R.I.P. Michael Collins

Now Buzz is the only one left.

 

I know about that. Of all my flying buddies, my squadron mates, and my original family, I am the only one left. Nice to have my wife, all of my sons, a lot of nieces, nephews, grand kids, great grand kids and my friends on this forum. Good enough health and No complaints. Funny thing happened at the eye doctor's the other day. A rather loud patient asked me if I had cataracts. I said that I did but that I had them fixed. He asked when I did that and I told him when I was 90. Another gentleman that was reading a book at the time slammed the book in his lap and said, "When you were WHAT?" I still laugh at that incident. Ninety five is coming up this summer. I hope that nobody attempts it because that birthday cake with all the candles will look like a wild fire. Just looking forward to some good scotch and a nice steak on the patio with everybody that can make it. I had no intention to demean the passing of Collins, I'm getting used to seeing the passages of many, now.

 

Bob- Hang in there. We would all miss you a bunch if you were not around.

 

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Thank you, Terry. I have no plans to go anywhere in spite of several hospitalization procedures recently. I have too much to do and too much to clean up and during that ongoing process I discovered a long lost note from Micheal Collins when he was director of the Air and Space Museum thanking me for donating my painting of the Graff Zeppelin to the opening of the new Balloon and Airship Wing in 1976.

 

I apologize for the double image. It's really late, I'm tired, and not terribly good at this stuff.

 

Hmm. When I shut down last night there were two dirigible images. Now there is just one, so I guess that a Gremlin came in and took one during the night. Those little troublemakers from WW2 are still sneaking around.

 

ooor, after reading your post, I hit the 'Report' button and asked Mod to remove 1 image. but, I like your theory better!

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Thank you. Now I know who the Gremlin was. At the time, I couldn't figure out how to remove it. There is a lot of fascinating history about the Graff Zeppelin and Hugo Eckner.

 

Easy fix. 'Report' button is your direct line to Mods. They will do what you want IF they concur with your request.

 

Thank you, I'll remember that.

 

This painting is showing the arrival of the Graff at approximately 1730 at Rio after its 25th crossing of the Atlantic. I did the original illustration for the book that I illustrated for Ernest Gann, "Ernest K. Gann's Flying Circus". The Smithsonian asked to have it for the Bi Centennial opening of the new Balloon and Airship Wing of the Air and Space museum but it had already been sold. So, I did another one (much better) and donated it to the Smithsonian. I think that it has been relegated to the basement by now. It was the most successful airship of all time.