via the AP
This morning the entire city looked up as the Space Shuttle Enterprise flew over it, and then landed at JFK. Now let's take a look back at this amazing shot of the same shuttle flying over Manhattan on June 10th, 1983. This was taken on a return flight from a world tour, where it was even on display at the Paris Air Show. On that day in 1983, the NY Times wrote:
The space shuttle Enterprise, built in 1976 as a prototype, is scheduled to make a 20-minute pass over New York City this afternoon atop a modified Boeing 747, Mayor Koch's office said. The shuttle, at 3,500 to 4,000 feet, will be on its way from Toronto to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. It has been shown around the world, and the detour to New York is part of the itinerary. The Enterprise, which has no engines but is otherwise a replica of the shuttles that have flown in space, should appear over the North Bronx about 2:25 P.M., the Mayor's office said. Its precise flight plan, however, will depend on air traffic. The shuttle is expected to cross the Bronx to the La Guardia Airport area and over Queens and Brooklyn to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, where it will turn back north.
There are plenty of old photos of of the Enterprise's world tour from that time... which kind of makes us want to play a "Instagram or '83" game.
