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Author
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Topic: Heritage Flight Museum Apollo 8 medallion
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kosmo
Member Posts: 388
From:
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted 07-18-2016 08:40 AM
  
Thought cS coin/medallion collectors would like to see the medallion that was given out at the Heritage Flight Museum's "An Evening with Apollo 8" event in May. 
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onesmallstep
Member Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 07-18-2016 09:54 AM
Nice that the medallion has an image of a P-51 Mustang on the "Heritage Flight" side, as Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman has flown that aircraft on many occasions. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-18-2016 10:11 AM
That P-51 is actually Bill Anders' plane, named "Val-Halla" to honor his wife (and museum secretary) Valerie. Bill raced this plane at Reno in 1997, '98 and '99 as race #68, commemorating the year Apollo 8 went to the moon. His best showing with this airplane was on a gusty race Sunday in '97, taking third in the Unlimited Class Silver race.The name also reflects the fond memories Bill has for the time he spent in Iceland and the year he spent as Ambassador to Norway. Val-Halla is Viking heaven and Bill's Air Force call sign was "Viking." |
kosmo
Member Posts: 388
From:
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted 07-18-2016 10:12 AM
I didn't realize that Mr Borman flew a P-51 Mustang, I have a photo of Mr Anders flying his P-51 Mustang, Val-Halla at the 2005 Reno Air Races. |
onesmallstep
Member Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 07-18-2016 10:26 AM
Yes, Col. Borman, being USAF, has flown a Mustang including this one in retirement. Did not know the connection of the particular P-51 pictured on the medallion to Anders or his wife, but, as is known, "Heritage Flight" is also applied to a USAF-sponsored event, created for the Air Force's 50th Anniversary, in which vintage and current front-line USAAF/USAF airplanes appear in a formation flypast at select airshows. The tradition continues to this day. |
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