Frank Borman RIP

[ETOPS]

Talk about the "right stuff" !!

Former Airforce fighter pilot, Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 astronaut and chairman of Eastern Airlines...

https://news.sky.com/story/frank-borman-nasa-astronaut-dies-aged-95-13004577

[Jhieminga]

Commander of the first flight around the moon, Apollo 8, but also veteran of Gemini 7, during which the first 'close encounter' with another manned spacecraft was carried out. RIP.

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-administrator-honors-life-of-apollo-astronaut-frank-borman/

[MAINJAFAD]

Talk about the "right stuff" !!

Former Airforce fighter pilot, Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 astronaut and chairman of Eastern Airlines...

https://news.sky.com/story/frank-borman-nasa-astronaut-dies-aged-95-13004577

No complete Apollo Prime crews left now..
:{

[treadigraph]

That's sad. No conplete crews now. RIP.

[SASless]

Frank Borman, well known American Astronaut has died at age. 95.

https://themessenger.com/news/frank-borman-commander-of-the-first-apollo-mission-to-the-moon-has-died-at-age-95?utm_source=onsite&utm_medium=more_news

[Hadley Rille]

RIP Frank, a true hero and pioneer.

[Asturias56]

he rebuilt a P63 and flew it around as well in his late '60's/early 70's... a Total Aviation Person

[Jhieminga]

That would be this one: Bell P-63 Kingcobra - A Warbirds Resource Group Site (http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p39-p63registry/p63-4269021.html)
Or this one: http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p39-p63registry/p63-4311223.html ... the plot thickens... I guess two airframes were combined to create one flyer?

[wiggy]

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/nov/10/frank-borman-obituary

ETA to add link to NASA Oral history:

https://historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov/JSCHistoryPortal/history/oral_histories/BormanF/Bormanff_4-13-99.htm

[sycamore]

He also owned and flew a Mk 6 Canadair Sabre....

[Consol]

RIP
Both his missions were especially risky and tough. His passing come less than two weeks after Ken Mattingley. Rare achievements we should rightly remember.

[MAINJAFAD]

That's sad. No conplete crews now. RIP.

One left , Gemini 12 (Jim Lovell and Buzz). No complete crews after that now until the Shuttle era for the US.

[NineEighteen]

A true legend of the US space program. Glad he lead a full and long life. He seemed like he had his head screwed on. I always thought he and Lovell were a great team and I’d imagine they had to be after Gemini!

Respectful tribute via YT

[wiggy]

I always thought he and Lovell were a great team and I’d imagine they had to be after Gemini!

It worked out that way eventually and there were certainly some who said you needed a Jim Lovell type personality to work with Frank Borman...

FWIW the original crew assignment for 8 was Borman, Mike Collins and Anders....the team only got back together when Lovell moved up from back-up when Collins was grounded temporarily for back surgery.

Of course there were all sorts of consequences to that move....

[tdracer]

There is a great documentary of the NASA 'moon race' called "Moon Shot", which has some great interviews with the (then surviving) astronauts including Borman and Lovell. Late 1990's release.
Sadly it's never been released on DVD/Blu-ray - only available on VHS/Laserdisc. It's one of the main reasons I keep my laserdisc player (and hope it doesn't die).

[cavuman1]

tdracer, I wonder if that documentary mirrors Alan B. Shepard's book of the same name. I have two copies autographed by the "Ice Commander" himself. When he handed me the signed books, I said "Thanks for lighting the candle, Admiral!" He fixed me with THAT stare, gave me a brief half-smile, then we shook hands. An indelible moment imprinted on the memories of my life.

Standing on the shoulders of courageous men like Borman, Shepard, and the others did we first reach the Moon and began to take our first toddler steps toward the stars.

- Ed