skywheel88
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Monday, November 12, 2007 7:27:42 PM
See the Swing-Around type ride in the lower right hand of the pic? Anyone know what it is and anything about it? I saw one of these in a pic of Royal at the Florida State Fair in the early seventies and I've always wondered about it. Thanks in advance.
http://www.flickr.com/ph...16056/in/pool-skywheels/ 
Another shot of it,
http://www.flickr.com/ph...16714/in/pool-skywheels/ 
Kenny.

Skywheelrider
Monday, November 12, 2007 8:06:09 PM
That is a Mulligan Swings, that photo is Wade Shows from sometime in the late 1970's or very early 1980's. Reason I say that is the white seats on the Sky Wheel--Frank had them painted in colours in 1983. Oh, and notice the first photo is backwards? LOL

Anyways, Wade Shows carried the ride up until the late 1990's, the last time I recall seeing it was 1997, they were themed as the Love Swings. For years (basically most of the 1980's into the early 1990's) it was painted yellow and orange and called the Super Swings. Last I knew Midwest Midways had the ride (and had repainted it). As for what appears to be a top on it, I never saw it with a top myself. Okay, so does that adequately answer your question? LOL [^]

Better photo of it, taken back in 1994 in Westland, Michigan. It was still being set up almost every week then.

UserPostedImage

And one more shot, from the same spot, same year, taken from the top of the Eagle 16 Wheel, you can see it was not an overly big swings ride. Not a whole lot to it, actually. Pretty basic, flourescent lights on the sweeps, some incandescents around the top scenery. One trailer. And no "top." LOL

UserPostedImage

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skywheel88
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:55:47 AM
[:D]Very thorough answer, thank you Chris! I've only seen blurred shots of it so now I can finally sleep, lol.
Kenny.

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Tuesday, November 13, 2007 4:10:26 AM
That swing was on the 3rd unit for along time, since the 3rd unit evolved. The platform made you feel higher up in the air than you accually were. Great ticket grabber.
Trucker090
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 5:20:53 AM
Some great old pictures Skywheelrider. Thanks for posting them..
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kiddie ride red
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 5:24:57 AM
While the ride in question was manufactured by Clyde Mulligan it is not the Astro/Super Swings but a conversion of the Mulligan Space Shuttle. The Shuttle had rigid fiberglass seats that were attached by individual arms to the lower rim of the roof cornice. Hydraulic pistons attached to the sweeps at one end and to the seat arms at the other caused those seats to swing in and out from the center just as the Huss Swing-Around and the Apollo 16 that toured for several years on Gooding's Million Dollar Midway did. The one trailer ride was topped by an inflatable vinyl dome. I was working for Clyde in 1970-71 and we built several of them. One went to the Thomas Shows and another was sold to Roland Page of Buck-Page Exposition.To make the conversion the seats and hydraulic pistons were removed and replaced with chairplane seats whose chains were attached to the sweeps at the piston mounting brackets. The vinyl dome was also removed. The McDaniel Bros. Shows of New Jersey also owned a converted Shuttle.[8)].
Skywheelrider
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 2:24:59 PM
Ah yes, I neglected to mention that about the Space Shuttle. Thanks Kiddie Ride Red. Frank told me once that Rod Link had one of those Space Shuttle rides and he converted it to the Swings, and that the one Wade had was converted, also. Wade Shows also had a Mulligan Swings for years, well, it was independent but traveled with the show as I was told, and now Arnold Amusements has it.

In any case, seeing as the ride in the Flickr photos has a top on it, makes me wonder if it was not indeed a Space Shuttle and photos taken before it was converted to a Swings.

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skywheel88
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:25:52 PM
Thanks alot you guys, greatest source of info right here! Here's the shots of it on R.A.S., I'm pretty sure the owner of this album hangs out here too. Behind the kiddy bumpers:
http://home-and-garden.w...237669679047875071GdJkMz 
The blurry one:
http://home-and-garden.w...237668986047875071YKuCnP 
Kenny.

cny_chris
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:37:14 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by kiddie ride red
The McDaniel Bros. Shows of New Jersey also owned a converted Shuttle.[8)].



They still had it, as of 2006. Never saw it operate, however, as it was always collecting red tags from the NYS Dept. of Labor.
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Missin it
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:50:56 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by cny_chris

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by kiddie ride red
The McDaniel Bros. Shows of New Jersey also owned a converted Shuttle.[8)].



They still had it, as of 2006. Never saw it operate, however, as it was always collecting red tags from the NYS Dept. of Labor.



I saw them twice this season and it wasn't out. I also talked to the local inspectors and they did point out that their show has improved greatly as far as the inspections go.
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cme
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:53:08 PM
we played a spot them in NY they had no problems
BSA Mike
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 4:17:51 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Missin it

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by cny_chris

Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by kiddie ride red
The McDaniel Bros. Shows of New Jersey also owned a converted Shuttle.[8)].



They still had it, as of 2006. Never saw it operate, however, as it was always collecting red tags from the NYS Dept. of Labor.



I saw them twice this season and it wasn't out. I also talked to the local inspectors and they did point out that their show has improved greatly as far as the inspections go.



New Jersey will do that to ya
Missin it
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 4:33:53 PM
Funny you say that. Freddie said the same exact thing. He said he spent a lot of money getting that stuff to pass
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rockin ron
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 4:42:30 PM
The only Mulligan Swing I ever saw up was owned by Jim Cook.He booked it in with Jim McKnight when I worked for Mcknight in 1976 or 77.He also brought a King Comet,a Coaster,a kiddy Coaster, and a glass pitch onto the show when he came.It was a pretty piece,with scenery all the way from the top down the center with lots of flashing lights.There was one for sale earlier this year on usedrides.
Greg
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007 5:12:06 PM
Rod Link's Swing had the inflatable dome top on it. It was yellow & green striped. The sweeps & tower were yellow & the seats white. I drew it on a lot layout I did when I was 12 & that is the only picture I have, I wish there were some good pictures of Link Shows somewhere.
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