[joe-fbs]

Wally Funk is definitely one of us (see bio' linked below) and Sue Nelson is an enthusiastic space reporter (Space Boffins podcast) so I reckon this will be a good night out:

https://www.aerosociety.com/events-cale ... for-space/

I cannot get the online thing to work so have emailed RAeS to book. It has worked before so fingers crossed.

https://www.ninety-nines.org/wally-funk.htm

[Dave W]

Oh rats! I have just this minute committed to another event on 12 October.

[XX]

Darn, I'm away then. My sister and I would have loved to go to this. At one time she was in touch with Jerrie Cobb, another of the Mercury 13.

If, like me, you can't get there but are interested in the story then the book 'Amelia Earhart's Daughters' is well worth a read. It spans Jerrie's experiences as a ferry pilot during WWII onwards through her ambition and efforts to get into space. I have the cover photo on my office wall, inspirational.

[ChampChump]

Jerrie seems to have gone off radar. Still slightly hopeful of contact..

[joe-fbs]

There is a decent Mercury 13 documentary on Netflix. I don’t know whether it is available elsewhere.

[joe-fbs]

Yes, we have tickets. There are even full hearing aid facilities so my other half will be able to get full benefit. Well done RAeS.

[joe-fbs]

Even though Wally Funk herself could not be there, this was well worth the trip into London.

[PeteSpencer]

Even though Wally Funk herself could not be there, this was well worth the trip into London.

Who the Phuck is Wally Phunk?

Peter

Edit second URL above now lets me in: Wally Funk indeed...

[joe-fbs]

I should have posted this sooner. A new short tour has been organised. I am heading for London tomorrow to see her. There are two more dates this weekend.

[joe-fbs]

Just heard that there are a few tickets left for tonight

https://www.salon-london.com/content/Ev ... CXXIX--143

[Whiskey Kilo Wanderer]

On Woman's Hour BBC R4 this morning

From the BBC Website:

In 1961 an American pilot, Wally Funk wanted to be an astronaut and passed the Woman in Space programme as part of a group known as the Mercury 13. The programme was abruptly cancelled and instead Wally became America’s first woman aviation safety inspector and taught 3,000 pilots to fly. Now nearly 80, Wally still wants to go into space and is on the waiting list to go as a tourist.

[ChampChump]

I thought I'd updated this, but evidently not. Jerrie died in March. My friend had been trying to get in touch but not in time. She was a notoriously elusive friend.

https://www.latimes.com/local/obituarie ... story.html