New Ride Thriller Loops The Loop (Sep, 1936)
New Ride Thriller Loops The Loop
THRILL seekers at county and state fairs, carnivals, and other amusement resorts will this year be offered all the thrills of a test pilot and all the safety of a train ride in the new Loop-o-plane. The new ride whirls its passengers in a giant loop, keeping them all the while securely strapped to their seats. It is six times stronger than necessary.
Called “The Divebombers” at the town fairs of my 1970s childhood in Scotland, but that had two capsules a hundred and eighty degrees apart, so that they counterbalanced. I never had the courage to try it.
“It is six times stronger than necessary.” And the Titanic was unsinkable. I just love those claims!
Rick
There’s a similar contraption at the Calgary Stampede. It’s funny watching people’s stuff come out of their pockets because they didn’t listen to the ride operator’s warning …
There was (Still is?) similar ride in Linnanmäki, Helsinki. It had 2 capsules like the one Stephen mentioned, but they also rocked from side to side. That was the only ride which made me really nauseous back in the 70′s…
Theres nothing more fun than a ride in a trebuchet!
@Hirudinea: LOL. Best comment yet!
Rick
It looks like it’s before the time they fenced off these rides too.
> It’s funny watching people’s stuff come out of their pockets
When I was in college and had a summer job at an amusement park, I used to bolster my wages substantially by gleaning coins from around the ride after my shift. You could hear them rattling down the rails of the “Toboggan” roller coaster I ran. Compared with the $1.50 an hour minimum wage of the day, that was the sound of a pretty good income supplement.
There still are a few Loop-o-planes still in operation, scattered about. Most if not all are double-pod versions (with the two pods moving around in opposite directions). Here’s a page with a couple modern pictures: http://www.flatrides.co…
Everly aricraft (who manufactured this ride) also (later) made the Rock-O-Plane, Roll-O-Plane, and Fly-O-Plane rides, which were among the first rides to send riders upside-down or something approaching upside-down. I think Jari’s ride was the Roll-O-Plane, which looks similar but has rather different motions.
DrewE: That’s the one! It was a Roll-O-Plane. Seems to be decommissioned in -77.