Carowinds
Afterburn (formerly Top Gun: The Jet Coaster)
OPENED: March 1999
MANUFACTURER: Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M)
HEIGHT: 193 feet
TOP SPEED: 63 mph
INVERSIONS: 6 (vertical loop, batwing, Immelmann, zero-G roll, corkscrew)
HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS: 54 inches
(please note - this write-up still references Top Gun, the ride's former name)
It could be debated that opening a coaster themed to a 13 year old movie was a silly idea. Certainly in 1999 people didn't want to be walking through a park listening to forgettable tracks by Kenny Loggins and Teena Marie, right (Note that Berlin is not mentioned here, okay)? It doesn't matter. Rumor has it that this was originally going to be themed to the 1998 Godzilla movie, but those plans were scrapped when that movie went from suck to blow. For all I care, this coaster could be the "(lose your) Breakfast at Tiffanys" coaster and it wouldn't bother me in the slightest bit.
Wanna know why? Because Top Gun delivers the goods. All the goods.
This inverted coaster runs riders through a gauntlet of elements - pretty much every good trick B&M has in their bag. The elements are paced perfectly, so at no time is it overwhelming. Add the overall smoothness of the trains and the everpresent B&M roar and you've got yourself a "can't lose" coaster.
That's really all I have to say. Top Gun is the best ride in the park. Anyone who says otherwise should be watched carefully, as I suspect they may be a member of the Communist Party.
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