What were you doing 45 years ago today ?
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What were you doing 45 years ago today ?
... While Apollo 11 was blasting off from Cape Canaveral taking Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins to the Moon ...
16th July 1969 ... a very long time ago ...
I still think that it was rather poignant that Neil Armstrong took in his Personal Preference Kit a piece of wood from the Wright brothers' 1903 airplane's left propeller and a piece of fabric from its wing.
For me ... Rushing home from school to watch everything the BBC was to broadcast ... where good old Dad had bought our first colour TV to mark the event ... Great shame most of the NASA live mission video was still B&W
16th July 1969 ... a very long time ago ...
I still think that it was rather poignant that Neil Armstrong took in his Personal Preference Kit a piece of wood from the Wright brothers' 1903 airplane's left propeller and a piece of fabric from its wing.
For me ... Rushing home from school to watch everything the BBC was to broadcast ... where good old Dad had bought our first colour TV to mark the event ... Great shame most of the NASA live mission video was still B&W
I was in elementary school, in science class, watching the lift off on a black and white TV.
It was a big deal to us then.
It was a big deal to us then.
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Not today but the 21st, for the first moonwalk. The Yanks think it was 20th, but we zulu timers know better. Also it was my 38th birthday and goodbye to the RAF after 20 years.
I did Hong Kong to Changi that day on my No 5 Course westabout Belfast Global Trainer, and we'd seen all of the strange NASA KC-135 variants positioning as we'd crossed the Pacific during the days beforehand.
Watched every bit of the fantastic event on the excellent BBC coverage! Also, moved my cardboard spacecraft along the map of the trajectory as they went (was that a Sunday Express freebie?).
OAP
OAP
I was Station Commander at STCRU RAF Holbeach - as a Pilot Officer! It was a holding posting between finishing the NBS course at Lindholme and starting the Vulcan OCU. I even attended a Station Commanders' Conference at HQ 1 Gp, RAF Bawtry.
Gentleman Aviator
IF phase on the JP at Syerston! 1.00 Dual with .40 mins simulated in XR 648.
Fortunately my QFI (Fg Off "Mitch" Mitchell) was a living-in singlie, and as we'd both stayed up to watch it on the Mess TV (possibly with a can or 2
), he was aware in advance of the excuse for my worse than usual performance!
Must have recovered quickly (after a proper night's sleep) cos I passed my IRT (White Card!) on the 17th ......
Fortunately my QFI (Fg Off "Mitch" Mitchell) was a living-in singlie, and as we'd both stayed up to watch it on the Mess TV (possibly with a can or 2
), he was aware in advance of the excuse for my worse than usual performance!Must have recovered quickly (after a proper night's sleep) cos I passed my IRT (White Card!) on the 17th ......
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I was at primary school and used to watch it on the TV before going to school and then when I got home, we watched the landing and walk at school.
My primary school was in a little village outside Carlisle and looked out over the fells and you could just see the towers of the spadeadam rocket test site.. I used to see the smoke / steam rising, hear the rumble of the engines running and you could feel it.. So it was an immersive time for me space wise.
SF that is excellent..
My primary school was in a little village outside Carlisle and looked out over the fells and you could just see the towers of the spadeadam rocket test site.. I used to see the smoke / steam rising, hear the rumble of the engines running and you could feel it.. So it was an immersive time for me space wise.
SF that is excellent..
45 years ago?......
...grumbling about off the north coast of Northern Ireland in a Shackleton for 9 hours and 5 minutes on a torpedo evaluation sortie.
Where did it all go to?
The Ancient Mariner
Where did it all go to?
The Ancient Mariner
Had recently started Commercial Pilot training at College of Air Training, Hamble - course 692B.
Just checked the logbook and did my first flight there a few days later on the 22nd July 1969.
A very memorable time!
Just checked the logbook and did my first flight there a few days later on the 22nd July 1969.
A very memorable time!
