What were you doing 45 years ago today ?
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 23, Railway Cuttings, East Cheam
Age: 68
Posts: 3,115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
13 years old, space mad, probably the most excited I've ever been without a woman. Remember every second of it. Definitely knew I was watching history and remember punching the air at being lucky enough to be alive at the right time.
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: The Deep South (Sussex)
Posts: 783
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At night, standing on the balcony of my flat in Changi holding my four year old daughter in my arms explaining that there was a man standing up there on the moon for the very first time.
Then back to the Hercs on 48Sqn.
Then back to the Hercs on 48Sqn.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,975
Received 2,882 Likes
on
1,231 Posts
That's so cool Lou, does she remember it?
Just remembered I have a DVD copy of the movie The Dish, which also bears witness to the landing, although tongue in cheek. Best bit is the US national anthem, but I'm sure most have seen it.
Smudge
Smudge
I had completed my O Levels just a couple of weeks before and had decided to leave Grammar School. I remember things were quite frosty with my parents who wanted me to stay for A Levels. But I knew my limitations. 2 years later joined the RAF.
Front row, second from the left - has that civvy wet himself, or what?
Jul '69? On leave from Towers waiting for EX. KING ROCK '69 and 2 weeks of happy holidaymaking in Brilon Wald, Sauerland..... When the RAF could still afford such things - such as the RAF scholarship PPL course I'd one a year earlier.
We had 2 trips to Germany when I was a Flt Cdt - a week with BAOR and EX.KING ROCK. 4 legs with Air Support Command - out on a Britannia, back in a Comet 4, out in a VC10, back in a Belslow. The RAF Air Transport fleet was pretty big in those days!
On the night of the moon landing I got home late, having just driven to Exmoor and back in an aged Ford 100E, to visit my old school CCF summer camp and was too knackered to stay up late, so listened to the NASA link on my radio instead....
Jul '69? On leave from Towers waiting for EX. KING ROCK '69 and 2 weeks of happy holidaymaking in Brilon Wald, Sauerland..... When the RAF could still afford such things - such as the RAF scholarship PPL course I'd one a year earlier.
We had 2 trips to Germany when I was a Flt Cdt - a week with BAOR and EX.KING ROCK. 4 legs with Air Support Command - out on a Britannia, back in a Comet 4, out in a VC10, back in a Belslow. The RAF Air Transport fleet was pretty big in those days!
On the night of the moon landing I got home late, having just driven to Exmoor and back in an aged Ford 100E, to visit my old school CCF summer camp and was too knackered to stay up late, so listened to the NASA link on my radio instead....
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Somewhere in England
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I watched the landing of the Lunar Module sitting in one of the 2 television rooms in the Crossed Keys Club at BKY. Whilst waiting for something to happen and listening intently to the commentaries from various experts, I quaffed a few pints. This led to me falling asleep and on waking, found that precisely nothing had happened and many of the audience had disappeared, so went to bed instead!
Later that morning I bought a Daily Mirror which had a colour picture of the event on the front page - still got it somewhere. This was a novelty because back home on the mainland, the newspaper pictures were still b&w and for a short time after.
I consider myself to be really lucky to have 'been around' when such momentous events took place. Wasn't it a fascinating time when the Human Race really progressed in many of the sciences and isn't it a shame that events have taken quite different turns to those we expected?
Later that morning I bought a Daily Mirror which had a colour picture of the event on the front page - still got it somewhere. This was a novelty because back home on the mainland, the newspaper pictures were still b&w and for a short time after.
I consider myself to be really lucky to have 'been around' when such momentous events took place. Wasn't it a fascinating time when the Human Race really progressed in many of the sciences and isn't it a shame that events have taken quite different turns to those we expected?
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Age: 54
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Originally Posted by Lou Scannon
At night, standing on the balcony of my flat in Changi holding my four year old daughter in my arms explaining that there was a man standing up there on the moon for the very first time.
Then back to the Hercs on 48Sqn.
Then back to the Hercs on 48Sqn.
Posted from Pprune.org App for Android
Being on summer break, I spent a good portion of Apollo 11 glued to the TV. I was totally enthralled with the whole thing, having argued endlessly with classmates about who was really ahead on the race to the moon.
