airdvr 210 #26 August 28, 2012 Quote Even now I'm amazed that we went to the moon, and I'm hugely impressed by the people who got us there, including Armstrong - I just don't see the reason to mythologise him over the other participants. True many were involved but if you think Armstrong was just another participant you need to investigate more about the man. His work on the Gemini project that made Apollo possible. His quck thinking when a thruster jammed open during Gemini saved him and 3 others. His quick reactions ejecting when testing the prototype Lunar lander, or perhaps the fact that he had to take manual control during the landing decent and steer to a clear area, touching down safely with only seconds of fuel left. Not your average guy by any means. You've been inhaling too much Obama "You didn't build that" gas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weQEPXK6yyI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlJGQ92IgFkPlease don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #27 August 28, 2012 Armstrong flew the X-15. Not a bird for the average pilot. And on Gemini 8nhe and Dave Scott both were able to work together to respond to the malfunction (Scott noticed the fuel was running out) That fliight was the first ever orbital docking, which was mighty impressive. And what did Amstong spend his life reminiscing about that flight? He bragged that by emergency landing off Okinawa - as opposed to the planned Western Atlantic landing area - that he still hold the record for furthest ever landing from the planned site. You gotta love that. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #28 August 28, 2012 Quote True many were involved but if you think Armstrong was just another participant you need to investigate more about the man. His work on the Gemini project that made Apollo possible. His quck thinking when a thruster jammed open during Gemini saved him and 3 others. His quick reactions ejecting when testing the prototype Lunar lander, or perhaps the fact that he had to take manual control during the landing decent and steer to a clear area, touching down safely with only seconds of fuel left. Not your average guy by any means. You've been inhaling too much Obama "You didn't build that" gas. All good points until the final one. I live thousands of miles from Mr Obama, and I don't think I'm in danger of inhaling his gas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #29 August 28, 2012 I read the story of when the "flying bedstead" of the LEM trainer malfunctioned and Neil ejected at literally the last survivable second. The story got around the base quickly and lots of the guys rushed over to see Neil in his office. Instead of regaling them with a high-spirited retelling of the story, they said he just sat at his desk doing paper work and simply said "Yes, I did." A very calm, self contained person. I would've been in the Officers' Club trying to get my knees to stop shaking. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,150 #30 August 28, 2012 Quote Quote True many were involved but if you think Armstrong was just another participant you need to investigate more about the man. His work on the Gemini project that made Apollo possible. His quck thinking when a thruster jammed open during Gemini saved him and 3 others. His quick reactions ejecting when testing the prototype Lunar lander, or perhaps the fact that he had to take manual control during the landing decent and steer to a clear area, touching down safely with only seconds of fuel left. Not your average guy by any means. You've been inhaling too much Obama "You didn't build that" gas. All good points until the final one. I live thousands of miles from Mr Obama, and I don't think I'm in danger of inhaling his gas. It's OK, your critic just suffers from a bad case of ODS.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #31 August 28, 2012 Al Bean was his office mate. Bean recalled, "I heard you had to eject from the LLTV." Bean said that Armstrong said, "'Yeah.' THAT WAS ALL HE SAID! THAT WAS IT!" Collins said other might go out and get drunk or whatever but Neil was the type of guy who went back and shuffled paperwork. I DO recall Chuck Yeager not thinking much of him. Yeager thought he was arrogant. He described in his autobiography being asked to ride back seat while Armstrong scoped out lake beds for landing sites. Yeager said they were too wet but agreed to ride back seat in a T-33. Armstrong wouldn't be talked out of it and decided to do a touch and go. Said Yeager, "We touched but we didn't go." They were picked up hours later. Not knocking Armstrong but there's a different viewpoint. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #32 August 28, 2012 QuoteI DO recall Chuck Yeager not thinking much of him. Yeager thought he was arrogant. Not knocking Armstrong but there's a different viewpoint. Yeah, familiar with that story too. Yeager was a great test pilot and warrior, but lacked the college education to get into the astronaut corps. Hard to say where the arrogance vs. resentment line falls. The type of flying they did was not for the meek of spirit or faint of heart. Anytime you have that many strong egos around, there will be conflicts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #33 August 28, 2012 Anytime you have that many strong egos around, there will be conflicts. Dizzy.com is the living proof of the truth of that statement. lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,596 #34 August 28, 2012 QuoteI generally have a problem with the way the term 'hero' is used. The moon landings were an astonishing achievement and I'm glad to be able to say they happened in my lifetime - but they were the fruit of a huge team effort, and you could argue that to a large extent Armstrong just happened to be in the right place at the right time in history. Yes, he was highly trained and skilled and an effective mission commander - but he was no more an exceptional human being than millions of others who have dedicated themselves to a goal, and who have achieved things that were personally at least as difficult, but whose stories will never be known. By all accounts, he himself would have been uncomfortable with the 'hero' label. But he had the huge privilege of being the first man to step on the moon, and nobody can take that away from him. I know he was uncomfortable with it but for me it still applies. Astronauts in those days weren't just the jockeys or the figureheads, they were integral parts of the design effort and planning as well. And when they were 'just' being astronauts, what they were doing was phenomenally dangerous. The three guys in Apollo 11 would have seen their colleagues burned alive in the same tiny capsule and still agreed to be trapped inside it for over a week in outer space. QuoteI also find it odd when people say that it's 'sad' that someone famous has died, as if we expect these celebrities to escape the inevitable. His defining moment was over 40 years ago, and he'd been out of the spotlight for a very long time. I don't think he's ever been out of the spotlight. Google 'Armstrong' and the first result isn't Lance. For me, he's symbolic of a time when pure exploration, pushing the boundaries of what's possible for no immediately tangible result was worth it regardless of the cost or the danger. His death takes us one step further away from that - it's sad that it's 40+ years later and we still haven't gone any further.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mach1dmb 0 #35 September 2, 2012 A friend told me a story awhile back about Neil Armstrong that I thought I should share. Some of you may have heard it before, I find it hilarious. Back when Neil walked on the moon, before getting back on the Apollo, one of the things he said was "Good luck Mr. Gorsky". People asked him for years and years what he meant by it, and it wasn't until decades later that he revealed what it meant. When Neil was just a kid, he went after a baseball that landed in his neighbor's (the Gorskys') bushes. While reaching for it he overheard Mrs. Gorsky from the window yell "Sex?! You want sex?! I'll give you sex when the boy next door walks on the moon!". True story. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #36 September 3, 2012 Quote True story. I highly doubt it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,596 #37 September 3, 2012 Quote Quote True story. I highly doubt it. Cynic! Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 35 #38 September 4, 2012 The version I heard was oral sex."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
