~ Louis "Speedy" Babbs ~

[airtwardo 7]

http://www.movielanddirectory.com/star.cfm?star=113840

For some reason...I kinda LIKE this guy!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[councilman24 37]

How the HELL did you find this?

And NO, YOU CAN'T CARRY BOMBS! At least not HE. Some of the stuff is already incendiary.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[airtwardo 7]

And NO, YOU CAN'T CARRY BOMBS!

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Now ya tell me?!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[councilman24 37]

I SAID not HE. I KNOW you jump incendiary!

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[Amazon 7]

He is kinda flaming there isnt he.

[howardwhite 6]

Well, as long as you're Googling:
http://motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=119
http://www.westland.net/venicehistory/articles/accidents.htm
http://www.westland.net/venicehistory/articles/aviation.htm

HW

[NickDG 23]

Is the act getting kinda stale?

I knew you'd someday progress from fireworks to bombs . . .

NickD BASE 194

[airtwardo 7]

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Is the act getting kinda stale?

I knew you'd someday progress from fireworks to bombs . . .

NickD BASE 194

Yeah....using HE will 'liven' it up...once!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[airtwardo 7]

July 4 1932
Parachute jumper battles fiery death in clouds. Louis Speedy Babbs aerial daredevil was to leap from a plane at 8000 feet and descend by parachute while operating a fireworks show. Unfortunately his clothes caught fire at 5000 feet, and spectators didn't realize it until his writhing body, enveloped in flames, dropped from the fog into the clear a few hundred feet above the ocean. Speed boats rescued him - he had severe first & second degree burns. One of the bombs prematurely exploded. The bag was strapped to body - brand held in his teeth.

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Now I REALLY like this guy!!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[poppenhager 1]

I met Speedy in the late 50's while doing a demo on the state fair midway in Florida.He worked for Deggler amusments out of Stuart,Fl.and was doing his drome ack.During our conversation it turned out my father had road the drome with him in the 30's.
After speedy retired from show business he was Erve Digglers pilot flying him from show to show during the season.
Speedy would fly to my DZ (Indaintown) on week ends to BS with the jumpers.He was so busted up from his injuries that he could barely get in and out of his C-172 and I would tell the jumpers that is how they will be walking when they get Speedys age
A great guy and story teller. Pop

[howardwhite 6]

Perhaps you will also instantly like the late Col. Emmett L. (Buddy) Plunkett.

In a story in the June '71 Parachutist, Rick Valley writes:

"During his barnstorming career a real estate firm in Tampa, Florida paid Emmett $2,000 to perform to help attract attention to their development sites. This stunt turned out to be the most spectacular of his career.
"A few weeks before the stunt was supposed to take place over Tampa Bay he pieced together an old Jenny. It was in such poor shape he wouldn't even test fly it before the stunt was to be performed.
"He attached a gallon can of gasoline just forward of the cockpit, with two copper tubes leading from the can down to the bottom of the lower wings.
"At the end of the tubes were two spark plugs attached to a magneto in the cockpit. On the great day, he climbed into the cockpit, started the engine, and nursed it to 3,000 feet over Tampa Bay. He then turned the stop-cock, allowing the gasoline to flow down the copper tubing.
"The gasoline vaporized as soon as it hit the slipstream. Emmett then made a swift turn of the magneto crank and as the Jenny exploded into a ball of fire, he dove over the side. He drifted down under his parachute and was picked up by a waiting boat."

HW