That's one small step for man......

[SfanGoch]

One giant leap for mankind.

Happy anniversary to the greatest technical achievement in history. Proudly made in the U.S.A.

Edited July 20, 2016 by SfanGoch

[Ace-Garageguy]

Amen. 

[Tom Geiger]

And an appropriate page from my stamp collection!

[SfanGoch]

I was at a wedding reception with my parents on that day (Sunday). There was a bar in another part of the catering hall and everybody there was glued to the TV screen, including me. When the Eagle touched down at 3:17 EST, the loudest cheer I ever heard erupted through the place. That was topped when Neil Armstrong planted his foot on the surface of the Moon six hours later. Even at nine years of age, I knew this was the greatest event that I would ever experience in my life. No other country could have undertaken and accomplished this incredible feat of engineering and human exploration in so short a period of time. We were then, and still are, the greatest nation in the history of this world.

[CometMan]

Very well said, Joe! Always felt kind of bad for Collins, though. While Armstrong and Aldrin were making their "giant leaps", seeing "magnificent desolation", raising flags, and taking pictures of their boot prints, he had to stay in orbit making sure he hit all the marks at the precise moments to make sure they got home, he rarely gets the credit he deserves for his part today!

[SfanGoch]

Mike Collins is a nice guy and a gentleman. When I was 16, I bought an MA-2 flight helmet

from a friend of mine for five bucks. It was missing the faceplate. I called Gentex Corporation in Pennsylvania, the primary contractor, to see if they had any extra faceplates laying around. The guy I spoke to told me that they didn't; however, he asked for my name and gave me a number for a friend of his who might be able to help me. So, I called the number. The guy at the other end answered and said, "National Air & Space Museum, this is Michael Collins. How may I help you?" I got really quiet. Then, I asked, "The Columbia Command pilot?!?" "Yes, sir. How can I help you?" seems that his friend gave me the number to his private line. I explained my situation and told him that I really would like to complete this helmet. Mike then told me that it was a coincidence that I called. The NASM had a faceplate but couldn't locate a useable helmet so it could be displayed. He told me that NASM doesn't have funds to purchase one and it would be real nice if someone who had an MA-2 would consider donating it. That way, millions of people could appreciate it. I started thinking about what he said and I asked him if I was a setup. He laughed and said, You might say that." His friend from Gentex called him as soon as he got off the phone with me and told him about our conversation and to expect a call. I started feeling like cr ap and told him that I'll let him have the helmet for nothing. He offered to pay the postage but I told him not to bother. He thanked me and told me to send it directly to him, which I did. A couple of years ago, I checked the net and saw that a complete MA-2 helmet was selling for $16 Grand. OUCH!!!!!

[peteski]

You know, we never landed on the Moon - it was all faked. There is a book about it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 7/21/2016 at 3:35 AM, peteski said:

You know, we never landed on the Moon - it was all faked. There is a book about it.

1969: US lands first men on the Moon. 

2016: What's a book?

[Mike C]

I watched it all happen live on TV. Shoot those morons that claim it was a hoax!

[unclescott58]

  On 7/21/2016 at 1:02 PM, Mike C said:

I watched it all happen live on TV. Shoot those morons that claim it was a hoax!

Me too. I watched it live that night. The people who claim it was hoax piss me off to no end. Dumb SOBs. Just a year or two ago, a Chinesse satallite photographed several of the Apollo landing sites. You can still see the equipment left behind, including things like tracks left from the moon rovers. Why would the Chinesse want to fake that? Why didn't our biggest competitor that the time, the Soviets cry foul if it was fake?

IT HAPPENED! The proof is there if you look. One of greatest achievements of the human race ever.

