Unfortunately I was not able to get the Mehlin Smith Hatz to the show. I found a cracked head and piston during the annual condition inspection this year and have been working on that issue. It was close, I had it all assembled with new parts but could not adjust a valve due to a pushrod length issue. I anticipate it will be flying in the next week or two. For those not familiar with this Hatz it was built by Mehlin Smith and I usually give lots of rides in it. It looks like this, with a Warner 145 engine.
Jim Hammond made it in his very nice, built very close to the plans, Hatz CB-1. Jim flew in from Ohio and managed to get there before the Wx hit. His Hatz is always a pleasure to see. This is what an 0-200 CB-1 plans built Hatz looks like. It flys great, I might add.
Luke Wuest made it down from Oshkosh, WI in the Snooty Hatz. This Hatz was built by Lorin Wilkinson, the fine aviator who started the Hatz Biplane Association. It is powered by a LOM in-line inverted engine. Lots of mods to this plane and outstanding craftsmanship. It is a great testiment to Lorins skill as a builder.
It was a pleasure to see old friends and meet new ones. I have often said the Hatz is a fine airplane but the people are really what it is all about. Jim and Jeanie Pinkerton were there and Jim gave the treasurers report at the annual business meeting. Jim has done this job for some time now, 6 years I think, and the Hatz Assoc is lucky to have him in that capacity. Thank you both. Doug Moury made his first meeting. It was a pleasure to meet him and we are fortunate to have Doug doing the website. It is great. Thank you Doug. After the fly-in Doug came by the house and we had a chance to talk and compare notes on Mehlins Hatz.
Lyman and Clifford Hatz made the Fly-in once again. It is really neat to have their knowledge and support at these events. Hatz off to them both for their support.
I had a nice visit with Ron and Margy Sieck. Ron built a near perfect Classic and graced the Aircraft Spruce catalog cover for an issue along with winning many awards at Oshkosh. He is currently rebuilding Jeff Cains Hatz built by Ray and Dorothy Hill. It will no doubt be perfect. Ron is a very talented builder, the type you admire and hate, because he is so good. I know I am going to leave out a lot of folks I visited with and met there but I can only type so much and there is so much more to say.
Kevin Conner and I spoke prior to the fly-in and he mentioned he and his friends were coming up on Thursday. I suggested they stay at my place and we could all fly over together (I thought Mehlins Hatz would be up and running) on Friday morning. It worked out really well as they made it to my place just before the rains hit. We managed to find hangar space for the two Hatz and also the C-182 mother ship. In the end I had 3 Hatz and a Supercub in my hangar. It was a little tight. It may be hard to see but there is another Hatz behind the cub.
We had a pretty good Hatz party Thursday evening, after touring all my neighbors hangars and the engine shop etc. Friday rained so much we borrowed a neighbors van and drove over to Brodhead to visit a while. Then it was rush back to Poplar Grove to see if we could get Mehlins Hatz together in time to fly over on Sat. At about 8 pm we were dead in the water on Mehlins Hatz but we did manage to have a great BBQ in front on the hangar. About 14 folks were there for a very informal and unplanned grill event. We were planning to be at Brodhead not in my backyard but figured with all the rain indoor plumbing seemed better than a flooded tent. We got up Sat morning to the sound of rain on the roof and the sump pump in my basement running overtime. Fortunately it cleared off and we flew the Hatz to Brodhead at around noon. The gaggle was Bill Bente and I in Dave foley's Hatz built by Claude Jochman.
And Chris Greenlee and Kevin Conner in N142SM.
Due to the impending weather Sat evening we came back to my place and had a ball burning up the pattern and doing an airshow for my neighbors. A gaggle trip for some Mexican food completed a perfect day. The four guys that camped in my living room...
Dave, Chris, Kevin and Bill (left to right)
