Today is the 4th of July, our Independence Day, and while I don't normally plan holiday posts but rather let them happen as circumstances permit, today was kind of an exception. I've been preparing to segue from military to space for some time now on the blog and it just so happened these Shuttle pics were ready for today. It was on this date in 1982 that a group of us from George AFB drove to Edwards AFB to watch the Space Shuttle 'Columbia' land after completing STS-4. See my post "Witness To History: July 4th 1982 Edwards AFB" for more photos. Afterwards President Reagan gave a speech in front of the Shuttle 'Enterprise' declaring the Space Shuttle mission operational. The whole event was capped-off by watching the impossible looking lash-up of the Space Shuttle 'Challenger', attached to its specially modified 747, take off and do a fly-by of the crowd!! It is for this reason that I'll always equate the 4th of July to the Space Shuttle.
The 'Columbia lands successfully after STS-4
The Shuttle 'Enterprise' with President Reagan
It wasn't until many years after witnessing this event that I became a toy collector and needles to say couldn't resist acquiring Processed Plastic's Space Shuttle. The version featured here today is their simpler offering with the Shuttle 'Enterprise', sans rockets, attached to a display card. The Shuttle measures 9" (22.86cm) L x 7" (17.78cm) wingspan x 3 1/4" (9.52cm) H. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina
I really should've taken these photos against a darker backdrop - oh well, c'est la vie!
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