Jimmy Franklin

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Jimmy Franklin flies his biplane while Kyle Franklin wingwalks, April 2005

Jimmy Marshall Franklin (May 16, 1948 - July 10, 2005) was a famous aerobatic and air show pilot. He was born to Oliver Gene “Zip” and Valerie Franklin in Lovington, New Mexico. Franklin loved aviation from the start and he learned to fly sitting on his father's lap, and one day while he was home alone at age 12, he sneaked out and flew his first solo flight. Shortly after, he taught himself aerobatics and began his 38-year air show career at the age of 19. He began flying air shows in a 1939 Waco UPF-7, the same type of aircraft he flew up until his death.

Over the years, Franklin introduced many new and unique acts into the airshow industry. These acts included a Waco routine with Elliot Cross called "The Dueling Wacos", a dual wingwalking routine, and Jimmy even portrayed a comic book/spaceage character he created named "ZAR", in which he flew an all black, twin-engine Aerostar called the "Starship Pride".

During Franklin's career, he has thrilled and amazed not only audiences in the United States, but all over the world. He also performed in air shows in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and even Australia. Franklin's talent can also be seen in countless movies and television shows, such as Terminal Velocity, Forever Young, The Rocketeer, ¡Three Amigos!, Choke Canyon, and World's Most Amazing Videos.

In 1999, Franklin debuted his latest project, the World's only Jet-Powered Waco. With the help of Les Shockley, creator of the "Shock Wave" jet truck, they were able to modify Jimmy's 1939 Waco bi-plane with a T-38 Talon (J-85) jet engine along with the 450 horse power Pratt & Whitney radial prop engine. With both engines turning, the Jet Waco put out over 4,500 pounds of thrust at over 2,000 horsepower, making Franklin's hands able to perform stunts no one has ever seen or even attempted in this type of plane. In addition to his normal air show routine, Jimmy Franklin also had a wingwalker routine. Franklin's list of wingwalkers was lengthy and included the legendary Johnny Kazian (who would also announce Jimmy's solo performance), Laurie Lynn Ross, Lee Oman, Carol Pilon, and even his son Kyle.

Jimmy's son, Kyle, was also bitten by the aviation bug from the start. He first rode in an airplane when he was just four weeks old. The Franklins family lived in an apartment inside an airplane hangar that looked out a glass wall into the hangar. That served as his favorite playground. He was at his father's side throughout his childhood, helping him work on and service Wacos, Super Cubs, and the Aerostar.

Kyle, an accomplished pilot in his own right, is not new to what some people would call "dare-devilish" feats. As a toddler, he learned to ride a tricycle on just two wheels and soon there after graduated to BMX freestyling and airwalking. At the age of eight Kyle fell in love with DeLorean cars. By age 11 he had mastered motorcycles. By his sophomore year in high school he had bought his own DeLorean, modifying it with a bigger engine, flame thrower, and oil-slick and smoke system, and worked it into the air show lineup.

Kyle became a very important part of his father's air show career. Besides serving as a wingwalker for his father, before and after the jet engine was slung underneath the Waco, he and his father were founding members of the new X-Team, which dubbed themselves as the Masters of Disaster, which began performing at air shows in 2003. The X-Team members included Jimmy Franklin, Kyle Franklin, Bobby Younkin, Jim LeRoy, Kent & Scott Shockley, John Mohr, and Kent Pietsch (with Rich Gibson of Rich's Incredible Pyro to join the following year). The X-Team's "Masters of Disaster" featured at least two of the above mentioned pilots, usually Jimmy Franklin, Bobby Younkin, and Jim LeRoy with either Kent Shockley with the Shockwave Jet Truck or Scott Shockley with the Super Shockwave Jet Truck (or at some air shows, both jet trucks). Kyle Franklin served as announcer and safety observer for the X-Team while the team was performing. The performance featured hair-raising opposing maneuvers at low altitude and high velocities while playing "chicken" with the jet truck spewing flames from its engines and pyrotechnics going off in the background. The conclusion of every X-Team performance featured a race between the jet truck and one or two of the participating pilots, with the remaining pilots coming in from the opposite direction and playing chicken with the racing pilot(s).

On Sunday July 10, 2005, Jimmy Franklin, Bobby Younkin, Jim LeRoy, and Scott Shockley were all invited to perform at the Saskatchewan International Air Show in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Each of the performers flew their separate performances and joined up to fly the X-Team performance over the two day air show. Sadly, Jimmy Franklin and Bobby Younkin were killed during Sunday's X-Team performance as both of their aircraft collided in mid-air towards the end of that day's flying activities. Jim LeRoy was not involved and was able to land safely.

Today, Kyle Franklin says that he will follow in his father's footsteps and plans to go forward for the 2006 air show season and debut several new acts to the air show circuit, which will include an aerobatic act with the Waco "Mystery Ship", a wingwalking act, an aerobatic act with a Travel Air Mystery Ship, a comedy act with a Super Cub, and the only motorcycle-to-airplane transfer in the air show industry. Kyle plans to perform many of the acts with Matt Younkin, who is the son of Bobby Younkin.

[edit] External links

• Memorial for Jimmy Franklin