Tribute to Jimmy Franklin

[195511SM]

Was watching 20/20 tonite ( July 22,2011 )...and heard about Amanda. Condolances to Kyle & her extended Family. I never saw her perform, but I've certainly seen Jimmy & Kyle MANY times over the years. Been a few since I've gone to an airshow, and so I'm also just now learning that he & Amanda's Father died back in 2006. I must have dozens of photos of his plane(s).  My heart goes out to everyone.

[danrdsscada]

Thought about Jimmy this morning and had to check in, they are still not forgotten.

[TurboRanger96]

Everytime my dad saw the Waco parked on the runway at Sussex he would say, Jimmy is here...It's gonna be a good airshow. It didn't matter who else was performing Jimmy flew the hell out of that airplane every time! He came to the airshow for 20+ years. He is a hero of mine and I will never forget him. Even though he was famous he was very approachable and nice to all the fans. A true class act and I feel priveledged to have seen him fly!

[slayer109080]

Man this sucks..

my grandpa was good friends with Jimmy Franklin.

but this dude was amazing

[lucy2999]

@slayer109080 hey thats cool i am friends with Kyle Jimmy's son. i used to take care of the flowers at his home airport in southern Missouri. remember he may be gone but he will never forgotten

[shaggyxb]

RIP Jimmy Franklin and Jim Leroy, it was an honor to meet Jimmy in Iowa at aviation expo a R/C event where Jimmy did a full scale airshow. The two of them will be missed.

[pasley21]

You forgotone one ,Bobby Younkin

[shimon174b]

Really you are right.

This could have been much better, especially if I'd had more photos of both men. I did the best I could at the time. (this was like my second video)

[rcmodelr]

@shaggyxb Were you there the same year I was when he performed??? That time, his inverted flat-spin extended to altitude where upon recovery, from the spectator bleachers where I was watching from, his landing gear actually kicked up visible bunches of DIRT FROM THE GROUND!!! The year I saw him perform at Ankeney, Iowa (or was it when the Byron Originals show was still in Ida Grove, Iowa???), his recovery looked like MILLIMETERS between CRASH and continued flying!!! He kept FLYING!!!

[rcmodelr]

@shaggyxb Does that event still operate? Started out as Byron Original's Aviation Expo in Ida Grove, IA, then sold out to Ankeny Iowa... Saw Jimmy Franklin at one of those 2 locations...  Did inverted flat-spin recovering low enough aircraft landing gear hit the ground kicking up soil!!!

[skyslideshows]

sad.. R.I.P

[JessicaKeys96]

Brings tears to my eyes.

Will always remember that sound of the air rushing through the Waco's wires.

Nobody could do that but Jimmy F.

[EdRB140]

Good Video. Jim had 39 years of doing airshows.

[EdRB140]

Jim was one of those people that you meet once in a lifetime. It was a great experience to grow up in the same town and be a part of the Franklin family. I will always cherish the years that I knew him and his family. Every time I open the hanger door and see whats left of the Jet Waco it reminds me of how much he is missed (along with his dad "Zip" and his mother "Valorie")

[NIGHTEHAWK]

im going to miss the old burd and jimmy.

R.I.P.

[sarlomon]

RIP

from Portugal ...

[f3nd13y]

i have been to oshkosh every year since i was born and he was my favorite pilot to watch it has and will never be the same with out him i met him in person really great guy even though i met him when i was 8 years old!!!

[j1mdandy]

I saw him at Oshkosh, thought it was one of the greatest ideas ever.

[modleman]

all of them were amazing, it was a shame that Jim Leroy had to pass a few years later. he died on one of the days that Oshkosh was running. all a shame...

[mikeb172sp]

I will never forget seeing him perform in the Sussex Air Show in NJ. The best show I have ever seen. RIP

[pilotpie4]

ya......... i also liked booby younkin also

[Spayne007]

he is an airshow legend r.i.p

[EasyFive4U]

I am sure going to miss seeing him come to Oshkosh For EAA airshow... My personal favorite was the masters of Disaster