My most memorable double act are Neil and Buzz. They could not have been less alike in demeanour. Buzz very conscious of the immensity of what they were doing, Neil essentially ever the pilot/engineer wanted to get the job done. Their professional partnership guided Eagle for 13 minutes from lunar orbit to touchdown, overcoming two significant alarms (the famous 1201 and 1202 warnings). Neil observing that the project landing site was strewn with rocks, flies Eagle manually, Buzz calling out distance and drop rate. Team work. Neil, the First Man, spends the rest of his life quietly dealing with being NEIL ARMSTRONG! Buzz has demons to deal with but comes out clean on the other side. Armstrong is reported to have said he never understood the fuss about walking on the moon. It is claimed he said the clever bit was landing on the moon. (I was hooked at 7yrs old, still am.)
When I hear the word double act i immediately think of comedians like Laurel & Hardy, Abbot & Costello, and the best of the bunch Morecambe and Wise. Best historical fictional double act has to be Hannibal Hayes and Kid Curry. However, for a more serious note, how about the crew of Gemini 8 - Neil Armstrong & Dave Scott. First docking of spacecraft, systems failure seriously put their lives in danger. If they hadn’t been able to recover control of their capsule they’d have been killed and the moon landing would have been delayed/ cancelled (?).
Since Armstrong and Scott were an American double act I thought I’d try and come up with a British pairing. How about Alcock and Brown?First transatlantic flight in 1919 in a converted bomber. Took 16 hours flying through fog, ice and equipment failure.
Double act for me has a WW1 connotation, Capt Bruce Bairnsfather and his creation "Old Bill". Bairnsfather created the image of the old Soldier, his massive Walrus moustache normally framed by a balaclava and surrounded by mud rain and explosives.
He was the everyman for the troops and the image that readers of "The Bystander" associated with their loved ones in the trenches. His dry quips will be recognised by ex-service personnel as typical dark squaddie humour.
Considerable literature on these two, but they were giants. FDR and Eleanor were instrumental in leading the US and the West into the next generation. I can’t think of a better team. FDR had the foresight to see that the US would be drawn into WW2 and coaxed an isolationist country into the inevitable by helping the Brits survive the onslaught in Europe and at the same time putting US war prep on an active footing years before Pearl Harbor. Eleanor was a woman 1-2 generations ahead of her time. She visited the troops in the South Pacific and did her part providing valuable insight into FDRs decisions. Eleanor continued her public service after her husband’s death She was one of the architects of the United Nations. Together and separately they were giants in The Greatest Generation.
My historical double act are the impossibly courageous Belgium teenagers Léon Trulin
& Raymond Derain - in 1914 the 18yr old Leon travel to England to join the British army after the German invasion of Belgium. Rejected for service because of his sickly appearance he returned home determined to do his duty for his country.
"Noël Lurtin" (anagram of his own name) or Léon 143, The secret organisation Trulin formed with Derain, for the purpose of collecting precious information from Ath to Brussels, from Antwerp to the Dutch border, on a reconnaissance mission they were captured by a German patrol, tried & sentenced to death.
When informed about the verdict, Léon Trulin simply said "I did it for my country". “I die for my country and without regrets. Simply I am very sad for my dear mother and my brothers and sisters who will suffer from this fate without being guilty"
Held in cell 147 & taken to the Citadel of Lille where he was executed by firing squad.
A double act of sorts! The latest interstellar news, NASA communication from Voyager 1 probe has resumed. The twin probes Voyager 1 & 2 the double act, are now the furthest man made objects from earth travelling through the infinite, unimaginable darkness of space, V1 discovering the volcanic activity on the moons of Jupiter and the intricacies of Saturn rings *
V2 explored the ice giants Neptune & Uranus ** Each probe has entered interstellar space travelling between the material from stars which died millions of years ago, communicating with
The Deep Space Network – or DSN, which is NASA's international array of giant radio antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions.
V1 & V2 have a gold disc attached to their hull these discs contain images & a map showing earth & where our blue marble is in space!
Artist Steve McQueen produced an installation artwork ‘Once upon a time’ based on these images. The idea being if the probes encounter intelligent life the images on the discs give a snap shot of life on earth! And that we come in peace.
The pictures were chosen in the 70’s & even to a modern eye they look dated & incomprehensible. NASA, chose to include a picture of a newborn baby, the then state of the art skyscrapers & fresh supermarket produce, portraying a rose-tinted version of life on Earth where poverty, war, religious conflict and disease are notable by their absence.