[unclescott58]

  On 7/21/2016 at 1:40 AM, SfanGoch said:

Mike Collins is a nice guy and a gentleman. When I was 16, I bought an MA-2 flight helmet

from a friend of mine for five bucks. It was missing the faceplate. I called Gentex Corporation in Pennsylvania, the primary contractor, to see if they had any extra faceplates laying around. The guy I spoke to told me that they didn't; however, he asked for my name and gave me a number for a friend of his who might be able to help me. So, I called the number. The guy at the other end answered and said, "National Air & Space Museum, this is Michael Collins. How may I help you?" I got really quiet. Then, I asked, "The Columbia Command pilot?!?" "Yes, sir. How can I help you?" seems that his friend gave me the number to his private line. I explained my situation and told him that I really would like to complete this helmet. Mike then told me that it was a coincidence that I called. The NASM had a faceplate but couldn't locate a useable helmet so it could be displayed. He told me that NASM doesn't have funds to purchase one and it would be real nice if someone who had an MA-2 would consider donating it. That way, millions of people could appreciate it. I started thinking about what he said and I asked him if I was a setup. He laughed and said, You might say that." His friend from Gentex called him as soon as he got off the phone with me and told him about our conversation and to expect a call. I started feeling like cr ap and told him that I'll let him have the helmet for nothing. He offered to pay the postage but I told him not to bother. He thanked me and told me to send it directly to him, which I did. A couple of years ago, I checked the net and saw that a complete MA-2 helmet was selling for $16 Grand. OUCH!!!!!

Great story. Very nice of you to give up your helmet for the betterment of the rest of us. Thank you. It's not worth $16,000. It's a priceless piece of history. To get a chance to have something in a museum's collect and talk with a historic figure. That would be worth more than $16,000 to me.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I think it's a real shame, and a real sad statement about one of the problems with people, that a bunch of morons who probably can't even do a good job changing a light bulb have managed to get any traction for such a stupid idea.

It doesn't matter WHAT you do, how good or clever or spectacular it is...there's always some nothing piece of walking human excrement who'll try to tear it down.

Pathetic.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[unclescott58]

  On 7/21/2016 at 1:27 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

I think it's a real shame, and a real sad statement about one of the problems with people, is that a bunch of morons who probably can't even do a good job changing a light bulb have managed to get any traction for such a stupid idea.

It doesn't matter WHAT you do, how good or clever or spectacular it is...there's always some nothing piece of walking human excrement who'll try to tear it down.

Pathetic.

Amen. You hit the nail on the head.

[SfanGoch]

  On 7/21/2016 at 1:27 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

I think it's a real shame, and a real sad statement about one of the problems with people, that a bunch of morons who probably can't even do a good job changing a light bulb have managed to get any traction for such a stupid idea.

It doesn't matter WHAT you do, how good or clever or spectacular it is...there's always some nothing piece of walking human excrement who'll try to tear it down.

Pathetic.

It's a combination of wanting to get your fifteen minutes of fame by making such obviously ludicrous and factually false claims and living in your parents' basement far too long. These "Moon landing hoax" proponents are self hating individuals who also harbor some type hatred for their country and are loathe to give any credit for anything.

  On 7/21/2016 at 1:27 PM, unclescott58 said:

Great story. Very nice of you to give up your helmet for the betterment of the rest of us. Thank you. It's not worth $16,000. It's a priceless piece of history. To get a chance to have something in a museum's collect and talk with a historic figure. That would be worth more than $16,000 to me.

 

Well, I feel even crappier knowing how valuable this "priceless piece of history" that cost me five bucks plus postage to Washington, D.C., is worth now.  

 

[Crazy Ed]

  Hey Joe - Did they at least do a Donated by at the Display?

[Mike C]

  On 7/21/2016 at 1:21 PM, unclescott58 said:

Me too. I watched it live that night. The people who claim it was hoax piss me off to no end. Dumb SOBs. Just a year or two ago, a Chinesse satallite photographed several of the Apollo landing sites. You can still see the equipment left behind, including things like tracks left from the moon rovers. Why would the Chinesse want to fake that? Why didn't our biggest competitor that the time, the Soviets cry foul if it was fake?

IT HAPPENED! The proof is there if you look. One of greatest achievements of the human race ever.

Not to mention this hoax nonsense has been debunked too many times and its as air tight as a screen door. If the Chinese landed near the Apollo sites and broadcast pictures of it in live HD these hoaxter morons would be claiming it was coming from a studio.

