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This shot was taken at the Great Tennessee Airshow 2005.
This is Jimmy Franklin in a modified jet Waco biplane taking off on the taxi way.



Unfortunately about one and a half months later, in Saskatchewan, Canada; Jimmy Franklin And Bobby Younkin had a mid air collision while performing a "Masters of Disaster" airshow.
Neither Survived.

Nice shot, shame about the accident though,

Yeah News About the accident Was a Shock.

Afterwards the remaining original team member, Jim Leyroy, was joined with John Mohr(stock p-17 stearman) and otto(Schweizer 300C) in "A Tribute to the Masters" for the remainder of the season.

Next Season, so ive heard, will include Jimmy Franklins son("Wild Machine"or something like that ), Gene Soucy and Teresa Stokes (Biplane And Wingwalker), And The two Shockwaves driven by Les Shockley and Scott Shockley.

Anyways No one will replace Jimmy Franklin or Bobby Younkin.

I remember seeing Jimmy Franklin at a little airshow in Sussex about two summers ago. I can't help remember but think, "Hm, a jet engine strapped to a biplane. THAT can't be safe.. "

He was however a very talented flyer. I remember the show very well and it's a shame I can't see him fly again.

Yeah News About the accident Was a Shock.

Afterwards the remaining original team member, Jim Leyroy, was joined with John Mohr(stock p-17 stearman) and otto(Schweizer 300C) in "A Tribute to the Masters" for the remainder of the season.

Next Season, so ive heard, will include Jimmy Franklins son("Wild Machine"or something like that ), Gene Soucy and Teresa Stokes (Biplane And Wingwalker), And The two Shockwaves driven by Les Shockley and Scott Shockley.

Anyways No one will replace Jimmy Franklin or Bobby Younkin.

You should have seen the show here in Wichita.  Greg Shelton was added to this mix and it was an awsome show.

Anyways No one will replace Jimmy Franklin or Bobby Younkin.

Amen to that... but it's good to hear Jimmy's son will carry on the tradition.

Ah, the Jet Waco was something else.  Just the sound of it was amazing to hear - one minute it's just the jet sound, then the next the luscious sound of the radial takes over.

FYI - Kyle is building a new Waco, with provisions for a jet engine.

Jimmy was an amazing pilot. I watched him perform 9 separate times over three days (his solo, wingwalking act w/ Kyle, and the MoD piece), so I really got a taste of his skills in the sky.

Take this for instance.


Bobby was performing a modified hammerhead - added a little spin to kick up some smoke - and Jimmy comes racing in from the west and blasts right through the smoke, and both emerge a fraction of a second later.

This image was taken the day before the tragedy.  I didn't bring my camera that Sunday for a few reasons - I had already taken 1,500 shots on Media Day and the opening day of the airshow, and also because the weather wasn't the greatest - the day began with a thunderstorm, and it was fairly overcast most of the day.  

I'm actually glad I didn't do any shooting that day - I know I'd have captured the incident in its entirety, and I'm not sure how I'd have felt about it.

Oops, I hope I didn't jack your thread.  Posted in the interest of keeping the legend of both the man and the craft alive and all that.  

I'm actually glad I didn't do any shooting that day - I know I'd have captured the incident in its entirety, and I'm not sure how I'd have felt about it.
 

Much as I would like to know exactly what happened, I know what you mean: I don't think i'd like to see that.

[quote]Oops, I hope I didn't jack your thread.