Can anyone name this defunct ride?

The Radar is (was) like a Ferris Wheel. The 2 cone shaped parts with the seats each functioned like a conventional ferris wheel but in addition to the vertical spinning, they would also rotate horizontally around the center of the ride. I've seen video of one of these in operation and it looks like a lot of fun.

Anybody have a clue what park the original pic is from?

Looks like it might be a carnival.

I actually rode a Radar at the Wisconsin State Fair in the 70's... all I remember was being terrified (i am not a big fan of regular ferris wheels either) so hanging in that little seat was not good :)

millrace, my suspicion is that Lee Eyerly was an aeronautical engineer, not a zoologist, and he probably only got the Octopus right because he got lucky.

Ever seen a "Bulgy the Whale", an Eyerly kiddie ride? Just look at the tails on those "whales". Everybody knows that whales have flat tails...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

It looks like the Matterhorn @ CP, except with cars that spin.

It does? I don't think it looks anything like this or this or this.

Rideman - I'm going to ask about the Spidopus now. Was it built with only 6 arms or is it missing 2 of the arms?

Maybe amusement ride companies should hire zoologists. I happen to know of one looking for a job ;)

I think it looks like an early scrambler. Except without the restraints. Well, all I know is that it probably spins in one way or another. :)

Maybe someone should just email the pic to Chance and ask them. There's the slight possibility that they manufactured this odd little thingamajig.

If you check Chance-Morgan's FAQ on contacting the company any email that is outside of their guidelines won't receive a reply. But if someone wants to try it here's the contact page:

http://www.chancemorgan.com/contactinfo2.html

*** Edited 4/12/2005 12:23:17 AM UTC by Mamoosh***

An Eyerly Aircraft Company brochure I received in the 1970's offered the following explanation as to why the Spider has six sweeps with 12 cars.
"8 arm, 8 and 16 car Spider models are available on special order; however, after considerable research, we have standardized on the 6 Arm 12 car Spider model. Cost of this device compares at approximately 7% above the 8 car model and 19% below the 16 car unit. Gross potential, due mainly to the 3 stop loading cycle enjoyed by the 6 arm model, presents a far greater differential compared to the 4 stop cycle of the 8 arm models. Tests have proven an approximate 63% increase in capacity over the 8 car model and 10% less than the 16.
"Thus, the 12 car spider model is uneversally acceptable to both large and small operators in the critical areas of initial investment, operating economy and gross potential.'
A company brochure from the 1980's plays on the realization that "real" spiders don't have six legs. Speaking of the ride the brochure states "As everyone knows, six-legged SPIDERS are a standout everywhere!"
I have seen pictures of an eight sweep, eight car Spider that I believe was located at Nu-Pike in California.
As far as the mystery ride goes the Hrubetz Fireball shares some similarities. Check the picture at http://www.italintl.com/detail_page.php?record_id=474.

I think it may be a ride like the kangaroo at kennywood park.

As for the ride in the front, I thought it looked like a ride(name escapes me) that I saw in a book once. The ride only appered in the michigan state fair for one year due to mechanical problems.

Crazy Horse - you're probably thinking of the Turbo as it was basically the exact same ride structure but with M&M-shaped cars. Check www.flatrides.com for Turbo picks.

And no, the ride in the background is not a ride like the Kangaroo.

millrace, the SpidOPus is at Enchanted Village in Washington. The ride has straight sweeps like an Octopus, but only six of them, arranged around a Spider-like hexagonal centerpole. Twelve cars, I don't remember if loading required six stops or three. It runs in my mind that it might have been three, which would explain it as an improvement over the Octopus in operational efficiency.

It is kind of strange looking, though!

As for the mystery ride...

Tom, I think you've sussed it. That Fireball looks like an Octopus built on a Paratrooper center. Just enough different from the Monster to keep Mr. Hrubetz from getting sued by Mr. Eyerly, I guess.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

*** Edited 4/12/2005 4:36:10 PM UTC by RideMan***

David, I'm still not sure what the mystery ride is, but after almost 53 years of life I was introduced to the word "sussed"!

Several years ago I saw an actual Fireball ride. It was setup with a number of other rides in Alvarado, TX at what was then Export Sales Corporation (a ride import company begun by Mack Duce). I did not get to ride it, but a company representative did start it up and let it revolve a few times. It differs from the Eyerly ride in that the sweeps do not rise and fall. Since yesterday I have remembered an interesting feature. The end of each sweep was hinged in such a way that as the car travelled upward the sweep was straight. As it crested the highest point of the ride the end of the sweep "fell" forward several feet which I assume gave a dropping sensation. A picture of the ride in operation is on another site.

Back to the mystery ride does it appear to be fully set up or still partially folded? If only we could move that Radar out of the way! *** Edited 4/13/2005 5:02:29 AM UTC by Tom Keener*** *** Edited 4/13/2005 5:08:03 AM UTC by Tom Keener***

The end of each sweep was hinged in such a way that as the car travelled upward the sweep was straight. As it crested the highest point of the ride the end of the sweep "fell" forward several inches which I assume gave a dropping sensation.

I've ridden one of those! I only saw it once, at a small church carnival...never again.