The space shuttle

[terryb18]

Can anyone remember this coming to Birmingham? It would have been about 26/27 years ago. I can't remember what the occasion was though. I took this picture from the back garden of a house in Small Heath where we were living at the time.

Terry

 

[G G Jean]

Yes Terry I can. We were visiting mom in the QE at the time. I have a photo somewhere will have to sort it out. Jean.

 

[Nick Mc.]

I worked at The Odeon in New Street at the time and well remember standing on the roof and watching the Shuttle fly over carried on the back of a Jumbo Jet, unfortunately I didn't own a camera at the time so was unable to record this event. As to the date, it was the late 1980's but I cannot remember the exact year.

 

[Rob Scott]

It was June 7th 1983...a very humid overcast day I seem to remember, an awesome sight.

 

[Morturn]

Yep, I was working in Sparkbrook, it was fastened to the back of a jumbo jet.

 

[chris1978]

I remember this and I thought I was the only person to. I was at primary school at the time and all of the school had an assembly in the playground to watch it go past. As Rob has said it was a very hot humid day, I remember that bit the most for some reason!

 

[Phil]

This was the shuttle being piggy backed over Birmingham on June 7th 1983.

 

[Neville Philpott]

I threw a 'sickie' to see the combination fly over Birmingham airport, which it did at about 2500ft or thereabouts.

The pair had been on display at the Paris airshow and also stopped off at Stansted en route back to USA.

I believe that the roads around the Essex airport were jam packed with people wanting to catch a glimpse of the pair.

 

[crimble]

We remember seeing the shuttle fly over. We were living on edge of the new Stoneydelph estate and looking towards A5 Wilnecote we could just make it out, but we can say we saw it !!!

 

[m.humphreys]

One I took many years ago and was lucky to see five lift offs over the years, its an awesome sight and the sound incredible, the earth really does move in the Cocoa beach area.

 

[Mark Tooze]

A few (not very good - negatives were water damaged and it was a hazy view from Newtown) photos of the Shuttles "Birmingham flyover" in 1983:-

 

[Astoness]

hazy or not marl great photos

lyn

 

[Dave89]

Hi,

Great pics Mark, I can remember watching it with the staff at Metro-Cammell through a massive window at the
end of the Accounts department.
What I do find it hard to believe is that it was 40 years ago!

Kind regards
Dave.

 

[Pedrocut]

The best one that I took at the time from the Marston Green end…

 

[Astoness]

Hi,

Great pics Mark, I can remember watching it with the staff at Metro-Cammell through a massive window at the
end of the Accounts department.
What I do find it hard to believe is that it was 40 years ago!

Kind regards
Dave.

times flies dave

lyn

 

[Rob Scott]

Great photo's, almost as hazy as my memories!!! I do however clearly remember watching this flypast from Long Acre in Nechells and yes, hard to believe it was 40 years ago!

 

[Amoeba]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! It is so good to know that I haven't been imagining things for the past 40 years! I remember seeing the shuttle as I sat in class at school, but because no-one else saw it no-one ever believed me! My desk was next to the window and I'd just happened to look up at the right moment. I don't recall seeing the 747, but I definitely have a memory of the shuttle in the distance travelling South to North, and that it took a few minutes for it to sink in as to what I was seeing. Looking at google maps, it is perfectly feasible that I saw it passing over Leamington/Warwick and on to Birmingham that day. I was at that school (North Leamington Croft Hall) between 1981 and 1985 and the view was out to the West, so the flight path and June '83 sounds just right. Thank you all again for the confirmation!