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 7/21/2016 at 2:55 PM, Mike C said:

Not to mention this hoax nonsense has been debunked too many times and its as air tight as a screen door. If the Chinese landed near the Apollo sites and broadcast pictures of it in live HD these hoaxter morons would be claiming it was coming from a studio.

And a large percentage of the bozos claim it was done with CGI...so they're obviously too ignorant to even realize CGI capable of doing that quality didn't even exist in '69. Digital animation was in its infancy at the time. Of course, one of the downsides of being stupid and ignorant is to assume everyone else is equally stupid and ignorant too.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[SfanGoch]

I blame it on James Brolin.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

  On 7/21/2016 at 3:14 PM, SfanGoch said:

I blame it on James Brolin.

Yeah man !!! Like, everyone knows that, like, if it was in a movie, like, it HAS to be, like, TRUE. 

[Mike C]

You could blame it on the movie "Capricorn One" that was out in the early 70's. It was a good movie. It was about a faked landing on Mars.

I grew up 5 miles down the road from where the LEM was built at Grumman Aerospace. And when I graduated college I went to work there as a tool designer. I did get to do some tooling work on the Shuttle wings because they built them. And in the same place the LEM was built too. They had a mural sized photo on the wall there. (Plant 5).

By the way SfanGoch, it looks like you've been watching the Outer Limits too long. Look what it's done to your eyes.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Mike C

[SfanGoch]

  On 7/21/2016 at 3:28 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yeah man !!! Like, everyone knows that, like, if it was in a movie, like, it HAS to be, like, TRUE.  

Sure. If it wasn't for They Died With Their Boots On, I would have never known that Gen. Custer had a sidekick named California Joe with him at Little Big Horn to provide comic relief while they were getting scalped. It's always good to insert a bit of levity into a tense situation to lighten up things.

  Quote

By the way SfanGoch, it looks like you've been watching the Outer Limits too long. Look what it's done to your eyes

Oh no, Mike. That's a result of living within two blocks of the Newtown Creek. 

[unclescott58]

  On 7/21/2016 at 2:03 PM, SfanGoch said:

It's a combination of wanting to get your fifteen minutes of fame by making such obviously ludicrous and factually false claims and living in your parents' basement far too long. These "Moon landing hoax" proponents are self hating individuals who also harbor some type hatred for their country and are loathe to give any credit for anything.

Well, I feel even crappier knowing how valuable this "priceless piece of history" that cost me five bucks plus postage to Washington, D.C., is worth now.  

 

I'm sorry! That last line in my post your commenting on came off wrong. Wrong all the way! What I really meant to say is sharing it with the public like you've done is more than $16,000 to me!

Boy, I need to reread things sometimes several times before I post it. Joe you did the right thing by donating the helmet to the Air and Space Museum. Talking to Michael Collins and have something In the Smithsonian's collection is to me priceless. And very cool.

Boy, I hope I cleared that up!

[my66s55]

  On 7/21/2016 at 4:04 PM, SfanGoch said:

 

Sure. If it wasn't for They Died With Their Boots On, I would have never known that Gen. Custer had a sidekick named California Joe with him at Little Big Horn to provide comic relief while they were getting scalped. It's always good to insert a bit of levity into a tense situation to lighten up things.

 

Come on. Your old enough to know it was Larry Vern with Custer  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0nHWAoIfxo

[SfanGoch]

  On 7/21/2016 at 7:11 PM, unclescott58 said:

I'm sorry! That last line in my post your commenting on came off wrong. Wrong all the way! What I really meant to say is sharing it with the public like you've done is more than $16,000 to me!

Boy, I need to reread things sometimes several times before I post it. Joe you did the right thing by donating the helmet to the Air and Space Museum. Talking to Michael Collins and have something In the Smithsonian's collection is to me priceless. And very cool.

Boy, I hope I cleared that up!

No, you needn't clear anything up, Scott. I understood it perfectly. I didn't even get my name mentioned as a donor. In retrospect, I'd rather have the $16K in my pocket.