Drachen Fire
Encyclopedia
Drachen Fire was an Arrow Dynamics
roller coaster
that operated from 1992 to 1998, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
. Busch Entertainment contacted the young company to build two multi-inversion sit-down coasters at both this park and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. However, B&M was busy creating two stand-up coasters
for Paramount Parks
(one at California's Great America and the other at Carowinds) and preparing to debut its first inverted coaster
, Batman: The Ride
at Six Flags Great America
. They could deliver one coaster for Busch Gardens Tampa, which became Kumba
, but not for its Williamsburg sister park. Busch understood and instead handed the contract for the Williamsburg coaster to Arrow Dynamics
. The concept given to the company by B&M featured many elements that were different from anything they had done in the past. One particular problem that Arrow faced was designing the vertical loop
to wrap around the lift hill
, an element used on Kumba
and on Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain
. The concept also featured a cobra roll inversion and interlocking corkscrews, signature design elements for B&M coasters but ones not used before or since by Arrow. The layout proposed by Arrow relied upon the type of support infrastructure typically used by Arrow, but the layout was much larger than Busch wanted. As a result, Arrow tried to incorporate B&M's original design features into a smaller layout.
Less than a month after opening, the coaster gained a reputation for roughness.
When Drachen Fire was completed, it had six inversions: a wraparound corkscrew midway into the first hill (first), a Cobra Roll (referred to by Arrow as a "Batwing"—second and third), and a cutback (fifth) between the corkscrews. Two counter-clockwise corkscrews (the fourth and sixth inversions) completed the inversion count. Opened in 1992, closed in 1998 and finally removed in 2002, it stood 150 feet tall and had a top speed of 60 mph.
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
that operated from 1992 to 1998, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
History
Initially, Drachen Fire was to be designed and built by Bolliger & MabillardBolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
. Busch Entertainment contacted the young company to build two multi-inversion sit-down coasters at both this park and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. However, B&M was busy creating two stand-up coasters
Stand-up roller coaster
A stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
for Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks was an operator of theme parks and attractions, which annually attracted about 13 million patrons. Viacom had assumed control of the company as part of its acquisition of Paramount Pictures in 1994....
(one at California's Great America and the other at Carowinds) and preparing to debut its first inverted coaster
Inverted roller coaster
An inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the...
, Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride
Batman: The Ride is a steel inverted roller coaster found in many Six Flags theme parks, as well as other parks around the world, including Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Fiesta Texas , Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags St. Louis, Six Flags...
at Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
. They could deliver one coaster for Busch Gardens Tampa, which became Kumba
Kumba (roller coaster)
Kumba is a Bolliger & Mabillard sit down roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, in Tampa, Florida. Built in 1993, it stands tall and has a top speed of 60 mph. Kumba is one of the first in a line of multi-inversion coasters built by B&M, and featured B&M's first ever diving loop...
, but not for its Williamsburg sister park. Busch understood and instead handed the contract for the Williamsburg coaster to Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
. The concept given to the company by B&M featured many elements that were different from anything they had done in the past. One particular problem that Arrow faced was designing the vertical loop
Loop (roller coaster)
The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360 degree circle. At the top-most piece of the loop, riders are completely inverted.-...
to wrap around the lift hill
Lift hill
A lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward-sloping section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports the roller coaster train to an elevated point or peak in the roller coaster ride...
, an element used on Kumba
Kumba (roller coaster)
Kumba is a Bolliger & Mabillard sit down roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, in Tampa, Florida. Built in 1993, it stands tall and has a top speed of 60 mph. Kumba is one of the first in a line of multi-inversion coasters built by B&M, and featured B&M's first ever diving loop...
and on Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
. The concept also featured a cobra roll inversion and interlocking corkscrews, signature design elements for B&M coasters but ones not used before or since by Arrow. The layout proposed by Arrow relied upon the type of support infrastructure typically used by Arrow, but the layout was much larger than Busch wanted. As a result, Arrow tried to incorporate B&M's original design features into a smaller layout.
Less than a month after opening, the coaster gained a reputation for roughness.
When Drachen Fire was completed, it had six inversions: a wraparound corkscrew midway into the first hill (first), a Cobra Roll (referred to by Arrow as a "Batwing"—second and third), and a cutback (fifth) between the corkscrews. Two counter-clockwise corkscrews (the fourth and sixth inversions) completed the inversion count. Opened in 1992, closed in 1998 and finally removed in 2002, it stood 150 feet tall and had a top speed of 60 mph.
External links
- BGWfans.com, History of Drachen Fire
- History.amusement-parks.com, History of Amusement Parks: Drachen Fire
- Themeparkreview.com. Original test run POV video of Drachen Fire in the Theme Park Review forums.