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Topic: 10/10: Ken Willoughby presents: Fred Haise
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Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 01-11-2008 10:27 AM
I have had confirmation that Fred Haise will appear in the UK, October 10th, courtesy of Ken Willoughby and Carleton Community High School. He will be giving a talk at the same Pontefract venue that Alan Bean appeared at last year.Ticket availability and prices are yet to be confirmed. Regards, Rick |
gliderpilotuk Member Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-11-2008 12:13 PM
Excellent excuse for a trip to God's country.Paul |
machbusterman Member Posts: 1778 From: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland Registered: May 2004
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posted 01-11-2008 04:51 PM
Isn't there usually an autograph show here in the UK during October also? |
Steve Procter Member Posts: 1031 From: Leeds, Yorkshire, UK Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 01-12-2008 02:04 PM
I'll be there! Am I to expect a delegation of the usual suspects in sunny Pontefract in October?Steve |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 01-12-2008 06:00 PM
I think it safe to say a collectSPACE "posse" will be there.Regards, Rick |
Apollo14LMP Member Posts: 291 From: UK Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 10-04-2008 02:06 PM
Are any of usual traders offering 10x8s at the forthcoming Fred Haise presentation?Anyone have any knowledge of what will be on offer? Pontefract slowly becoming the best place in the UK to see the Astronauts... always a good presentation. Anyone care to share their in person experiences with Fredo? |
spaceman Member Posts: 1104 From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 10-06-2008 09:22 AM
We will be offering Fred Haise 8x10's and larger matted prints & framed prints, Apollo 13 patches/pins and ALT items etc at the event. Many thanks, see you there on Friday,Nick Spaceman www.spaceboosters.co.uk |
Apollo14LMP Member Posts: 291 From: UK Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 10-06-2008 12:32 PM
Hi Nick,Will you have the photograph showing the damaged CSM (panels missing) taken from Aquarius after the CSM was jettisoned... you know the one I mean. I was after a large photo bigger than 8x10. Will live with the 8x10 though. Thanks. |
icarkie Member Posts: 618 From: BURTON ON TRENT /England Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 10-06-2008 01:12 PM
I know Dr Proc and Nick will be there, any other cS gang going?Ian |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 10-06-2008 03:30 PM
Me. |
Prospero Member Posts: 94 From: Manchester, UK Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 10-09-2008 03:47 PM
I'll be there too - at least I hope so, if the Command Module can make it across the Pennines from Manchester to Pontefract. It's looking decidedly dicey at the moment. I've been dithering for months about going, due to my financial situation, and last week I finally decided to send off for a ticket, which arrived Tuesday. All's well it seems, except since yesterday the exhaust on my car has been sounding like the engine on a V1, plus it's started rattling when I go over speed bumps (which my area is infested with). I'm still going to try to make it, on the theory that if Fred Haise can go to the Moon and back in a dodgy spaceship I can at least try to go to Yorkshire and back in a dodgy Fiesta, but I don't know what my chances are of completing the journey. Second worst-case scenario is my car breaks down on the way home (and I don't fancy being marooned on the M62 at night). I don't even want to think about the worst case, but I'll be there if at all possible.
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spaceman Member Posts: 1104 From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 10-11-2008 05:11 AM
What an evening. We didn't get back until 2.00 am but well worth it.What can you say about Fred Haise - First Class. He gave a first class 'Evening With Presentation' with accompanying slide/video. A first class Q & A session. He then signed autographs and posed for photographs etc for 2 hours after the event. Everybody waited patiently in line and Fred was not phased at all by the queue ('Houston, there was no problem'). He had time for everyone young and not so young alike. To Fred Haise 'Failure was not an option'. Just how many familiar quotations can you get into one posting. Thanks to to Ken Willoguhby and his professional crew. Thanks to the headteacher at Carleton School and all of the sponsors. One small step for a man, One Giant leap for Pontefract Kind... ok now I'll shut up. Nick (and Bryar) Spaceman www.spaceboosters.co.uk |
Prospero Member Posts: 94 From: Manchester, UK Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 10-11-2008 10:35 AM
I set out straight from work thinking I'd allowed plenty of time, needed to go to the cash machine and fuel up, couldn't get into the place where I normally do that, had to divert, got onto the M62 half an hour later than I expected to (sweating buckets because of the dodgy exhaust on my car), got lost in Pontefract and found the school almost dead on 7.30. Got to the door, asked "Is this where the Fred Haise talk is?" and got a blank look from the schoolboy at the door! Handed over my ticket, was told the only seats left were upstairs, rushed upstairs and was confronted by a round of applause as I found the upstairs seats. I was literally sitting down as the Great Man himself came on stage. Just like last year, in fact.The talk was worth the trip, I found Fred Haise to be a very good speaker (even if one or two of his answers weren't directly relevant to the questions, he was still an interesting speaker). I was surprised by upbeat his talk was, as opposed to dwelling on the disappointment of not landing on the Moon. Quite a bit of good humour and some laugh out loud moments. Straight after the Q&A, I shot out of the door to find the dealer's room. I got stuck behind the guy who bought the last portrait photo off Nick, so I had to settle for the one showing the Service Module, along with an ALT patch. Back to the hall to join the autograph queue, I had a lot of trouble finding the end of it as people seemed to be clustering all over the place, but I found a spot. I'm pretty sure it's the first time in my life I've queued up for an hour and a half for any reason at all, but I did get chatting to a friendly couple who had a copy of Lost Moon and some sheet music from the film. Frankly I think the venue could have done with a few stewards to keep everyone in order - by stewards, I mean goons ;-). Got to the front of the queue in the end, dehydrated and tongue-tied (I'm not normally overawed by famous people, but people who've been to the Moon and back have that effect on me), managed to mutter a few polite words to Fred, he signed my (mostly black) picture on one of the few light spots available (I'll bring a gold or silver pen next time) and I left happy. Out into the cool night air after the hot and stuffy hall (I'll also bring some water bottles and pocket fans to sell next time), had my tea (a bottle of Slimfast) and drove home. Got home about midnight exhausted (still dopey now, as I had to get up early to get the exhaust fixed) but happy I went. Despite all the mither, it was definitely worth the trip - I'll just try to get there earlier next time. Looking forward to Jim Lovell and Gene Cernan.
