RIP John Glenn

Mahone – I agree with you that the movie based on Wolfe’s book falsely built up the legend of Yeager at the expense of the seven original astronauts . Good thing Life magazine publicized the seven at the time and it helped them career wise and financially. Wolf was just looking for a angle to sell books in my opinion. Glenn definitely loved flying based on the fact he flew his own plane until he was 90. This in spite of the dangers of flying in combat, record breaking flights, and space exploration. Some airline pilots don’t even like to fly on their days off.

A truly sad day 🙁 It almost as saddening as most of the folks my age asking “who’s that?” when I said hes died.

I too love the film – as a film. But I think it, or I suppose really the Tom Wolfe book it’s based on, is responsible for a lot of questionable perceptions that are now widely accepted: The deification of Yeager being the obvious one – but also fairly negative views of people like Crossfield, Gus Grissom and of course of Glenn himself – “Mr Dudley Dooright Clean-Marine”

I even liked the movie the Right Stuff where the actor playing Glenn was on a national TV program called Name That Tune where he successful names the tune being played as Straighten Up and Fly Right. The movie was universally panned by aviation critics including test pilot Scott Crossfield who didn’t like the film making fun of President LBJ. Chuck Yeager played the bartender at the Happy Bottoms Riding Club. One of my favorite aviation movies no matter what others thought.

A Beechcraft Baron.

I was going to vote for him 1984 but somehow the Democrats chose Mondale instead. Four time senator from Ohio he helped his wife overcome her life long case of stuttering. What is really neat that he owned and flew his own twin aircraft with his wife at his side until he turned 90.

Truly extraordinary career – amazing chap.

I’m teaching the Cold War at present so it was an ideal time on Friday to highlight the Space Race and pay tribute to John Glenn.

A hero and an inspiration.

R I P ,Brave man .

Hi All,
A man who will have inspired many pilots through his exploits RIP Mr Glenn.

Geoff.

A remarkable record in WWII and Korea also.
RIP ‘Magnet Ass’ 🙂

He certainly embodied the “Right stuff”.
Small town boy and Eagle scout who married his childhood sweetheart, decorated fighter pilot, record setter, astronaut, senator, astronaut again…

My gosh, what a life.

RIP.

Hero

Blue skies and ‘God Speed’ John Glenn.

I hope that his final journey will be a smoother one than that first trip. I was just reading the report on his Mercury flight earlier this week, it is impressive how much detail he was able to provide from that relatively short flight. See here: http://m.aviationweek.com/blog/glenns-1962-pilot-report-nasa-mercury-mission