The Firehawk back-story...

[Shaggy]

I have quite a “Firehawk” back-story many of you may be interested in hearing. Now that the ride is “gone” I feel its ok to share…  I sat on this for 15 years now... LOL!

In 2003, I was invited to go to Six Flags Worlds of Adventure with the Paramount’s Kings Island Marketing Team on a “field trip.”  Jeff Siebert, David Mandt, Maureen (then) Kaiser (then the parks’ brand-new PR Director) and I spent some time taking in the park… it was a great day.  Specifically we all were there to ride X-Flight (later to become Firehawk) and it was then that I learned its true story.  Now, the KI Marketing Team was stellar - and never divulged any company information... However, after rides had opened, they would sometimes share the stories of how the ride came to be...  Well, the rumors all about the "X-Flight/Firehawk" have persisted since, so here’s your official verification…

As many as you may know already…  Vekoma first partnered with Paramount Parks to develop “Stealth” at California’s Great America.  Both KI and KD were already slated to get the 2^nd & 3^rd versions of the coaster in 2002.  The issues Stealth faced in development, coupled with the fact that Kings Island was under great scrutiny with their own bevvy of Son of Beast issues, Paramount Parks (specifically the park’s GM - Tim Fisher) made the decision to pass on the exclusive rights to the coaster and not install.  Vekoma, already in the manufacturing process, then offered the options to Six Flags who opted to quickly install the rides at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure and Six Flags America – respectively.  (As I understood, the routing & delivery of the rides was already scheduled – so rather than further complicate matters, Six Flags simply added them to the 2 parks closest to KI & KD.)  Paramount, who had funded Vekoma’s development of the ride, likely profited from the sale of the two coasters to Six Flags.  If memory serves me, it wasn’t finalized, but the working “theme” of the Flyer for KI was to be “Mission Impossible.” 

After the coaster installs for KI & KD were cancelled in late 2000, Paramount Parks R&D in LA immediately switched gears to develop a ride for KI to take the spot vacated in 2002.  Tim Fisher was behind much of the push to “modernize” Kings Island and removed what he considered “eyesore” and “dated” rides.  That’s why KCKC was demolished and Tomb Raider came into origin – as a direct reaction to the cancellation of the flyer.

Ironically, King Cobra at KI was originally going to be demolished in 1999 – and not open with Action Zone.  But once the development of “Stealth” began – KI opted to hold on to KC for two more seasons in order to swap a coaster for coaster…  The “new” “more vibrant” paint job that KC was given when Action Zone opened was a decision to mask what Tim Fisher considered an “eyesore” by that point in time.  After Action Zone opened, King Cobra was again slated for removal in 2001 as preparation for the Vekoma Flyer to be added in its spot.  Even after the flyer was cancelled, KC still met the fate of the wrecking ball after 2 years of the park attempting to sell it.  

It was on this day that I learned that Delirium & Scooby Doo’s installation in 2003 were a direct result of PKI passing of the Vekoma Flyer.  This trip was also the first time I heard the name “Dave Cobb” mentioned… Mr Cobb (unknown to me at the time) was already developing “Italian Job: Stunt Track” for KI’s 2005 season.  I met him later, when KI first installed the ride and learned that the removal of the Antiques and Flyers were a result of Tim Fisher's initiative to modernize the park.  Maureen Kaiser (with whom I rode X-Flight at SFWOA that very day) stayed with KI into 2007, and oversaw the PR of the coaster's installation before passing the torch to Don Helbig.  Tim Fisher (who by then had transitioned to Paramount's Carowinds) left the company in 2006 when Paramount Parks was sold to Cedar Fair.  However - ironically - it was while he was at Carowinds that the park relocated "Stealth" from Paramount's Great America to become "Borg:Assimilator" at PCow.   Mr Fisher joined Cedar Fair Parks as the COO in late 2017...  

So there you have it… a lot of the PKI rides installed in the early 2000’s were actually a domino-effect result of X Flight not going to Kings Island as intended. 

[SonofBaconator]

So no matter what, "Firehawk" would have come to Kings Island in some form or another? That's pretty cool 

[silver2005]

I  have some interesting bits  to add to this as well.  I got a coaster book a while back called 'Roller Coasters- A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the Ultimate Scream Machines' by Robert Coker. Its a hardback that goes over the basic history of coasters and delves into the many type and even includes worded POV's of a few notable rides (some include GhostRider, Beast, Volcano: The Blast Coaster, Son of Beast, and Millennium Force to name a few). 
 

The section on flying coasters is centered around Stealth (the book came out in 2002) and goes a little bit into the development.  Turns out the Dutch equivalent to NASA, NLR -the Netherlands Aerospace Centre, and a few other major contributors to such sciences from where Vekoma has their HQ, were all apart of the Stealth project. 

