This year's Buckers and Barbequeue fly-in came to a close this Sunday with smiling faces, well used airplanes and the feeling that more than any fly-in I have ever attended, it was truly a family re-union. Once again Barb, Larry and Vic Grondzki made it a weekend that no one who attended will soon forget. Good friends, good food and good flying.

The weather could have been better but it didn't spoil the event in any way. When it rained we talked, and when it didn't we flew.

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There were eight Buckers at Kittyhawk, belonging to (but not necessarily flown by) Steve Hawley, Richard Epton, Greg Stringer, Tom Muller, Brian Karli, Vic & Larry Grondzki, Robert Eckley and Gordon Clement.

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There were a couple of notables at the fly-in: The two Jungmanns made famous by Ernie and Jim Moser met again for the first time in many years, and Mira Slovak flew in (by airline) from the West coast.

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The two Moser Jungmanns. Bob Eckley's "Charlie Brown" on the left and Gordon Clement's on the right.

Another notable attendee was Pat Quin who once again travelled from California. Pat flew Bob Eckley's Jungmann from Atlanta to the fly-in and by all accounts had a great time. Thank you to Pat and to Joe Krybus for providing the event tee shirts.

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And there was even cake! - From left to right, here is Steve hawley, Mira Slovak, Greg Stringer, Gordon Clement, Larry Grondzki, Brian Karli, Talmage Scott's ear, Tom Muller and Pat Quin.

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Mira Slovak admires Richard Epton's Bestmann. The aircraft he first solo's in sixty years ago.

On Saturday evening, Mira stayed much longer than he had planned and re-told the story of his escape from Czechoslovakia in the DC3 he was flying, and other events from his remarkable life. (The scene reminded me of of a group of pre-schoolers sitting arround the teacher begging for just one more story. Wink )

Please look in the Gallery for many more pictures of the fly-in and if you have some pictures from the event, please email them to me so that I can share them.

As always, a HUGE thank you to the Gronzkis and to the kind people of the Kittyhawk Estates airpark for thier generosity and hospitality.