Half Century of Progress Does Not Feature Any One Make or Model.
All Makes of Farm Related Equipment Welcome!

    In case you haven't heard the news, it was officially announced on This Week In AgriBusiness that Jon Kinzenbaw will be bringing Big Blue aka Double Trouble to the Half Century of Progress 2011 show as the feature attraction. The corn and soybeans have been planted! Both crops are looking great!
    The Half Century Progress Show is a biennial event that was started in 2003 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Farm Progress Show. It has evolved into one of the largest exhibits of vintage farm equipment in the world. The first show was held in Henning, IL, and due to the abundance of people and tractors that attended, it has since been moved to the National Aviation Center in Rantoul, IL. This facility has ample space for parking, vendors, displays and demonstrations. It is the largest “working” show in the country. People gather from all over the globe to see the spectacular displays of tractors and equipment. A few of the show’s highlights include: a flea market, unique vendors, tractor rides, evening tractor pulls, field demonstrations, and much more. Every year boasts one major attraction. 2005 featured three 110 hp Case steam engines hooked up to a 60-bottom plow. In 2007, a 48-horse hitch was hooked up to a 32’ IH disc. In 2009, Big Bud made an appearance and worked in the field. Big Bud is the largest farm tractor in the world and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for most of the visitors to see it up close and in action.

This is a unique, one-of-a kind custom-built tractor consisting of two JD 5020 chassis. Jon Kinzenbaw, CEO of Kinze Manufacturing, built Double Trouble, also known as “Big Blue”, to demonstrate the new DMI Hydra-Wide plow at the 1974 Farm Progress Show near Fort Dodge, IA. The tractor is powered by two 8-71 Detroit Diesel engines with each engine controlling an axle independently. Weighing in at twenty tons, the tractor was designed for the testing of DMI’s large implements. In 1988, “Blue” was used for a field demonstration in Amana, Iowa but has not been back out in public since. Kinzenbaw looks forward to bringing the tractor out of retirement. Even with today’s improved technology and standards, this tractor is still considered a force to be reckoned with. In the words of Kinzenbaw, “When in doubt, build it stout.”