Simviation Forum - Sussex '94: Lee Ollman & Jimmy Franklin

Feb 13^th, 2005 at 5:06pm

beaky Offline
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Gotta clear out my HD, so here's some more. Jimmy Franklin often flies with a wingwalker- this guy is Lee Ollman. Here he is climbing onto the "javelin" spar during the takeoff roll, which of course includes a hi-G pullup...

Now he's hanging from the landing gear, using only his hands!!! Yes, he has a safety strap, but he's using only his grip to hang on there. Amazing...!!

Next he climbs up top. There's a post there to lean on (with a belt, of course), but to stand there during Lomchevacks, inverted flat spins, etc... Lips Sealed

!!! I'd love to try it... maybe.

More insanity, including a 4-point roll on the deck. His body jerks each time the roll stops. Gotta be an athlete to withstand all this!

Now it's the gnarly poses: upside down; "the flag". All done right down on the deck.

Lee climbs back onto the spar for the landing, then gets a faceful of show smoke during Franklin's signature smoking ground-loop...

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Reply #1 - Feb 18^th, 2005 at 2:17pm

flyboy 28 Offline
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Nice. I think now that Waco has a jet engine strapped underneath.. Roll Eyes

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Reply #2 - Feb 18^th, 2005 at 11:13pm

beaky Offline
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Quote:

Nice. I think now that Waco has a jet engine strapped underneath.. Roll Eyes

Indeed it does. I posted some pics of it (at a later Sussex show) in the "Photos" forum not long ago... it's about the sickest thing I've ever seen. I love it!!
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=photos;action=display;num=...

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Reply #3 - Feb 21^st, 2005 at 11:58am

flyboy 28 Offline
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Yeah, it was there last year.

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Reply #4 - Feb 21^st, 2005 at 2:35pm

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

Nice. I think now that Waco has a jet engine strapped underneath.. Roll Eyes

It still don't seem natural to me. Undecided

Maybe they should rename it the Wacko. Wink

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Reply #5 - Feb 21^st, 2005 at 6:18pm

Jared Offline
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Wonderful shots!

I always enjoy watchin in awe as a waco goes straight up!

Yes it is unusual and unconventional, but I love it that way!

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Reply #6 - Feb 22^nd, 2005 at 12:16am

beaky Offline
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If Franklin wasn't so good in the Waco without it, it'd seem like a cheap gimmick. But he's a respectable (if insane) biplane pilot, and it's something else to see- and hear!! At Oshkosh, he did his jet Waco routine with Younkin in his Lazer, and a jet-powered truck roaring up and down the runway belching pillars of flame and smoke; they call it the "Masters of Disaster" show, because it's so chaotic. By the time they make the last high-speed head-on pass, you can hardly see what's going on with all the smoke!! And the noise- incredible!!
Call it vulgar, but I like it... Grin

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Reply #7 - Feb 22^nd, 2005 at 4:58am

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

a jet-powered truck roaring up and down the runway belching pillars of flame and smoke; they call it the "Masters of Disaster" show, because it's so chaotic. By the time they make the last high-speed head-on pass, you can hardly see what's going on with all the smoke!! And the noise- incredible!!
Call it vulgar, but I like it... Grin

Utter insanity if you ask me. Shocked

When is this show? I think I mght like that too. Grin

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Reply #8 - Feb 22^nd, 2005 at 7:23am

beaky Offline
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Utter insanity if you ask me. Shocked

When is this show? I think I mght like that too. Grin

They (Jimmy Franklin, Bobby Younkin, Jim LeRoy, Scott Shocklee) do it at venues on their usual rounds; they're known collectively as "The X-Team". I think they do Airventure every year, but other than that, I dunno. Couldn't find a pic of all three pilots plus the truck, but dig this:

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Reply #9 - Feb 22^nd, 2005 at 7:48pm