Built by Kimball Enterprises for Bryan Jensen
The 46th Model 12 to fly on 3/29/09 - S/N 297
Image courtesy of Mike Shore
The Beast was the third of Kevin Kimball's special single seaters built for maximum airshow performance. The Beast had custom wings with larger ailerons, one of the first Barrett hot rodded M14P engines with 412 HP, and extensive use of carbon fiber and titanium throughout the airframe for minimum weight. The thrust to weight ratio of the Beast was just over 1 to 1.
On Saturday, August 20 2011, Bryan was killed and the Beast destroyed during his performance at the Kansas City Aviation Expo Air Show. From video accounts it appeared Bryan had accomplished an upward tumbling maneuver that transitioned into a vertically descending inverted spin. As he recovered upright the airplane immediately broke into a left upright spin which continued one complete turn into the ground. The NTSB report can be seen here. Low level aerobatics is a demanding and unforgiving sport that has significant risk along with the positives that draw great people like Bryan into it. He is missed by many.