SkydiveJack 1 #1 August 8, 2006 I just realized that 18 years ago today we set the new official world record for largest freefall formation with the 144 Way Diamond at Quincy. It was a special day. The date was 8/8/88 and it was held for 8.8 seconds. How many of you here at DZ.com were on it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bozo 0 #2 August 8, 2006 QuoteI just realized that 18 years ago today we set the new official world record for largest freefall formation with the 144 Way Diamond at Quincy. It was a special day. The date was 8/8/88 and it was held for 8.8 seconds. How many of you here at DZ.com were on it? --------------------------------------------------------- I wasnt on it.....but it was awesome to watch from the ground. bozo Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katecooper 0 #3 August 8, 2006 Checking in! Missed you at Jim-Bob's party this weekend. I was wing of the 81 way diamond (I think). The 144 way diamond was also known as the magic carpet ride! blues kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tink1717 2 #4 August 8, 2006 I saw it happen. Does that count? Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off. -The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!) AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveJack 1 #5 August 9, 2006 QuoteChecking in! Missed you at Jim-Bob's party this weekend. I was wing of the 81 way diamond (I think). The 144 way diamond was also known as the magic carpet ride! blues kate Hi Kate, Sorry I missed the party and seeing you and many good friends from over the years. Duty calls! I really hate flying that nasty old GIV. I was on the 81 way as well. I remember we combined the top two teams from the Z-hills 40 way competition and got it on the second try. Roger & Roger (Nelson & Ponce) decided to use the diamond formation on the next world record attempt. The 144 was the only world record ever that didn't use a round base. It really was a magic carpet ride. That thing wasn't just falling, it was alive! I remember Michigan doing a "T" on his tip once we completed. I still have great visual memories from the dive and the gaggle of airplanes we used to get everybody upstairs. Best to you, Jack Gregory Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 370 #6 March 5, 2007 QuoteI just realized that 18 years ago today we set the new official world record for largest freefall formation with the 144 Way Diamond at Quincy. It was a special day. The date was 8/8/88 and it was held for 8.8 seconds. How many of you here at DZ.com were on it? One of my early skydiving "heros" is Dick Pigg. He docked 144th on that jump, on the far end from Mike Sandberg, whose doing a "T" in the record photo. I had him sign my logbook using the number "144-way diamond docker # 144 #1". BTW, Dick lived on Turkey Foot Rd, so in the phonebook he was listed as Pigg, Dick, Turkey Foot. Life is funny. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #7 March 5, 2007 QuoteQuote BTW, Dick lived on Turkey Foot Rd, so in the phonebook he was listed as Pigg, Dick, Turkey Foot. Life is funny. Chuck "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Gene03 0 #8 March 6, 2007 It really was a magic carpet ride. That thing wasn't just falling, it was alive! I remember Michigan doing a "T" on his tip once we completed. I still have great visual memories from the dive and the gaggle of airplanes we used to get everybody upstairs. Wasn't on the jump. some good friends were: Rainbo, Casey Wiggins, Mark Sharres, John Sharres (video), "Pig Dick", "MJ", Jim Bohr and 138 other guys I can't remember without looking it up. I asked Casey one day about Mike Michigan and the "T" at the end. His reply was something on the order of "It wasn't showboating or grandstanding like a lot of people think. The formation was floating on the ends on previous attempts so he was asked to do a deliberate "T" to keep it level." Wanted to set the record straight. Just for kicks, how many of you participants/record holders can name people on the jump from memory? No fair looking it up.“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him. Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites RogerRamjet 0 #9 March 6, 2007 I see the 144 and the 81 in here. Anyone know the progression of diamond records and when they were? I was 16th in the first 16 in 1974. ----------------------- Roger "Ramjet" Clark FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Rainbo 0 #10 March 6, 2007 I wonder how I missed this post when it first went up. I was there, as the right hand klingon (as Lew and I were referred to) in the arrowhead base. The first attempt was aborted when the windscreen blew out in our Skyvan. It was freakin' freezin' sittin' on the tailgate of that sumbitch ridin' to alti, and hotter than a mutha on the ground. It was also the biggest funnel I was ever in. I still have all the raw footage from every camera angle for all the attempts, I'll get around to digitizing it someday.Rainbo TheSpeedTriple - Speed is everything "Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Faicon9493 120 #11 March 8, 2007 Hi Rainbo! Good to see you're alive and well! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites murrays 0 #12 March 8, 2007 Do you remember having my old buddy from Syracuse, Jim Pipines "Pip", in the Skyvan with you? He was on the 144-way and he told me he froze his butt off in the Skyvan.