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icarkie Member Posts: 618 From: BURTON ON TRENT /England Registered: Nov 2002
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posted 10-11-2008 12:17 PM
Nick said it all, Freddo talk was great. A packed school hall we were all looking forward to the talk that night.At the start when I got to the car park with my mates we said Hi to Ken Willoughby who was just outside then this guy came out of a car,came up to us and shook our hands and said Hi to us all (it was a guy called Fred Haise). We got inside I said to Paul and Dave "Freddo just shook our hand and said hi" couldn't belive it we all had a big smiles on our faces so we were in for a good night. Nicks said it all and hit it on the nail with the talk (fantastic). Unlike our cS mate from Manchester we were lucky in the queue and waited about 25 mins. He had time to insc the photos and I hate to think how long he was there as the queue wraped itself around ther school hall. Well done Ken and the school for putting on a great night. After seeing what Beano and Freddo did after there talk it will be interesting to see if Lovell and Cernan will go that far? Saw some of the UK cS's gang Rob, Ollie, Proc, Andy Carson and Nick and Byar and a big thank you to my mate Paul. Ian |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 10-11-2008 03:19 PM
I would second everything already mentioned about Fred Haise in Pontefract. I saw quite a bit of Freddo last evening and I was struck by his modesty and humility. Nothing fazed him; a complete gent for whom nothing was too much trouble. Probably the most down to earth astronaut I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I only hope it is not too long before I get a chance to meet him again. Hats off to Ken and his crew for putting on yet another top notch evening... They have a knack of keeping in the background and avoiding the limelight they so richly deserve. Regards, Rick PS. Andy Green and Andy Carson. I've sent you pictures from last evening but my mail bounced back each time. |
StarDome New Member Posts: From: Registered:
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posted 10-11-2008 05:55 PM
Try again Rick with the pics mate.Here here to what everyone has said and thank so much to Freddo, what a guy! He was just so humble, a brilliant person to meet. Rick and I did spend a good few hours with him prior to the event and we managed to chat with Fred for quite some time. Again, thanks for Ken et al for their hospitality and help. Let's hope I can raise the money/sponsorship and get a start down here in Cambridge and get one of these guys over... I live in hope! Thanks to everyone who turned up, it was truly a day never to forget. Thanks Fred, and thanks to all the follow cS's who turned up. Cheers Andy Thanks to Nick (SpaceBoosters) too for my 2 pics, cheers mate. |
Steve Procter Member Posts: 1031 From: Leeds, Yorkshire, UK Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 10-12-2008 03:20 PM
Just wanted to concur with everything that has already been said about the event. Fred gave an excellent presentation followed by a Q and A session.Says something about the man and how he returned from serious injuries sustained in an aircraft crash to be lead pilot on the Shuttle ALT programme. The photos he showed of himself after the crash were quite graphic and its a testament to his powers of recovery and the skill of the medical staff that he was able to return to flight status in a relatively short amount of time. At the end of the evening he sat and signed items for what must have been a couple of hours (at least). We were fortunately not too far from the head of the queue! Fred happily chatted, posed for photographs and as he signed did inscriptions, dedications amd mission designations almost as standard. He signed the photo of the flypast of the Boeing 747 carrier aircraft and chase T-38's over the recently landed Enterprise (as seen in Cs 'Space History of the Week, last May). Big thanks to Ed H. for the scan. Also signed the Apogee Apollo 13 Mission Report, which he actually mentioned during his talk. A great evening all round and nice to meet up again with old friends as well as making some new ones. Of course big big thanks to Ken Willoughby and his team of helpers for making it all happen. Steve |
Steve Procter Member Posts: 1031 From: Leeds, Yorkshire, UK Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 10-18-2008 02:45 PM
Sad news that Carleton Community High School, the venue of the recent Fred Haise talk and those earlier of Charlie Duke and Buzz Aldrin, was severely damaged by fire in the early hours of this morning.The hall, used for the presentations appears to be one of the areas most damaged. Steve |
spaceman Member Posts: 1104 From: Walsall, West Midlands, UK Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 10-19-2008 04:45 AM
Devastating news, sounds like a major rebuild is going to be required but in the meantime it will have created severe disruption. Very sad as they had named each of the halls after recently visiting astronauts too. Sounds like the heart of the school has gone.Nick Spaceman.
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paulushumungus Member Posts: 466 From: Burton, Derbyshire, England Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 10-19-2008 08:06 AM
What a shock & what a great shame for the community. I presume that unless another venue is found then it is unlikely that next years talks by Jim Lovell and Gene Cernan will take place? |
StarDome New Member Posts: From: Registered:
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posted 10-19-2008 10:07 AM
Yep, a real shame, but I am sure Ken will already be working on an alternative venue. |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 10-19-2008 12:43 PM
I know that previous astronaut visits have seen pupils from other local schools joining their counterparts at Carleton Community High.You would think one of these other schools would return the favour and make premesis available at Carleton's hour of need...! Carleton has worked closely with Ken over the years to pull off theses wonderful astronaut evenings and I cannot help but feel for them at this dreadful time.... Regards, Rick |