[fryoj]

Interesting. If it would have came and went in the KC location, We wouldn't have Banshee. Or at least not in it's current form. And as a somewhat confirmation of the story:

 

It's almost like Firehawk was designed for that spot... because it was. The one time Google having the old SOB imagery up being beneficial. lol

[Kenban]

It’s weird I have heard a lot over the years about how it was always supposed to be built at Kings Island.  I thought it was supposed to be the ride that replaced the Antique Cars and not Italian Job.  But this location makes a lot of sense.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Thanks so much for this information @Shaggy!

[lifetimecoaster]

Shaggy, your history knowledge of the park may be able to dispel a rumor that I once heard about Screamin' Demon in that it was a similar situation where Kings Island has wanted to build said coaster, and during the process decided not to go through with it, so their actual coaster went elsewhere, and ended its life in Angola Indiana as Afterburner, and somewhere in that stretch of time, KI ended up actually buying what would be known as Screamin' Demon from another park... 

Not sure the validity, but it was a neat story when I read it... 

[CoastersRZ]

I have not heard anything about that.  Screamin Demon opened at KI.  To my knowledge, it never ran at another park, prior to opening at KI.

Thanks for the interesting read Shaggy! 

The last few years that KCKC was around, it was certainly showing its age.  I just wish that that plot of land would receive more attention than just as a Haunt that is open for a month and a half.

[NoChickens]

Screamin Demon, as I understand, opened at KI. Then was moved to Angola and rebranded Afterburner.

[gforce1994]

Actually, @Shaggy, there is a bit more to the story. The KD ride was replaced with Hypersonic XLC, and after that, KD was going to be receiving the second RCCA wooden looping hypercoaster in the woods along the interstate. 

[Shaggy]

Re: Those curious about Screamin Demon - here's the blog I write detailing it's entire history...

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/august/thrown-for-a-loop

Re: The KD Flying coaster... I cannot speak to the details of the KD side of things, as I wasn't privy to specifics of that park - just KI...  I will say, I would question KD ever being slated to get an RCCA wooden looping coaster because:  RCCA didnt even finish the SOB project - they were fired before it was completed & KI was hellbent on being the only park in the chain with a looping wooden coaster.

 

[teenageninja]

I think the most ironic thing about this is that they tore down KCKC because it was an eyesore and installed a giant tan box in Rivertown.

[lifetimecoaster]

7 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

Re: Those curious about Screamin Demon - here's the blog I write detailing it's entire history...

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/august/thrown-for-a-loop

Re: The KD Flying coaster... I cannot speak to the details of the KD side of things, as I wasn't privy to specifics of that park.  Just KI... that's why I didn't speak to it.  I will say, I would question KD ever being slated to get an RCCA wooden looping coaster because:  RCCA didnt even complete the SOB project - they were fired before it was completed & KI was hellbent on being the only park in the chain with a looping wooden coaster.

 

 As per usual, I will certainly take your information over some anecdotal story I've read in the dark corners of the internet! 

[BlondyRidesOn]

I remember hearing somewhere that X Flight was supposed to be at Kings Island  the whole time. This adds a whole new meaning to "one of our own."

[homestar92]

1 hour ago, Shaggy said:

(As I understood, the routing & delivery of the rides was already scheduled – so rather than further complicate matters, Six Flags simply added them to the 2 parks closest to KI & KD.)  

Not to nitpick, but wouldn't Kentucky Kingdom have been the closest SIX property to KI? I guess it's not that much different of a drive though. Either going north on 71 or south on 71 to get to one or the other from KI.

[HandsUp]

18 minutes ago, teenageninja said:

I think the most ironic thing about this is that they tore down KCKC because it was an eyesore and installed a giant tan box in Rivertown.

Sums up the major disconnect that Paramount always had. For better or worse, Cincy folks are nostalgic and traditional. Don't tell us what's an eyesore! And don't get rid of the classics!

[gforce1994]

34 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

Re: Those curious about Screamin Demon - here's the blog I write detailing it's entire history...

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/august/thrown-for-a-loop

Re: The KD Flying coaster... I cannot speak to the details of the KD side of things, as I wasn't privy to specifics of that park - just KI...  I will say, I would question KD ever being slated to get an RCCA wooden looping coaster because:  RCCA didnt even finish the SOB project - they were fired before it was completed & KI was hellbent on being the only park in the chain with a looping wooden coaster.

 

I have the docs for KD, spent the last hour trying to dig them up. The funny thing is the plans list (Drop Zone in 03), Volcano in 98, go-kart arena, and Waterpark Expansions

[Buckeye Brad]

1 hour ago, Shaggy said:

Re: Those curious about Screamin Demon - here's the blog I write detailing it's entire history...

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/august/thrown-for-a-loop

 

Shaggy, sorry to derail this thread, but I have a question about the Screamin Demon.  Seems there is some confusion about whether or not it was at Fun Spot in Angola. For it's worth, I have an old Cincy Enquirer clipping from 1987 that claims it was headed for Fun Spot. Your blog (and RCDB) indicate it went straight to Camden, Furthermore, RCDB states that Afterburn at Fun Spot came from Florida.

