Any Schwarzkopf Katapult's left?

[ParkTrips]

Title sums it up. The Mitch's poll thread got me thinking about the few credits left that I really want to hit. Last one of these to operate was at Miribilandia briefly a few years back - what happened to that one? Or what happened to the one that was owned by a fair operator in Europe? Anyone have any ideas if it will ever be possible to ride one of these?

 

Thanks

[robbalvey]

No - The last one that operated was at Mirabilandia a couple of years ago. That one, I believe is in "storage", but there are none currently operating anywhere.

[simon8899]

Also none left on the german carnival circuit - I so loved them.

 

As far as I can remember one once stuck upside down and poeple had to be freed by the fire department - after that they disappeared....

[Popcorn54]

What is a Schwarzkopf Katapult and what does it look like?

[tdub96]

Its basically a small, compact shuttle loop. The coaster is launched out of the station, around a tight turn and up through a loop, then back through the station.

[andyuk200523]

 

This should help you figure out what a Katapult is, looks interesting, I have never ridden one, but still think the Weiner Looper is more epic

[simon8899]

As a small kid I've also seen a "Drachenlooping" ("Dragonloop") which was a complete cicular loop with the train inside - I was to....ahem....scared to ride it but surely would be cool today....

 

What I mostly liked about the Katapult that it could go backwards. Once they had a bakcward train at Heide-Parks BigLoop Vekoma MK-1200 - so cool - but only for one season.

 

Parks should starting putting trains backwards on the track....

 

I've once seen pics form the Edmonton Mall Mindbender with a backwards mounted front-car at the end of the train - hope to ride it one day.

[andyuk200523]

^^^ Usually referred to as a "Ring Of Fire"

 

There are plenty of them left in the USA I believe, they usually travel the fair circuits, I can think of a few "ghetto" trip reports that feature these recently!

[Der Der Dongt]

There used to be one at Allgäu Skyline Park but it also got removed like 10 years ago and in 2005 replaced by a lame Skywheel.

Picture

It was the first coaster I rode with inversion(s).

 

When I went to Freizeitpark Plohn (El Toro Germany) two years ago they had a "Ring of Fire" but I don't know if it's still there.

[SeaWhippet]

Wildwood NJ actually featured TWO of these strange Schwarzkopf devices during the mid-80s, which is odd since so few were built. I rode both units and found them be just OK. They use the same propulsion system as the wonderful Wiener Looping, which I rode both at Circus World/B&B (with ONLY lapbar restraints) and at the Munich '89 Oktoberfest. The Katapults lacked the intensity and speed of The Wiener but they were interesting to watch. Hopefully, some operator will bring one back into service.

 

-S

[ScottBrown]

So this thing is basically a Schwarzkopf BAYERN-KURVE with a loop

[QueerRudie]

The Katapult was a refinement of an earlier Schwarzkopf design: The Shuttle Loop, which was quite popluar for many parks. He refined the original design, and combined it with the recent use of the Friction Design lift that was starting to work it's way into his larger portable coasters for the fairground circuit in Europe

 

The best information on them can be found HERE at Schwarzkopf.Coaster.net

 

As well as HERE at the same site.

 

I can only hope that some park picks up the stored one, and gives it the love that it deserves.

 

R.D.

"Certifiably lunatic Schwarzkopf Fanboy."

[ScottBrown]

There are quite a few Schwarzkopf coasters in storage I hope somebody will give the love they deserve at this point

[dragonskeep]

I actually rode The Weiner Looping without having seen it run before. It was a walk on and just sitting there so we got on. It was quite a surprise the first time, great ride.

[Gilly]

Sorry to bump this old topic, but rcdb reports that the Mirabilandia's Katapult now travels in Oman.

 

http://rcdb.com/3429.htm

[cfc]

^It's perfectly OK to bump an old thread if you come across some new information to share.

[tanthonyam]

I beleive the Weiner Looping (Bullet) is currently in storage at Selva Magica in Guadalajara Mexico.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Yes it is!

Selva Magica management took us back to get "up close" with Bullet, during the TPR Mexico Tour in late March.

Ah....erm...Robb's on top there.

[Aceattack52]

It's too bad none of them are operational right now-it is a very interesting concept.

[fraroc]

It's too bad none of them are operational right now-it is a very interesting concept.

 

 

Well, if you count the one travelling in Saudi Arabia/Oman/Yemen (of all places, man), there is still one last Katapult in operation, hopefully there are more in storage.

[Aceattack52]

^ I checked RCDB, if there are more in storage then there's only 5 others. It had a pretty good efficiency, 1,500 riders per hour.