David Beck Douglas paints moon landing ahead of time

Aug. 08, 1969 - Accuracy of Boy's Painting of Moon Landing Amazes Experts. The accuracy of a painting of man's landing on the Moon, completed three weeks before it happened by a 16-year old boy, has amazed experts. Earlier this week, the artist schoolboy, David Beck Douglas, learned that his pen and ink painting has won him a trip round space control at Houston - and a possible meeting with the astronauts themselves. David's drawing shows a man on the moon near the spacecraft, and even includes the famous footprints on the moon's surface. It was voted by a panel of judges - including Mr. Kenneth Gatland, Vice-President of the Interplanetary Society - in a painting competition organised in the North of England, Scotland and Ireland by the Tudor Food Products Limited, of Peterlee (Co Durham). Moon-mad David, whose home in Linden Terrace, Carlisle is littered with self-made models of spacecraft and lunar surface said: I have been keen on astronomy since I was very young. I have studied it very carefully and read everything I could about the moon flight. I just painted what I thought would happen - and it did. I never thought I would win - it's a dream come true. Seeing the control centre and possibly meeting the astronauts is something I never dreamed would happen. Next month David leaves with his mother on a 14-day all expenses paid trip to America. He will spend two days at Cape Kennedy. He will see the astronauts training, mission control centre, the launching complexes and Apollo and Saturn V assembly building. A spokesman for Tudor said: The accuracy of David's painting amazed everyone. it was almost a replica of pictures published after the event. Mr. Gatland was very surprised to find that a schoolboy has so much knowledge about the space flight. Photo Shows: 16-year-old David Beck Douglas with his moon landing painting that amazed experts

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