I visited the work when it was installed in the Compton Verney art gallery Warwick in the mid 2000’s The images are accompanied by unintelligible voices ‘speaking in tongues’ McQueen worked with SETI (search for extraterrestrial life!) Good luck to ET if he finds the gold discs & hopefully if he does he has friendly intentions to us earthlings as we have kindly provide a handy cosmic A-Z sat nav handbook as to where in the universe we hang out! #waroftheworlds
One cannot grasp the enormity of the Universe. Both of these craft orient themselves by the stars, like 14th century sailors. At 40,000,000,000 miles away from their lunch point, the perspective is still the same …….
Most importantly Maurice's system of punishment that was on a sliding scale that he imposed when Trenchard was being a dick. It ranged from hiding his glasses to one breaking the window of his automobile so he'd have a draft all day
I suspect not. My favourite bit is that if he'd been a dick to someone in particular Maurice would phone them up afterwards to let them know he'd been suitably punished. Truly an icon of benevolent spite.
Dowding and Park. I've held the position for years that Dowding saved Western Civilization as we know it, and Park was instrumental in executing almost all his major decisions.
I'm on record with my opinion of Dowding in my blog. Literally a case of "Right man, right place when war came." Had the stones to stand up to Churchill on the "Spitfires in France" issue and several other occasions. Park, unlike a certain other subordinate commander, may have have disagreed privately with decisions but STFU and executed in public.
Nimitz and Spruance were going to be another pairing, but then that leads to several other discussions about Philippine Sea vs. Leyte Gulf. Plus where does one put Nimitz and Lockwood, arguably a duo just as vital to the destruction of Japan's warmaking capability from late '43 to the end of the war.
Ada Lovelace, the only legitimate daughter of Lord Byron met the mathematician Charles Babbage, in the 1830’s who had designed a calculating machine called the Difference Engine. Lovelace was inspired by the prototype. The formed an unlikely ‘double act’
Although often ill in her childhood, Ada pursued her mathematical studies . She married William King in 1835. King was made Earl of Lovelace in 1838, Ada thereby becoming Countess of Lovelace.
Her educational and social exploits brought her into contact with scientists such as Andrew Crosse, Charles Babbage, Sir David Brewster, Charles Wheatstone and Michael Faraday, and the author Charles Dickens, contacts which she used to further her education. Ada described her approach as "poetical science"and herself as an "Analyst & Metaphysician”
When she was 18 her mathematical talents led her to a long working relationship and friendship with fellow British mathematician Charles Babbage, who is known as "the father of computers". She was in particular interested in Babbage's work on the Analytical Engine. Lovelace first met him in 1833, when she & her mother attended one of Charles Babbage's Saturday night soirées (Call them what you like Charles, we know your game) with their mutual friend, and Ada's private tutor, Mary Somerville.
There is much speculation that Ada & Charles were at ‘it’ - maybe at his soiress! there is no evidence to prove this. A drinker & compulsive gambler, she even sketch out an idea for a flogging machine! A revolutionary woman who inspires the US military to name their early computer code after her! Here’s to Ada what a gal …. I think Ada & AC would have been mates! 😀🤣🙏☺️😅
Churchill and FDR are a historical odd couple. Churchill was sometimes eccentric, a supporter of the British Empire, stubborn, and an excellent dinner conversationalist. FDR came from a wealthy family, but he had empathy for everyday people, opposed the British Empire, and was a skilled politician.
Edward VIII was ridiculed and the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson hated. I wouldn't have liked either of them but you have to say their love for each other was heartfelt. Or at least that's how I see it. His offer to marry Simpson as soon as he attained the throne almost made our PM resign. And one can only guess how his sympathy with Hitler which contrasted with his brother would have looked during WW2 had he not abdicated.
My historical, (Hysterical) double act has to be Queen Elizabeth 1 and Francis Drake.
Having returned from hounding the Spanish, Drake is the focus of Ambassadorial complaint.
Queen Bess, tongue in cheek, says," Drake, you are a naughty pirate ,you must cease your actions, or I shall be cross."
Having pacified the Spanish Ambassador,
Queen Bess turns to Drake (in private) asking about his exploits, and Drake, ever the humorist says, "Your Majesty, your cut of the spoils is on its way to your Treasury as we speak.".
Queen Bess then says" Keep up the good work, The only thing I like about the Spanish is their gold.", " whe n is your next voyage?"
Ooh you tapped into my space nerdery! And gave me an idea for an article! That’s a good shout
My most memorable double act are Neil and Buzz. They could not have been less alike in demeanour. Buzz very conscious of the immensity of what they were doing, Neil essentially ever the pilot/engineer wanted to get the job done. Their professional partnership guided Eagle for 13 minutes from lunar orbit to touchdown, overcoming two significant alarms (the famous 1201 and 1202 warnings). Neil observing that the project landing site was strewn with rocks, flies Eagle manually, Buzz calling out distance and drop rate. Team work. Neil, the First Man, spends the rest of his life quietly dealing with being NEIL ARMSTRONG! Buzz has demons to deal with but comes out clean on the other side. Armstrong is reported to have said he never understood the fuss about walking on the moon. It is claimed he said the clever bit was landing on the moon. (I was hooked at 7yrs old, still am.)
