical issues, we only had 16 or so planes in the mass formation, including five RVs (Riggo, Mugsy, Blade, Lawbreaker and myself).  There were the Red Star aircraft -- CJs and Yaks -- T-34s, a couple of T-6s.  We did a three or so passes in the mass formation followed by overhead breaks for the rubber chicken dropping passes.
 
I had a friend at work's son riding with me -- Paul Michael.
 
Here "The Judge" annouces the winner of the dropping contest.  And it was Mugsy!  His second championship!
   
Unfortunately, one of the chicken bombardiers stuck his arm too far out of the cockpit and dislocated his shoulder.  (After a quick trip to the hospital, and a few strong drinks at the hangar open bar, he was fine).
   
The crowd -- including Lynnette -- walking among the planes after the mass formation & chicken dropping contest.  It wasn't as cold as it looks; maybe a little windy.
   

 I have to comment on the quality of the food provided to the pilots.  It was unbelievable!  Best fly-in food I’ve ever had.  Ever.  Better than most restaurants.  All meals – Friday lunch, Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner were taken in the hangar, prepared by an on-site (at hangar entrance) caterer.  Dinners included a well-stocked open bar.   The highlight was Saturday dinner with a huge tray of giant shrimp for the appetizers, prime rib, and, oh by the way, crab cakes.  All as much as you wanted.

Giant shrimp; as much as you want!
   
Saturday evening’s entertainment is a kangaroo court, featuring The Judge, which is really funny.
   
 Unless you are a pilot who has blundered during the event and is called before the court!
   

Riggo used to fly A-10s for the Maryland Air National Guard at Martin State Airport.  In fact, he painted his RV-8 in the same scheme as the A-10s he used to fly.  One of the Martin State Airport A-10s flew over to be a static display at the Easton Airport Day so Riggo got the opportunity to have his RV-8 parked next to an A-10.  He got a little emotionally carried away and this otherwise great picture had to be censured slightly.  This is a family web site, after all.

All the following photos were taken by that other great aviation photographer Mugsy.
   

Then someone had the brilliant idea to hang the AGM-65 KFC delivery system on one of the A-10s weapon stations.

 
   

Here Mugsy supervises the load crew as they insert the ordnance.
   
The A-10 pilot can't wait to drop this new ordnance type.
   
 
   
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