Kamikaze (ride)
A Kamikaze (also known as a Double-Arm Ranger, The Apollo, or the Skymaster, scissors and Sky Flyer) is a
Design and operation
The ride consists of a single stationary tower, supporting two 16-passenger gondolas on rotating arms. Passengers are arranged in rows of two, with the first four rows facing in one direction, and the other four facing opposite. During the ride, passengers are swung backwards and forwards to build up momentum, before the gondola performs several inversions. The two gondolas are connected to the motor so that they swing simultaneously; with one arm rotating clockwise while the other rotates counterclockwise.
Passengers are restrained by a
The entire ride can be stowed on a single 45 ft (14 m) trailer which requires a special permit to travel in the Continental United States, and can be assembled or disassembled in less than five hours, by two trained workers.
Older Kamikaze rides were powered by a 75 horsepower (56 kW) DC motor, coupled to a drive shaft which traveled up the tower to drive the rotating arms, but newer models are powered by the same DC motor mounted directly to a gearbox mounted at the top of the tower. This gearbox is manufactured by Brevini in Italy, with a coupling box made by PTG. The same planetary gear used can be found on a large quantity of earth movers all over Europe.
Variants
Similar designs have been produced by A.R.M. (Skymaster), Topfun, Meisho, Mondial (Sky Flyer), and Vekoma (Sky Flyer). There is a version of the ride called the Footloose, where the riders feet are dangling below the car. There is also a park model manufactured by Zamperla called the Hawk 48 where riders' feet dangle below the seats.
Appearances
- Australia – At least 5; Pharaoh's Curse at Luna Park Melbourne, five transportable Fabbri Kamikazes-Shockwave owned by Flaherty Family Amusements, Kamikaze x2 owned by Watkins and Lynch's, Ranger x2 Owned by O'Neill Shows and Show West, a Satori Kamikaze from New Zealand’s Larkin Amusements is now owned by Queensland Amusement Hire and an A.R.M Skymaster called the Hangover which is owned by Verfurths. Also a single-arm Kamikaze made by A.R.M called the Top Gun which is owned by East Coast Amusement's and Foster's Carnival Amusement's.
- The Bahamas – The Holiday Carnival hosts this ride.
- Brazil – Multiple transportable Kamikazes
- Canada – At least one transportable model, often featured at the Calgary Stampede.
- Colombia – Two machines operating at [River View Park and Great Adventure Park on this one is called RANGER]
- Costa Rica - One stationary operating at Parque Diversiones amusement park and one transportable model own by Stop Diversiones.
- Chile – At least one stationary operating at Fantasilandia.
- England – Voltar at Pleasure Island Family Theme Park, Cleethorpes and Flamingo Land Resort, Malton.
- India – Kamikaze ranger at mgm dizee land in chennai
- Japan – At least one Vekoma model with the name PaniClock at Fuji-Q Highland
- Malaysia – Tomahawk at Sunway Lagoon, Asteroid Attack at MAPS Perak
- New Zealand – One Kamikaze owned by Larkin Amusements
- Poland – One stationary Kamikaze operating as Space Gun in Energylandia
- Scotland – At least two transportable models. One stationary operating at M&D's.
- Serbia - one travelling model.
- South Korea – At least one Vekoma model, in Seoul Land with the name X Flyer, Apollo at Tongdo Fantasia, one Kamikaze at E-World with the name Ranger.
- United States – Aero 360 at FarFabbri, Texas, there are over 50 of these rides currently operating in the United States.