The Original Jet Waco-Jimmy Franklin

[TeleStratMan]

The Baddest Bi-plane to ever hit the skies piloted by the Airshow Hall of Fame Inductee the late Jimmy Franklin.

 

[Snattlerake]

Can you imagine the stresses on those wings?

 

[TeleStratMan]

Can you imagine the stresses on those wings?

Got to see JMF fly the Jet Waco 3 different times in person and each time it was awesome.
OKC =1999 and 2000 Joplin MO= 2005.

Some of his maneuvers he is pulling about 5-6 + G's. Tough on the airplane and the pilot. Pilots do get somewhat conditioned to G Forces.

 

[dennishoddy]

Quite the stunt pilot. Those maneuvers were impressive.

 

[DA 20]

During my 43 year career in aviation I met several air show pilots. Sadly most were killed when they lost a wing or just tried to recover too late and flew into the ground. I have seen enough people killed doing aerobatics that it has been several years since I watched anyone perform. One of my flight instructors was a well known aerobatic pilot in the 1950’s and he managed to live to retire.

Can you imagine the stresses on those wings?

 

[TeleStratMan]

During my 43 year career in aviation I met several air show pilots. Sadly most were killed when they lost a wing or just tried to recover too late and flew into the ground. I have seen enough people killed doing aerobatics that it has been several years since I watched anyone perform. One of my flight instructors was a well known aerobatic pilot in the 1950’s and he managed to live to retire.

I agree that Airshow pilots are in a very high risk / high reward business and I can write out a long list of ones that are no longer with us due to crashes.
The late Jimmy Franklin flew Airshows 38 years and died during an airshow at 57 years old in a mid air collision with another great airshow pilot -Bobby Younkin - 49 years old.

I have been to about 20 airshows during my lifetime and VERY HAPPY that I have never seen a fatal crash.

 

[surjimmy]

Wow, I would have been throwing up and passed out in the first 10 seconds.lol

 

[Timmy59]

I had a buddy in Sweetwater TX, Bob Sears who was a stunt pilot, it was amazing to watch.. Bob had 2 planes and they were tough, Haven't a clue what they were but he sure could put on a show.. RIP Bob..

 

[p238shooter]

Randy Harris used to borrow one of my hangars at Claremore when he thought his airport home in Owasso might get too soggy to taxi to the runway for the next airshows he needed to get to. Great Guy. RIP