Blue Hawk (roller coaster)

Hunt's Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey purchased and installed this roller coaster, naming it Kamikaze, in 1989.[1] Kamikaze was purchased by Six Flags and relocated to Six Flags Over Georgia, where it was given the new name Ninja. Ninja was placed in the park's Cotton States section and sits roughly where Z-Force was previously located prior to its removal after the 1990 season, opening to the public on March 1, 1992.[2]

The ride received extensive work in 2016 and did not open with the park for its new season. The ride was repainted with blue track and gray supports, the track was inspected and repaired as needed to improve smoothness, and the trains were replaced with two new models featuring soft vest restraints instead of the previous over-the-shoulder harnesses.[3] Park guests were invited to vote for one of three potential new names for the ride—American Eagle, Air Commander or Blue Hawk.[3] After more than 6,000 votes were cast, voters selected Blue Hawk as the new name, followed by American Eagle and Air Commander.[3] The renovated ride is themed to the American military and re-opened to guests on June 9, 2016.[3]

One of Blue Hawk's new trains

Blue Hawk uses two 28-passenger trains, each with seven cars carrying four passengers in two rows of two seats. Riders are held in place using vest-style restraints.[3] As Blue Hawk departs the station, it turns to the right, dropping slightly before another right turn to start up the 122-foot-tall lift hill. Upon cresting the lift, the roller coaster dives downward to the right before swooping up into the first major element, a two-inversion butterfly. Exiting the butterfly, the train enters a wide-radius 270-degree curve to the left, setting up the third inversion, a reverse sidewinder.

Blue Hawk climbs a gentle slope before making a U-turn to the left and entering its final element, a double corkscrew. After completing the final inversion, the train banks to the left and passes very close to the station and under the reverse sidewinder, then turns right prior to entering the main brake run. The train exits the brakes and makes a final U-turn to the right to set up the return to the station.

Prior to renovation, the coaster was featured as Walley World's "Velociraptor" in the 2015 film Vacation.

• Blue Hawk at the Roller Coaster DataBase