thunderbolt85
Friday, June 26, 2015 10:56:49 AM
So wanted to get a topic going on here about Link Shows, remember some about them, but would like to hear some more history on the show, spots, rides, etc.

Did anyone on hear book or work for them. They had some pretty big midways at the Ohio State Fair from what I remember in AB years ago.

bigjlh
Saturday, June 27, 2015 7:44:15 AM
thunderbolt. imho.wade shows is a modern version of link shows.still alot of the spots they play were old link show spots.it was a sight to see when r.a.s.and link combined for a while.huge european arsenal of rides.that whole a.c.a.thing was huge. thank you bigjlh.
thunderbolt85
Monday, June 29, 2015 9:47:52 AM
Originally Posted by: bigjlh 

thunderbolt. imho.wade shows is a modern version of link shows.still alot of the spots they play were old link show spots.it was a sight to see when r.a.s.and link combined for a while.huge european arsenal of rides.that whole a.c.a.thing was huge. thank you bigjlh.



I bet it was a sight to see, yeah got to thinking about Wade after I posted that, and that forgot too that I did see Link one time down in Columbus Ga where they had the Rainbow and Enterprise if I remember correctly.
Flying Coaster
Thursday, July 9, 2015 11:19:41 AM
I helped move and operate the Sky Wheel for Forrest Walz on Link Shows for the last two years before he and his wife retired in 1990 and sold their 3 rides which were booked on with Link. Favorite spot was also the most challenging, Happy Hollow at the Illinois State Fair, back before they moved the midway and shrunk it down to what it is now.
All Skywheels should be yeller.
flamo
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Thursday, July 9, 2015 11:45:31 AM
There were several big shows back then, most long gone. Olsen, Kraft, World of Mirth, RAS, Strates, King Reid and Collins to name a few. There were several railroad shows . Back then there were few trailer mounted rides and fewer hydraulics. Almost everything was done by hand. Needles to say there was Goodings Million Dollar Midway. Those were the good days
I'm there, Old, Tired, Broke and Henpecked
Rockowheel
Thursday, July 9, 2015 12:45:53 PM
No question FlyCo, that was one feat of engineering how you spotted that Sky Wheel especially those years putting it up near the Happy Hollow entrance. I got to see it first hand and still marvel at the pics with all that blocking. And yeah IMHO the midway in Springfield these days can't even compare to those old days of Olson, etc. in Happy Hollow........
Originally Posted by: Flying Coaster 

I helped move and operate the Sky Wheel for Forrest Walz on Link Shows for the last two years before he and his wife retired in 1990 and sold their 3 rides which were booked on with Link. Favorite spot was also the most challenging, Happy Hollow at the Illinois State Fair, back before they moved the midway and shrunk it down to what it is now.



Flying Coaster
Friday, July 10, 2015 12:10:13 AM
The good thing about Springfield was we had about eight days after Urbana IL to do whatever repairs were needed and get there at a leisurely pace. We would spend Saturday blocking and leveling the trailers, loads of jacking and cranking. Next day set up the booms and raise the towers and grease and clean stuff. Next day pin spokes and finish setup. All with no lot clutter from other rides and trucks. Teardown was run and gun and down to DuQuoin. I was fortunate to work with Forrest, arguably one of the best Skywheel men ever. He knew that ride inside out and backwards, and took very good care of it. I had worked on MBGS's old Hershell and Arco's Skywheel previously and the difference was night and day.
All Skywheels should be yeller.
thunderbolt85
Friday, July 10, 2015 6:54:33 AM
Originally Posted by: Flying Coaster 

The good thing about Springfield was we had about eight days after Urbana IL to do whatever repairs were needed and get there at a leisurely pace. We would spend Saturday blocking and leveling the trailers, loads of jacking and cranking. Next day set up the booms and raise the towers and grease and clean stuff. Next day pin spokes and finish setup. All with no lot clutter from other rides and trucks. Teardown was run and gun and down to DuQuoin. I was fortunate to work with Forrest, arguably one of the best Skywheel men ever. He knew that ride inside out and backwards, and took very good care of it. I had worked on MBGS's old Hershell and Arco's Skywheel previously and the difference was night and day.





