50th Anniversary Apollo 11 :: The Eagle has wings...

21 July 1969, 17:54 GMT, Eagle lifted off the Moon surface... 

On silent wings...

Was busy cutting some grass edges, and concentrating on not chopping off any toes, when the young dog was stood staring at what I thought was me but realised he was fixated on something above and behind me - I looked up and found the sky filled with gliders... 
Section of nine circling overhead to gain height then setting off to the SW - they were followed by a second section of nine which did they same - obviously a good thermal over the village...

50th Anniversary Apollo 11 :: One Small Step...

50 years ago today, man stood on the surface of the Moon. I stayed up all night with my dad to watch the grainy black and white images of Neil Armstrong's first footstep, at 02.56 GMT, on another world...
I remember him taking photos of the TV screen as that first step/hop was made onto the Moon...

50th Anniversary Apollo 11 :: "Tranquility Base here"...

At 20:17:39 GMT on this day, 50 years ago, came the message from 240,000 miles away, "Houston, Tranquility Base here, the "Eagle" has landed."

Moon 'salute'

The partial eclipse of the Moon last night felt almost like a salute by "Selene" to the 50th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11. A couple of photos that I took managed to capture some of the eclipse - cloud was a bit of a problem as it started and the Moon was quite low - coming out of the other side, the last vestiges of the Earth's shadow fades away...

50th Anniversary Apollo 11 :: Lift Off

At 13.32 GMT 16 July 1969 the Saturn V rocket carrying the crew of Apollo 11 lifted off from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Centre on the start of it's historic journey to the Moon...

I followed the tail end of the Gemini programme and all the Apollo missions as a child, collecting every space related article I found, like many kids of my generation dreaming of being an astronaut when I grew up.
A Spitfire pilot was another dream I had - at least I have achieved that one! Twice!!...

Irish Air Corps Spitfire Mk IXT/T9 reunion?

The recent news that the UK's "T9 tally" will soon be increased to nine with the arrival of the Bill Greenwood example, TE308/N308WK, from Aspen, CO. USA to join the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar's inventory is good news in that it will mean her return to airworthy status can proceed. 
TE308 was damaged after a landing/taxiing accident with Hawker Hurricane NX9RW/CCF 96  at the Galveston Air Show in 2008.
TE308 had been under a prolonged state of rebuild since then. 

That will mean five of the six Spitfire Trainers operated by the Irish Air Corps will be in the UK - number six, MK721/IAC 160, was written off in IAC service in the 50's. 

Perhaps we might see a 'reunion' of these fine aircraft back in the ROI at some point?...

Back to 8 - PT462 flies again

The UK's Spitfire T9 population has returned to eight airworthy aircraft (nine worldwide), after the return to flight by PT462/G-CTIX yesterday at Duxford, following her accident in February. 

With the recent news that the UK's T9 tally will soon be increased to nine with the arrival of TE308/N308WK from the USA and addition to the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar's inventory. 
That will mean five of the six Spitfire Trainers operated by the Irish Air Corps will be in the UK - number six, MK721/IAC 160, was written off in IAC service. 
(WBS file photos)

PT462 close to return to flight?

PT462/G-CTIX was outside ARCo today for several engine runs, the first since it's accident - a return to flight cannot be far off now...
SM520/G-ILDA was also having it's engine run. 
PV202/G-CCCA was keeping watch over the airfield.