The "Eagle" Has Landed...........

Man first set foot on the Moon in July, 1969, during the Apollo 11 Mission. The vehicle that deposited "Man" there was the Lunar Module (LM), in the "Sea of Tranquility". Who can forget Neil Armstrong's famous words; "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed!" The LM was nicknamed the "Eagle", after the majestic bird. The LM was anything but majestic, but is probably the weirdest-looking contraption ever to invade the sky, floating there with its legs awkwardly jutting out above a body which has neither symmetry nor grace. Anyways, it accomplished it's tasks admirably, and secured itself a place in the annals of great history. A tribute to it's namesake.


The "Eagle" in Lunar Orbit. 

Another aerial vehicle named after the Eagle is the F-15 Fighter. The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. The Eagle's air superiority is achieved through a mixture of maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. The F-15 has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace. Its weapons and flight control systems are designed so one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight current or projected enemy aircraft. It is also much more visually-pleasing than the Apollo 11 LM.


What a "Brute"! 

The "Bald Eagle" (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus), is the only eagle unique to North America. The birds range from Canada, to Alaska, and down to Mexico. Eagles may live for 30 years, but the average life expectancy is between 15-20 years. They also mate for life, unless one dies, then the remaining bird will accept a new mate. Years ago they were endangered, but have made a remarkable recovery. A "creationary engineering achievement", the Bald Eagle is a sight to behold, as it soars, hunts, and scavenges. There may be many vehicles and sports teams named after the Eagle, but none will ever match the purity and perfection of the "real thing". My friend Larry Danard sent me some photos of eagles in nature, and they are quite stunning when seen full-screen.


Eagles at "home". 


Sharing the "chores". 


Two "Eaglets" waiting for "chow". 


Nature at it's purest and finest. 

So, there you have it. The Eagle, the National Bird of the U.S.A., and totally "unrivalled" by any machine made by man. Thanks for the pics, Larry!