One part I distinctly recall is that, shortly after the Eagle landed, we had a major thunderstorm - knocking out power to a large part of the neighborhood (but not to our house).
I remember I could look out a window and easily see the 'dark' portion of the neighborhood - and thinking how those unfortunates wouldn't be able to watch the first footsteps on the moon if the power didn't come back soon
One part I distinctly recall is that, shortly after the Eagle landed, we had a major thunderstorm - knocking out power to a large part of the neighborhood (but not to our house).
I remember I could look out a window and easily see the 'dark' portion of the neighborhood - and thinking how those unfortunates wouldn't be able to watch the first footsteps on the moon if the power didn't come back soon
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia - South of where I'd like to be !
Age: 59
Posts: 4,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sprint,
Yes, when i passed through it was very quiet.
Not much left out at lake hart, it is now well shot up.
The left launch pad copped two 500lb bombs on it.
Yes, when i passed through it was very quiet.
Not much left out at lake hart, it is now well shot up.
The left launch pad copped two 500lb bombs on it.
- we watched it !
Joined the Navy
I was on a training course at RNAS Yeovilton, F-4K Phantom course and yes I got my rum tot and duty free cigarettes allowance even though I was in the RAF. Great local area and my first introduction to scrumpy 
Are you sure? When I was working there it was told that they were used for demolition training by the SAS regiment and other interesting types. The damage was far more extensive than could have been done by a couple of bombs, unless it was additional to a practice drop.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Australia - South of where I'd like to be !
Age: 59
Posts: 4,261
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
John
I didn't expand past what I put but I was one of the "other interesting types" and yes, the damage is far more extensive than two bombs. They were live bombs, not practice as we were still on the other target (launcher) when they were dropped (when we shouldn't have been !). It was an F-111 from Amberly.
When we got there, I think the building was called EC6 which I think was a control room, I was amazed at the damage. I think they use that building as a killing house. The launchers, it will take a bit to bring them down but they are obviously a target.
Frankly, I am now of the same view as Sprintman, the area should have been preserved but at the time, hell, what did I know, fly in, set up the exercise, conduct live fire exercise and ex fil at night from some remote strip.
I didn't expand past what I put but I was one of the "other interesting types" and yes, the damage is far more extensive than two bombs. They were live bombs, not practice as we were still on the other target (launcher) when they were dropped (when we shouldn't have been !). It was an F-111 from Amberly.
When we got there, I think the building was called EC6 which I think was a control room, I was amazed at the damage. I think they use that building as a killing house. The launchers, it will take a bit to bring them down but they are obviously a target.
Frankly, I am now of the same view as Sprintman, the area should have been preserved but at the time, hell, what did I know, fly in, set up the exercise, conduct live fire exercise and ex fil at night from some remote strip.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aboard a BEA Comet 4B night flight to Nicosia. The Captain announced on the PA that a man had walked on the moon and "bought drinks" so the passengers could drink a toast to him - Neil Armstrong that was, not the Captain - I think!
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Age: 84
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At that time there was no satellite receiving station in New Zealand, so "Quick trip for Apollo film" a bit of RNZAF improvisation!Some 4˝ hours after astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin set foot on the moon today, New Zealanders saw a film of the historic event in a nation-wide television hook-up. The 40-minute videotape was rushed to Wellington aboard an RNZAF Canberra bomber.
The videotape was recorded this afternoon at the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s Gore Hill studios north of Sydney. The Canberra carrying the tape left Kingsford Smith Airport, Sydney, at 4:15 p.m., and after a 2˝-hour flight, touched down at Wellington just before 7 p.m., an NZBC spokesman said tonight. It was taken to Channel 1 in a car accompanied by a Ministry of Transport officer, in time to be shown in the NZBC’s 7:30 p.m. news.
The videotape was recorded this afternoon at the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s Gore Hill studios north of Sydney. The Canberra carrying the tape left Kingsford Smith Airport, Sydney, at 4:15 p.m., and after a 2˝-hour flight, touched down at Wellington just before 7 p.m., an NZBC spokesman said tonight. It was taken to Channel 1 in a car accompanied by a Ministry of Transport officer, in time to be shown in the NZBC’s 7:30 p.m. news.