Bob "Crazy" Correll (January 7, 1942 – 2022) was an American daredevil and stuntman from

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

. According to his official biography from Balls, Unlimited, Inc., Correll enjoyed a varied career racing motorcycles, drag cars, stock cars, and go-carts. He also flew hang gliders, sail planes, powered planes, and hot-air balloons. From the 1970s to the late 1990s, Correll was associated with the following ventures: *The ''Kitecycle'' - Designed in the early 1970s and patented 1975, by Doug Malewicki of Aerovisions, Inc., the Kitecycle is a

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

/ hangglider combination that has been featured on the television programs "

That's Incredible ''That's Incredible!'' is an American reality television show that aired on the ABC television network from 1980 to 1984. In the tradition of ''You Asked for It'', '' Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' and '' Real People'', the show featured people ...

," " The New and Spectacular Guinness Book of World Records," "

CHiPs ''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. After the final first-run telecast on NBC in May 1983, the series went into reruns on Sundays fr ...

," and " I Dare You: The Ultimate Challenge," amongst others. Correll's distance record with the Kitecycle is . This is recognized as a world record for wing-assisted jumps. *The ''Original Jet-Powered Dragster Motorcycle'' (The "Jetbike") - Correll's jet-powered motorcycle was not chain-driven, but operated using pure thrust. Craig Arfons converted the General Electric T-58 military helicopter engine for the project. The motorcycle itself and the jet engine's afterburner were designed primarily by Doug Malewicki, and created and operated by Balls Unlimited, Inc. Officially clocked at more than in the quarter-mile distance, the bike featured more than and was capable of speeds approaching . *'' Robosaurus'' - Built by Monster Robots, Inc. of Sun Valley, CA. Bob Correll was the backseat operator ("co-pilot") from 1990 to 1993. *The ''F/18 Jetbike'', a dragster motorcycle that featured an T-58 engine from a chinook helicopter. The bike received national exposure on the FX television program "

The X Show ''The X Show'' is a magazine, variety, and interview/talk program that aired on FX Network in the United States from May 1999 to April 2001. Running time was originally one hour, but this was later reduced to a half-hour. The show was 'guy-theme ...

" but was never licensed for exhibition racing. According to Malewicki's personal website, Tim Arfons did the engine conversion and Chip Bassett did the machining and fabrication.
Correll retired from the spotlight in 2000. He later lived in Southern California, and died in 2022, at the age of 80.

References

External links

"Cycle Jumpers" - features early photos of Bob Correll and the Kitecycle.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Correll, Bob 1942 births 2022 deaths American motorcycle racers American stunt performers