December 1, 2013 - Massey Aerodrome Open Hangar Party

The big flying event this time of year is the Massey Aerodrome Open Hangar Party, which always takes place in early December.  Surprisingly, the weather usually cooperates.

And so it was this year as well.  It wasn't that cold, the skies were clear, it was not too windy.  OK, it was a little hazy and the ground is brown and grey, not a day for a scenic flight, so it is nice to have some place to go.

The party was from 1PM to 5PM but from experience I know people arrive at this fly-in early and leave early.

I arrived overhead Massey Aerodrome around 11:45 after the ten minute flight from Essex Skypark.   As you can see, quite a few people had arrived ahead me.   By listening to the Unicom frequency, I knew there were many in the pattern so I arrived overhead at 2,000 feet to figure out the best way to join the fun.  I decended to the east and followed a Skylane back in at pattern altitude.  Everyone was landing on runway 02.

 
   
They had the hangar set up nicely for the party.
   
Setting up the food table.
   
More tables set up in the adjoining building.
   
The Sleigh gets old after awhile so Santa has his own single-seat, low-wing he likes to put around in for fun.
   
The Wright Brother's 1902 glider replica hangs overhead.
   
This display had an interesting take on what they think happened to Amelia Earhart.  Personally, until they find a piece of aluminum with her Lockheed Electra's N-number on it on some island, I will believe she just ditched at sea with empty gas tanks in the vast Pacific ocean.
   
A big Waco troop-carrying glider model.
   
An immaculate Cessna O-1 "Bird Dog", the military variant of the Cessna 170, extensively re-designed .   It was used for forward air control and reconnaissance in Korea and Vietnam.  A South Vietnamese pilot landed one of these loaded with his wife and five kids on the aircraft carrier USS Midway the day before the fall of Saigon.  Johnny Carson sidekick Ed McMahon was a Marine pilot and flew 80 combat missions in Korea in a Bird Dog.
   
The main parking area was filled by the time I arrived.
   
A show car worthy of being pictured in an aviation web log!
   
The DC-3 looks better every time I see it.
   
One of the classiest planes of all time: the Beech Staggerwing.
   
This open-cockpit biplane was built from a kit, and is called a Fisher Celebrity.
   
This one is powered by a Rotec radial engine.
   
Sweet looking engine.
   
A very nice-looking Great Lakes biplane which I believe is based at Clearview Airport.   It takes a tough pilot to fly an open cockpit aircraft in December!
   
Swift
   
 
My friend Karl flew his little Kitfox-Lite over from Denton.
   
Something new this year; they parked planes along the main runway.
   
There's always a wide variety of planes at Massey.  Here from left to right:  a Waeix, RV-8, Pitts S2C, Husky and Maule.
   
Mugsy and Bromo flew over from Easton.  I was surprised at how few RVs flew in.
   
My hangar neighbor Tom K.'s Maule sporting brand new seats.
   
A Cessna 152 with the "Texas Taildragger" conversion.
   
Watching takeoffs from "the grassy knoll".
   
 
   
Crossing the Chesapeake Bay on the short trip home.   Attending the Massey Aerodrome Open House is a nice way to spend your Saturday.
  !
I found the following great pictures on the Massey Aerodrome website.   Wow, I wish I knew how to take pictures this good!
 
Here I am coming in for a landing.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Anthony in his Decathelon.
   
Essex Skypark pilot Brian D. arriving in his Cherokee.
   
Clearview Airport pilot, Brian C. arrives in his Great Lakes.
   
The Great Lakes is worthy of a second look.
   
Easton pilot Bromo arrives in his RV-8.
   
Another Essex Skypark pilot Chip arrives in his Skyhawk.
   
I don't know who this Citabria's pilot is, but I like Citabrias and I like this picture, so there it is.
   
Dan W. from my EAA Chapter in a Sky Arrow.
   
The Fisher Celebrity with the radial engine.
   
Karl in his Kitfox Lite takes off.
   
Karl and Dan fly close formation overhead.
   
One of the famous Trunk Monkeys, Mark takes off in his Citabria.
   
Essex Skypark pilot and hangar neighbor Tom K. arrives in his Maule.
   
Mugsy arrives in style in his RV-8.
   
A Stearman on firing run.
   
Essex Skypark pilot Whitey arries in his Skyhawk.
   
This Waiex lives at nearby Ridgely Airpark.
   
The magnificent Staggerwing on short final.
   
The Staggerwing gets unlimited pictures displayed.
   
 
   
 
   
Overhead views at the peak.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
   
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