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DavidB 0 #13 December 13, 2007 QuoteQuoteI just realized that 18 years ago today we set the new official world record for largest freefall formation with the 144 Way Diamond at Quincy. It was a special day. The date was 8/8/88 and it was held for 8.8 seconds. How many of you here at DZ.com were on it? --------------------------------------------------------- I wasnt on it.....but it was awesome to watch from the ground. Certainly was! One of the most emotional events of my life. Jumpers hit the ground whooping & hollering, grabbing anyone & everyone in hugs. Surprisingly, most had tears in their eyes (I know I did). I think there was some "better than usual" partying that night too.When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites MikeFB2764 0 #14 December 14, 2007 Here is a picture of the formation that I found on the net. I believe that this is Mike McGowans shot, but I am not sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TomDe 0 #15 October 8, 2013 8/8/88 was the Chinese good Luck Day of the Century. We did hold it for 8.88 sec. for the record. There have been many larger formations since then which consisted of jumping out and holding one or two hands for a record, but I never heard for a repeat 144 way Diamond. We made 11 attempts which includes the first aborted attempt when a windshield broke on one of the airplanes on the way to altitude and we all did a quick "Grab Ass" adlib dive with a quick in flight dirt dive exiting at about 10,000'. Then came the next slot perfect 9 dives with no result leading into the 11th and final attempt. I clearly remember reciting the Skydivers Prayer as I watch others already in freefall diving to the long ago exited base while my feet were still on the carpet of the blind DC3: "Please God don't let this be my time to fuck up Amen" Next came the greatest World Record Skydive ever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
Gene03 0 #8 March 6, 2007 It really was a magic carpet ride. That thing wasn't just falling, it was alive! I remember Michigan doing a "T" on his tip once we completed. I still have great visual memories from the dive and the gaggle of airplanes we used to get everybody upstairs. Wasn't on the jump. some good friends were: Rainbo, Casey Wiggins, Mark Sharres, John Sharres (video), "Pig Dick", "MJ", Jim Bohr and 138 other guys I can't remember without looking it up. I asked Casey one day about Mike Michigan and the "T" at the end. His reply was something on the order of "It wasn't showboating or grandstanding like a lot of people think. The formation was floating on the ends on previous attempts so he was asked to do a deliberate "T" to keep it level." Wanted to set the record straight. Just for kicks, how many of you participants/record holders can name people on the jump from memory? No fair looking it up.“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him. Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RogerRamjet 0 #9 March 6, 2007 I see the 144 and the 81 in here. Anyone know the progression of diamond records and when they were? I was 16th in the first 16 in 1974. ----------------------- Roger "Ramjet" Clark FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rainbo 0 #10 March 6, 2007 I wonder how I missed this post when it first went up. I was there, as the right hand klingon (as Lew and I were referred to) in the arrowhead base. The first attempt was aborted when the windscreen blew out in our Skyvan. It was freakin' freezin' sittin' on the tailgate of that sumbitch ridin' to alti, and hotter than a mutha on the ground. It was also the biggest funnel I was ever in. I still have all the raw footage from every camera angle for all the attempts, I'll get around to digitizing it someday.Rainbo TheSpeedTriple - Speed is everything "Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faicon9493 120 #11 March 8, 2007 Hi Rainbo! Good to see you're alive and well! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murrays 0 #12 March 8, 2007 Do you remember having my old buddy from Syracuse, Jim Pipines "Pip", in the Skyvan with you? He was on the 144-way and he told me he froze his butt off in the Skyvan.-- Murray "No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidB 0 #13 December 13, 2007 QuoteQuoteI just realized that 18 years ago today we set the new official world record for largest freefall formation with the 144 Way Diamond at Quincy. It was a special day. The date was 8/8/88 and it was held for 8.8 seconds. How many of you here at DZ.com were on it? --------------------------------------------------------- I wasnt on it.....but it was awesome to watch from the ground. Certainly was! One of the most emotional events of my life. Jumpers hit the ground whooping & hollering, grabbing anyone & everyone in hugs. Surprisingly, most had tears in their eyes (I know I did). I think there was some "better than usual" partying that night too.When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeFB2764 0 #14 December 14, 2007 Here is a picture of the formation that I found on the net. I believe that this is Mike McGowans shot, but I am not sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomDe 0 #15 October 8, 2013 8/8/88 was the Chinese good Luck Day of the Century. We did hold it for 8.88 sec. for the record. There have been many larger formations since then which consisted of jumping out and holding one or two hands for a record, but I never heard for a repeat 144 way Diamond. We made 11 attempts which includes the first aborted attempt when a windshield broke on one of the airplanes on the way to altitude and we all did a quick "Grab Ass" adlib dive with a quick in flight dirt dive exiting at about 10,000'. Then came the next slot perfect 9 dives with no result leading into the 11th and final attempt. I clearly remember reciting the Skydivers Prayer as I watch others already in freefall diving to the long ago exited base while my feet were still on the carpet of the blind DC3: "Please God don't let this be my time to fuck up Amen" Next came the greatest World Record Skydive ever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