Dr Rendezvous and every day Joe! Love it, James.
When I hear the word double act i immediately think of comedians like Laurel & Hardy, Abbot & Costello, and the best of the bunch Morecambe and Wise. Best historical fictional double act has to be Hannibal Hayes and Kid Curry. However, for a more serious note, how about the crew of Gemini 8 - Neil Armstrong & Dave Scott. First docking of spacecraft, systems failure seriously put their lives in danger. If they hadn’t been able to recover control of their capsule they’d have been killed and the moon landing would have been delayed/ cancelled (?).
Since Armstrong and Scott were an American double act I thought I’d try and come up with a British pairing. How about Alcock and Brown?First transatlantic flight in 1919 in a converted bomber. Took 16 hours flying through fog, ice and equipment failure.
Double act for me has a WW1 connotation, Capt Bruce Bairnsfather and his creation "Old Bill". Bairnsfather created the image of the old Soldier, his massive Walrus moustache normally framed by a balaclava and surrounded by mud rain and explosives.
He was the everyman for the troops and the image that readers of "The Bystander" associated with their loved ones in the trenches. His dry quips will be recognised by ex-service personnel as typical dark squaddie humour.
For those unfamiliar with him, search for "Old Bill cartoon" in your search engine.
Considerable literature on these two, but they were giants. FDR and Eleanor were instrumental in leading the US and the West into the next generation. I can’t think of a better team. FDR had the foresight to see that the US would be drawn into WW2 and coaxed an isolationist country into the inevitable by helping the Brits survive the onslaught in Europe and at the same time putting US war prep on an active footing years before Pearl Harbor. Eleanor was a woman 1-2 generations ahead of her time. She visited the troops in the South Pacific and did her part providing valuable insight into FDRs decisions. Eleanor continued her public service after her husband’s death She was one of the architects of the United Nations. Together and separately they were giants in The Greatest Generation.
My historical double act are the impossibly courageous Belgium teenagers Léon Trulin
& Raymond Derain - in 1914 the 18yr old Leon travel to England to join the British army after the German invasion of Belgium. Rejected for service because of his sickly appearance he returned home determined to do his duty for his country.
"Noël Lurtin" (anagram of his own name) or Léon 143, The secret organisation Trulin formed with Derain, for the purpose of collecting precious information from Ath to Brussels, from Antwerp to the Dutch border, on a reconnaissance mission they were captured by a German patrol, tried & sentenced to death.
When informed about the verdict, Léon Trulin simply said "I did it for my country". “I die for my country and without regrets. Simply I am very sad for my dear mother and my brothers and sisters who will suffer from this fate without being guilty"
Held in cell 147 & taken to the Citadel of Lille where he was executed by firing squad.
I love this pick! I know Sam will too!
The horrifying duo of Hindenburg and Ludendorff. Symbiotic narcissism at its very worse - and they got away with it, lived to wreak more havoc in WW2.
Although I have an amusing picture of H in a few weeks to share that will make you warm to him...
NASA probes Voyager 1 & Voyager 2
A double act of sorts! The latest interstellar news, NASA communication from Voyager 1 probe has resumed. The twin probes Voyager 1 & 2 the double act, are now the furthest man made objects from earth travelling through the infinite, unimaginable darkness of space, V1 discovering the volcanic activity on the moons of Jupiter and the intricacies of Saturn rings *
V2 explored the ice giants Neptune & Uranus ** Each probe has entered interstellar space travelling between the material from stars which died millions of years ago, communicating with
The Deep Space Network – or DSN, which is NASA's international array of giant radio antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions.
V1 & V2 have a gold disc attached to their hull these discs contain images & a map showing earth & where our blue marble is in space!
Artist Steve McQueen produced an installation artwork ‘Once upon a time’ based on these images. The idea being if the probes encounter intelligent life the images on the discs give a snap shot of life on earth! And that we come in peace.
The pictures were chosen in the 70’s & even to a modern eye they look dated & incomprehensible. NASA, chose to include a picture of a newborn baby, the then state of the art skyscrapers & fresh supermarket produce, portraying a rose-tinted version of life on Earth where poverty, war, religious conflict and disease are notable by their absence.
I visited the work when it was installed in the Compton Verney art gallery Warwick in the mid 2000’s The images are accompanied by unintelligible voices ‘speaking in tongues’ McQueen worked with SETI (search for extraterrestrial life!) Good luck to ET if he finds the gold discs & hopefully if he does he has friendly intentions to us earthlings as we have kindly provide a handy cosmic A-Z sat nav handbook as to where in the universe we hang out! #waroftheworlds
*snigger
**grow up the lot of you
I love this so much!!!
