Thanks, for the Ping. ..horrible event. :((
My prayers are out to Jimmy FRanklin and Bobby Younkin's FRiends and families. A tragic loss of two most talented and colorful aviators.
I have been a Jimmy FRanklin fan since the 1990 NAS Corpus Christi airshow -- he wowed the crowd with his aerobatic and wing walking routines in that huge (for an airshow aerobatic airplane) Waco.
I forget who the wing walker was at that show, but on his closing manuever, an inverted pass over the seawall, the engine quit at about 50' AGL. Jimmy simultaneously began pumping the "wobble" fuel pump and rolled the plane upright, preparing to land it on the seawall. Fortunately, the engine restarted and a much relieved (writer's speculation!) Jimmy and wing-walker departed the pattern!
I have seen Jimmy numerous times since then, including at least 6 of the Masters of Disaster shows. Incredible! Wicked Awesome! Those phrases don'e even begin to capture the beauty and spectacular show they put on.
The aviation world will miss these two very accomplished showmen/aviators very much.