The Forgotten Crisis: Gemini 8

[drwayne]

Neil Armstrong before Apollo 11 - in a crisis:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_8<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[rsp1202]

Armstrong had his share of close calls before Apollo 11, that's for sure. I've seen the film from inside the Gemini capsule and don't know how he and Scott managed to withstand the spin rates. But they couldn't handle the high waves on splashdown. Go figure.<br /><br />Armstrong had always been praised for the recovery, but have lately heard some in astronaut office criticized him, and don't know specifically why. What else could he have done?<br /><br />He was a good pilot, but I've always been a Conrad fan, myself.

 

[drwayne]

Its my birthday today.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[tap_sa]

Whaaat? Congratulations!!!

 

[drwayne]

I recall General Yeager indicating in one of his books that he found Armstromg to be somewhat of a "know-it-all".<br /><br />I recall that there are some interesting observations contrasting the decision making styles of Armstrong and Aldrin in one of Michael Collin's books.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

Thanks folks. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Wayne<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

Nope, I am a few years younger than that....<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[rsp1202]

Yes, happy birthday. I certainly enjoy your posts and knowledge, too.<br /><br />I believe Yeager's remarks about Armstrong involved him being so familiar with Edward's weather that he knew exactly which parts of the dry lake bed would be soggy after a thunderstorm, and warning Armstrong not to land there after a particular flight op. But Armstrong went ahead and did it anyway, and got major bogged down. Yeager lost some respect for him after that.<br /><br />On the other hand, Yeager had only the deepest admiration for Joe Engle. I remember watching touchdown of STS-2 and Yeager telling Tom Brokaw that "Joe was the best."<br /><br />Still, Armstrong had the "stuff" to save his and Scott's lives, so that says something about his abilities. According to who you read, he was either the best of the best, or the worst of the best.<br /><br />p.p.s. to previous post: Conrad, Stafford, McDivitt.<br />

 

[drwayne]

Yep, that was the story.<br /><br />I no longer have that book - I lost it somewhere in a move...<br /><br />That was the same book where Yeager observed that one of the most useful skills to have in wartime is the ability to sleep on command.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

I think it was this one:<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553763296/qid=1131074835/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/102-9423053-2910557?v=glance&s=books <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

"Armstrong also had to eject from the LM trainer that malfunction VERY low around a hundred feet."<br /><br />I beleive I have seen footage of that.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[rsp1202]

Scott had his share of close calls, too. He and (I believe) Mike Adams were flying for Yeager at Edwards when their two-seat F-104 lost power and made a hard landing. Whichever one of them was flying front-seat stayed put -- the right choice since the ejection seat fired downward -- the backseat pilot ejected -- the right choice since the engine ended up where that seat used to be.<br /><br />Scott was as competent as anyone in the astronaut office and flew a nearly textbook Apollo 15 mission. We don't have to talk about his trouble with stamps.<br /><br />I thought I saw him just a few weeks back; he might have been in L.A. because of the ceremonies at Edwards handing out astronaut wings to X-15 pilots. At least it looked like him. I tried to flag him down, but he kept right on walking -- another wise choice.

 

[drwayne]

No I did not, thanks for pointing that out!<br /><br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>