When and what was your "finest half hour" ?

[Blacksheep]

Those - and the H2S derived radar that lay at the heart of the NBS. The date "1943" was firmly stamped on scanner data plates.

[david1300]

Standing on top of the great pyramid at dawn with a fishing rod in my hand.
What were you angling for?

Half an hour of fame?

[david1300]

Probably the first half hour after our first son was born - difficult birth, needing to be C section at midnight on Easter Sunday. I felt amazing.

Now on the other hand, if you were asking about the finest 3 minutes ...

[603DX]

My risky venture into a Mk 1 Vulcan's cockpit at Waddington in 1957 wasn't the only "finest half hour" I enjoyed at that particular CCF camp. We were used to being given air experience flights at RAF stations, usually in Chipmunks and Ansons, but the "Waddo" camp was a high point for us senior cadets. We each had a half hour trip in a Canberra T4, and were allowed to take the controls for a few minutes of this. Absolute bliss for me, my only previous hands-on experience having been a gliding course, and all-too-brief moments in a Chippie. On cloud nine, I wasn't even unduly concerned that there were no ejection seats installed (some early T4s didn't have them), and that if the worst happened our chances of sliding back the pupil's seat and baling out through the starboard side hatch were pretty dire! Well, when you're young you just know you're going to live forever ...

[Cacophonix]

My finest half hour was emerging from that party in 1979 and realising that I had somehow survived with my sanity and tackle just about intact in September 2015 with only a minor hangover.


With acknowledgement to Stoneboat aka BL and PB for uploading the classic image

Caco

[Tall Bird]

Among my souvenirs, in no particular order:

Meeting Mr TB 'His mind was indeed my library, and whenever it was opened to me, I entered bliss.'

My first (and only!) ice climb on a beautiful January day in Slovenia with a great group. It took me awhile and I wasn't quite sure if the instructor was being sarcastic when he told me to relax as we had all the time in the world. I managed 30' before falling off.

One crisp, winter's day walking through the snow from a friend's house and over the hills down into Castleton. Magic.

Getting lost on Lake Ontario: another idyllic day at the uni sailing club in Kingston, Ontario. The downside was my skip who thought he was God's gift to the universe and didn't want me as crew. He threw the yacht around, deliberately I suspect. I was enjoying it but didn't let on. Anyhoo, after awhile I asked where we were really going as Wolfe Island was rapidly disappearing. Skip told me to be a good girl and obey orders. Hmm. The US Coastguard appeared and, after words were exchanged, the skip was advised to 'let the lady have a go and maybe you'll get back to Canada sir.' Of course, God's gift didn't but it was a superb day's sailing.

Walking starkers from Gateshead across the Millennium Bridge, down Quayside and back over the Tyne Bridge onto the Sage terraces. It was cold at 3am but the sun did come out and shone on all the nakedness. The camaraderie and general good humour made it an unforgettable experience. It continued some months later at Tunick's Baltic exhibition. A chap asked if I'd seen pics of myself. I think so. How about you? 'I thought I had but looked down and sadly it wasn't me.'
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on ... en-9662253

[sprintman]

Sending commands to NASA satellites and not splashing one in the sea. More good luck than good mgmt if the truth be known.

[probes]

TB, you weren't the one with blue hair, were you?

[Tall Bird]

Not me probes (my colour is purple) tho' I was near a pink haired lass. Prior to the event we were sent a list of do's and don'ts and signed an agreement to abide by certain rules. No tats, dyed hair, obvious tan stripes or significant operation scars. As you can see, these rules were ignored by some participants. One chap looked like he'd been attacked by a shark: on his back was a scar from right shoulder curving down to his left butt cheek. After awhile we were oblivious to the nudity - we were in the majority. Interesting to see so many different body shapes.

I hope the FSL doesn't see this and, for walking naked around Gateshead, consider it conduct unbecoming......

[henry crun]

Standing on top of Mt Snowdon in mist, and having the mist slowly fall away so that first one peak and then another peeped up though the completely level surface of the mist, until eventually we could see all of Wales spread out to the horizon in every direction.

[probes]

Interesting to see so many different body shapes.

See? One does notice things - which is why I'd feel uncomfortable and I've wondered how it's organised (that's not the only mass-nude photo session, is it?)
So, there are even rules before it starts?

[Slasher]

Getting the highest kills in a Combat Flight Sim (BoB) match, 15 odd years ago with a bunch of fellow drinkng mates on a bet. Enemy level: Ace

My aircraft: Hawker Hurri. The other blokes opted for sleek P51s and laughed at my choice.

I won 300 bucks!

[obgraham]

Maybe it was a half hour for her.

But for me, it was only 5 minutes!

[Hydromet]

As the graphiti on the old VD posters used to say, "How to you make it last 5 minutes?" (In response to the question "Is 5 minutes of pleasure worth a lifetime of pain?")