One cannot grasp the enormity of the Universe. Both of these craft orient themselves by the stars, like 14th century sailors. At 40,000,000,000 miles away from their lunch point, the perspective is still the same …….
I'm a huge fan of the weird symbiotic relationship between Trenchard and Maurice Baring.
Most importantly Maurice's system of punishment that was on a sliding scale that he imposed when Trenchard was being a dick. It ranged from hiding his glasses to one breaking the window of his automobile so he'd have a draft all day
YES. And hiding his pipe and pretending he had no idea where it was 🤣
I am there for every bit of this pettiness... I don't think Boom ever made the connection between bad shit happening and being rude to people tho...
I suspect not. My favourite bit is that if he'd been a dick to someone in particular Maurice would phone them up afterwards to let them know he'd been suitably punished. Truly an icon of benevolent spite.
Cunning like a professor of cunning at Oxford University, or whatever it is
Dowding and Park. I've held the position for years that Dowding saved Western Civilization as we know it, and Park was instrumental in executing almost all his major decisions.
I love that nobody has had the same train of thought in their answer...
I'm on record with my opinion of Dowding in my blog. Literally a case of "Right man, right place when war came." Had the stones to stand up to Churchill on the "Spitfires in France" issue and several other occasions. Park, unlike a certain other subordinate commander, may have have disagreed privately with decisions but STFU and executed in public.
Nimitz and Spruance were going to be another pairing, but then that leads to several other discussions about Philippine Sea vs. Leyte Gulf. Plus where does one put Nimitz and Lockwood, arguably a duo just as vital to the destruction of Japan's warmaking capability from late '43 to the end of the war.
Erm, I'm going to stop talking now. :)
Would Larry Legend and Magic Johnson count?
Not that I’m into sports anymore but, they did happen to say the NBA from obscurity.
Soooo it should have read flying machine …. I’m here for the magnificent men with their flogging machines 😅🤣🥴
Ada Lovelace, the only legitimate daughter of Lord Byron met the mathematician Charles Babbage, in the 1830’s who had designed a calculating machine called the Difference Engine. Lovelace was inspired by the prototype. The formed an unlikely ‘double act’
Although often ill in her childhood, Ada pursued her mathematical studies . She married William King in 1835. King was made Earl of Lovelace in 1838, Ada thereby becoming Countess of Lovelace.
Her educational and social exploits brought her into contact with scientists such as Andrew Crosse, Charles Babbage, Sir David Brewster, Charles Wheatstone and Michael Faraday, and the author Charles Dickens, contacts which she used to further her education. Ada described her approach as "poetical science"and herself as an "Analyst & Metaphysician”
When she was 18 her mathematical talents led her to a long working relationship and friendship with fellow British mathematician Charles Babbage, who is known as "the father of computers". She was in particular interested in Babbage's work on the Analytical Engine. Lovelace first met him in 1833, when she & her mother attended one of Charles Babbage's Saturday night soirées (Call them what you like Charles, we know your game) with their mutual friend, and Ada's private tutor, Mary Somerville.
There is much speculation that Ada & Charles were at ‘it’ - maybe at his soiress! there is no evidence to prove this. A drinker & compulsive gambler, she even sketch out an idea for a flogging machine! A revolutionary woman who inspires the US military to name their early computer code after her! Here’s to Ada what a gal …. I think Ada & AC would have been mates! 😀🤣🙏☺️😅
Churchill and FDR are a historical odd couple. Churchill was sometimes eccentric, a supporter of the British Empire, stubborn, and an excellent dinner conversationalist. FDR came from a wealthy family, but he had empathy for everyday people, opposed the British Empire, and was a skilled politician.
Edward VIII was ridiculed and the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson hated. I wouldn't have liked either of them but you have to say their love for each other was heartfelt. Or at least that's how I see it. His offer to marry Simpson as soon as he attained the throne almost made our PM resign. And one can only guess how his sympathy with Hitler which contrasted with his brother would have looked during WW2 had he not abdicated.
My historical, (Hysterical) double act has to be Queen Elizabeth 1 and Francis Drake.
Having returned from hounding the Spanish, Drake is the focus of Ambassadorial complaint.
Queen Bess, tongue in cheek, says," Drake, you are a naughty pirate ,you must cease your actions, or I shall be cross."
Having pacified the Spanish Ambassador,
Queen Bess turns to Drake (in private) asking about his exploits, and Drake, ever the humorist says, "Your Majesty, your cut of the spoils is on its way to your Treasury as we speak.".
Queen Bess then says" Keep up the good work, The only thing I like about the Spanish is their gold.", " whe n is your next voyage?"
Ha excellent choice of a business partnership rooted in Skulduggery