Now, I wasn't on the Sky Wheel crew but we had one on Childress and I remember a spot where they had to do the same. Grass lot, Peach festival in Gaffney and the Sky Wheel was on a down slope, by the time they were done, you could almost walk under one of the trailers. Lots of work with the railroad jack.
swooper
Friday, July 10, 2015 7:34:29 AM
Originally Posted by: Flying Coaster 

I helped move and operate the Sky Wheel for Forrest Walz on Link Shows for the last two years before he and his wife retired in 1990 and sold their 3 rides which were booked on with Link. Favorite spot was also the most challenging, Happy Hollow at the Illinois State Fair, back before they moved the midway and shrunk it down to what it is now.



Was that the single axel one that was once Amusement Corporation of America's?
Flying Coaster
Friday, July 10, 2015 11:20:27 AM
Originally Posted by: swooper 

Was that the single axel one that was once Amusement Corporation of America's?


Yes. I think Forrest purchased it from Rod. It had recently been refurbed and was easily one of the nicest ones on the road. It was racked on 3 trailers purely out of convenience. He had a flatbed trailer with 2 diesel plants mounted on the front end. You would back it between the trailers and drop the forward facing wheel axle, truss rods, and booms on it as well as the main axle. Saved teardown time as well as lots of weight on those single axle trailers. After he sold it, it was in a park somewhere up north for a while. A few years ago I saw a skywheel for sale on A&P Enterprise shows site, I'm almost sure that it was that one. I always wondered what happened to it. Forrest tried like hell to get me to buy it but I just didn't have the resources. I'll find pics and post later.
All Skywheels should be yeller.
Flying Coaster
Friday, July 10, 2015 12:57:46 PM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Now, I wasn't on the Sky Wheel crew but we had one on Childress and I remember a spot where they had to do the same. Grass lot, Peach festival in Gaffney and the Sky Wheel was on a down slope, by the time they were done, you could almost walk under one of the trailers. Lots of work with the railroad jack.



In Happy Hollow I could walk under the king pin of one of the trailers and I'm 6'4.
All Skywheels should be yeller.
thunderbolt85
Friday, July 10, 2015 3:36:30 PM
Originally Posted by: Flying Coaster 

In Happy Hollow I could walk under the king pin of one of the trailers and I'm 6'4.




wow, lot of work, that's pretty interesting about the third trailer, so on the single axles you only had the tubs, towers, spokes, was the bull wheels on the third or still racked on others.
Flying Coaster
Friday, July 10, 2015 4:16:37 PM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

wow, lot of work, that's pretty interesting about the third trailer, so on the single axles you only had the tubs, towers, spokes, was the bull wheels on the third or still racked on others.


Bull wheels were on the main trailers, one faced up, one down.. Wind braces were also on the third trailer along with a majority of the blocking.
Interesting modification Forrest made to the gantry; he modified the uprights to be telescopic, (imagine a miniature forklift mast) with cables and winches so that after the boom superstructure was assembled, you raised up the gantry beam and hoisted the bull wheel halves into place with the electric chain hoists rather than muscling them around. Freakin' genius. Anyone who has wrangled a Skywheel into the air knows how awkward and potentially dangerous pinning the bull wheels could be.
All Skywheels should be yeller.
Flying Coaster
Friday, July 10, 2015 11:53:45 PM
Happy Hollow, ISF 1990-ish. Tinsley's popper in foreground.
UserPostedImage 

These pics were taken in about 1981 or 82 or so. Still date at a shopping center on the west side of Champaign IL immediately after the Illinois State Fair.

UserPostedImage 
Notice the nicely painted blocking ^^^

UserPostedImage 
UserPostedImage 
UserPostedImage 
UserPostedImage 
UserPostedImage 
All Skywheels should be yeller.
swooper
Sunday, July 12, 2015 6:09:41 PM
That sky Wheel was on the east coast from around 1963,64-1967 booked with A of A until 1967 when they got theirs.
it used 3 trailers then.i understand mainly because it was over weight when loaded on single axles in some states.
I said earlier Amusement Corporation of America, but i remember back then it was group owned by a group, Spectacular's Inc.

Red Wood and somebody Cook and one other person.

Do we know the manufacture date?
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