Franklin, Jim Waco UPF-7 / Jet Waco

Jimmy Franklin first conceived it, built it, and then flew it. He first debuted the Jet Waco in 1999, and quickly made it one of the air show world's most popular acts of all time.

The Franklin 1937 UPF-7 Waco biplane that has a conventional radial engine and a 2200-lb-thrust jet unit from a Cessna Citation bolted between the main gear. Warm the Pratt & Whitney R-985 piston engine up well, test the smoke system a few times for good crowd effect, pretend to take off in the normal fashion by pointing the nose into wind up the runway, then give it the gas: full noise but across the runway and straight up.

Jimmy Franklin put his Waco into a routine of loops and rolls, with son Kyle Franklin as wing walker, in pure jaw dropping entertainment. With over 4,500 lbs of thrust and 2,000 horsepower, Jimmy performed stunts that no one has ever attempted in this type of aeroplane.