Did the Enquirer simply get the facts wrong, or did the Demon's plan change after that was written?

[Shaggy]

The Arrow Shuttle-Loop coaster at KI - Screamin Demon - was only located at Kings Island, then at Camden Park as Thunderbolt Express.

The owner of Fun Spot originally attempted to buy Screamin Demon from KI in 1987 when they announced it's removal, but the deal fell through for unspecified reasons - but more than likely because he revealed to the press why KI was removing it (for "a flume ride" which ultimately was Amazon Falls)  The park opted to sell to Camden instead.

Arrow's original prototype Shuttle-Loop coaster was opened at Circus World in Florida (after KI's opened - Screamin Demon was the first Arrow Shuttle Loop to operate for the public) where it ran from 1977 until the park (later named Boardwalk and Baseball) closed abruptly in 1990.  The coaster was then purchased and relocated to Fun Spot in 1991 where it operated at AfterburnER until 2008.

 

[Buckeye Brad]

Thanks for clearing that up Shaggy.

And for the "Afterburn" clarification. :^)

(To me, AfterburnER was a "ride" that existed in the late ‘80’s, in a Rivertown arcade, where Diamondback was built)

[lifetimecoaster]

And sadly, Afterburner disappeared in February of last year, and no one knows where it went. 

[KIBeast]

That is some great insider info you shared @Shaggy. I had heard about the problems with Stealth and Paramount's decision not to install more, but you added so much more vivid detail. I too rode X Flight at Geauga Lake, but after Cedar Fair purchased the park. I never went to SFWOA as I had heard way too many complaints about that park. I should've gone just to say I experienced it. Anyhow, I loved the theme and colors of X Flight. Never cared for the new paint job it received as Firehawk. IMO, they should have stuck with a name that was similar to X Flight as it would have tied in to the X base theme plus you have FOF next to it. 

Also, I has not read your blog on the Screamin' Demon that was relocated to Camden Park as the Thunderbolt Express. However, you did respectfully correct me on this board about how Camden had acquired that ride. As you may know, people in this area had added on to the addition saying that Kings Island had owned the park and that's why Camden had received Thunderbolt. 

[Joshua]

So, in theory, there was to be a Mission: Impossible themed ride? Interesting! 

[upstop]

Wow! What a fantastic read! I’ve always been interested in the Kings Island that never was. Do you know of any rides that were considered but not installed? I recall hearing that the Eiffel Tower was slated to be replaced with something else, I can’t recall what it was to be though.

[BeeastFarmer]

@upstop  I had heard somewhere that Paramount was going to replace it with a Giant Wheel and have the Paramount stars incorporated somehow.  I don't know if it was sarcasm or legitimate.  I was fairly new to the enthusiast community.

[upstop]

Oh yes, That’s it! Thanks for reminding me. That would have been an awful move. 

[MDMC01]

10 hours ago, silver2005 said:

I  have some interesting bits  to add to this as well.  I got a coaster book a while back called 'Roller Coasters- A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the Ultimate Scream Machines' by Robert Coker. Its a hardback that goes over the basic history of coasters and delves into the many type and even includes worded POV's of a few notable rides (some include GhostRider, Beast, Volcano: The Blast Coaster, Son of Beast, and Millennium Force to name a few). 
 

The section on flying coasters is centered around Stealth (the book came out in 2002) and goes a little bit into the development.  Turns out the Dutch equivalent to NASA, NLR -the Netherlands Aerospace Centre, and a few other major contributors to such sciences from where Vekoma has their HQ, were all apart of the Stealth project. 

I have that same book! I love the ride bios (especially Stealth, Volcano and SOB) and I thought the "Aftershock" chapter was cool (that Invertigo picture, though... ), discussing future coasters like the Vekoma Tilt and Aerobatic. Did you know that according to the book, an idea for the Tilt Coaster was to have a design feature where riders could pick which track they wanted to experience on the way up the lift?

[BoddaH1994]

@Shaggy, great read!

Can you clarify where Firehawk was originally supposed to be installed? I’d heard it was intended for where it is now, this making the install much easier to install. I’d also heard it was going where Backlot is now. You mentioned that they were trading King Cobra for it. Does that mean they wanted to put it there?

[lifetimecoaster]

 If there is any validity to my local news station, they just said that it is being moved to Kentucky Kingdom. 

[Shaggy]

7 hours ago, BoddaH1994 said:

@Shaggy, great read!

Can you clarify where Firehawk was originally supposed to be installed? I’d heard it was intended for where it is now, this making the install much easier to install. I’d also heard it was going where Backlot is now. You mentioned that they were trading King Cobra for it. Does that mean they wanted to put it there?

It was going where King Cobra was.  It wasn’t going to be installed by FOF or behind the Eiffel Tower as rumors suggest.  I specifically asked Jeff Seibert this a few years back and he confirmed it was spec’d for Action Zone.