First Man

[bknight]

I'd also note that that lets him gloss over the fact that a lot of Christians accept evolutionary biology.  Like the Pope.

I'd second that thought.

[Dalhousie]

I'd also note that that lets him gloss over the fact that a lot of Christians accept evolutionary biology.  Like the Pope.

I'd second that thought.

This Christian geologist and astrobiologist certainly does!

[JayUtah]

I'd be careful about using The Right Stuff as a benchmark for movies celebrating spaceflight.

I don't.  But it's evocative of a style.  As history, it's sort of the Amadeus of spaceflight.

[Dalhousie]

I'd be careful about using The Right Stuff as a benchmark for movies celebrating spaceflight.

Not using it as a benchmark for movies in spaceflight - there are quite a few I thought better. But pointing out some stylistic similarities and shoutouts.

[mako88sb]

There was also the scene with Neil leaving baby Karen's bracelet on the moon... did that happen? I don't remember it.

AFAIK, that was all artistic licence.

I read an interview with Hansen where he says as much, along with "We don't really know", arguing that no-one ever saw Armstrong's PPK so it could have been. It's a nice thought and I hope it is.

Saw this a few weeks ago and one thing I can't really recall from the book(which I can't seem to find) is why he deviated from the EVA to visit the crater? Seems out of character for someone like him, especially the first manned lunar landing and all the risks that some felt might be present. Anyway, if somebody has the book handy, I'd appreciate what it says about this. While I'm at it, what was Armstrong's response to Yeager's book claiming Neil didn't listen to him in regards to the dry lake bed "touch & go" were they ended up stuck? Pretty sure he hinted that it was actually Yeager who insisted on the "touch & go".

[Ranb]

The Yeager and Armstrong version of events of that day are very different.  Yeager says he tried to talk Armstrong out of the touch and go; Armstrong says that didn't happen.  Also according to Armstrong, Yeager suggested a 2nd touch and go with a slower speed after touching down; that is when the plane got stuck.

The author, James R. Hanson has comments in the book "First Man" about how Yeager's recall of the event seems to change over the years.

I've read a few autobiographies and compared them to biographies written by historians.  While the autobiographical books make for entertaining reading I've found that other books about the same person seem to be more factual, as far as I can tell.  Compare Yeager's autobiography to Louis Rotundo's "Into the Unknown" as well as Gregory Boyington's "Baa Baa Black Sheep" to Bruce Gamble's "Black Sheep One". 

[Obviousman]

...as well as Gregory Boyington's "Baa Baa Black Sheep" to Bruce Gamble's "Black Sheep One". 

Especially concerning the attainment of 'ace' status. I really enjoyed both books but I think the latter has more credence.

[Ranb]

Well, Boyington certainly was an ace, with at least 16 or so planes.  I'd like to read a book about Erich Hartmann from a source more reliable than UFO writer Trevor Constable.

[mako88sb]

The Yeager and Armstrong version of events of that day are very different.  Yeager says he tried to talk Armstrong out of the touch and go; Armstrong says that didn't happen.  Also according to Armstrong, Yeager suggested a 2nd touch and go with a slower speed after touching down; that is when the plane got stuck.

The author, James R. Hanson has comments in the book "First Man" about how Yeager's recall of the event seems to change over the years.

While X-mas shopping I seen the movie cover version of First Man so got a chance to check out what I was asking about. Along with what you said I started a discussion over at a military aviation forum about some of Yeager's claims and many voiced the opinion that there was a lot of embellishment in his books. Probably true and most likely expected.

As for my first question, I guess saying he deviated from the EVA is wrong. They just had some basic guideline not to stray too far from the LM and he felt heading to the crater was a reasonable thing to do to get some photos of it. Whether or not he took a personal minute or 2 will never be known which is the way it should be.

[Dalhousie]

The Yeager and Armstrong version of events of that day are very different.  Yeager says he tried to talk Armstrong out of the touch and go; Armstrong says that didn't happen.  Also according to Armstrong, Yeager suggested a 2nd touch and go with a slower speed after touching down; that is when the plane got stuck.

The author, James R. Hanson has comments in the book "First Man" about how Yeager's recall of the event seems to change over the years.

While X-mas shopping I seen the movie cover version of First Man so got a chance to check out what I was asking about. Along with what you said I started a discussion over at a military aviation forum about some of Yeager's claims and many voiced the opinion that there was a lot of embellishment in his books. Probably true and most likely expected.

As for my first question, I guess saying he deviated from the EVA is wrong. They just had some basic guideline not to stray too far from the LM and he felt heading to the crater was a reasonable thing to do to get some photos of it. Whether or not he took a personal minute or 2 will never be known which is the way it should be.

Yeager's version of several events has been questioned, including that of his NF-104 flight http://www.kalimera.org/nf104/stories/stories_13.html

[bknight]

I finally saw this today.  The first aspect that caught my attention was the amount of vibrations, more than I would have thought.  Is this for real or just Hollywood?

[Obviousman]

I finally saw this today.  The first aspect that caught my attention was the amount of vibrations, more than I would have thought.  Is this for real or just Hollywood?

That's what I thought but some respected people have said it was accurate. Still.....

[onebigmonkey]

I think it's probably accurate, to a point - several Apollo astronauts I've heard speak say the Saturn was a real boneshaker. That said I think what the film makers were wanting to achieve was a feeling of just how claustrophobic those vehicles were, and that vibration added to the impact.

I saw it again the other night and had lots of fun nitpicking

[ka9q]

The Saturn V was a real bone-shaker, yes. But the depiction of the Gemini VIII in-flight emergency seemed a little overdone. Yes, it was a serious emergency, and yes the g-forces got high enough to be very dangerous, but I wouldn't expect them to be accompanied by a lot of shaking. Just a large static force.

[onebigmonkey]

The Saturn V was a real bone-shaker, yes. But the depiction of the Gemini VIII in-flight emergency seemed a little overdone. Yes, it was a serious emergency, and yes the g-forces got high enough to be very dangerous, but I wouldn't expect them to be accompanied by a lot of shaking. Just a large static force.

Or a big whooshing noise