Flying Turns (roller coaster)
Flying Turns is the name of a specific model of bobsled roller coaster. John Norman Bartlett, a British aviator in World War I, came to North America after the war with an idea for a trackless wooden chute, full of twists like a bobsled course, with toboggan-like cars, based on a bobsled ride that operated in Europe. He had filed GB Patent 279109A for the idea in 1926.[1] Bartlett met John Miller in 1928, and they commenced building the new ride. When the ride went into production, much of the idea was the same, but the cars looks more like monoplanes, which Bartlett designed. Miller worked on the loading station, supporting structure, braking system and incline.
| Flying Turns roller coaster | |
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Both the bobsled coaster and the flying turns coaster are buildable in the RollerCoaster Tycoon and Thrillville series of video games.
Flying Turns installations
| Year | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1929-193? | Lakeside Park, Dayton, Ohio | prototype |
| 1930-1969 | Euclid Beach Park, Cleveland, Ohio | the tallest version built |
| 1931-1938 | Rocky Point Amusement Park, Warwick, Rhode Island | |
| 1933-1934 | Century of Progress World's Fair, Chicago, Illinois | moved to Riverview Park in Chicago |
| 1934-1963 | Forest Park Highlands, | destroyed by fire July 19, 1963. |
| 1934-1939 | Steeplechase Park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York | destroyed by a fire in 1939 |
| 1935-1967 | Riverview Park, Chicago, Illinois | relocated from the World's Fair |
| 19??-late 1940s | Palisades Amusement Park, Palisades, New Jersey | new version named the Lake Placid Bobsled |
| 1939-1940 | New York World's Fair | last Bobsled ride built by Bartlett |
| 1940-early 1970s | Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York | |
| 1935-early 1970s | Fyns Tivoli, Odense, Denmark | Moved and rebuilt more than any other Flying Turns. Brussels International Exposition (1935), Berlin Olympics (1936), Bakken in Klampenborg (late 1930s), Fyns Tivoli in Odense (1951) |
| 4 October 2013 | Knoebels Amusement Park & Resort, Elysburg, Pennsylvania | Was built from scratch by Knoebels' staff. Designed by John Fetterman from an original Miller and Bartlett design. Began construction in 2006 and was completed in 2008 but unable to properly operate until August 2013. Was finally open for a soft opening October 4, 2013 and officially the next day on the 5th. See also Flying Turns (Knoebels) |