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SpeedyPhill
·Just wondering how many practical 60 minutes bezels Omega still has lying around...
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1969-2019 = 50 years Alaska project
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bazderome
·
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SpeedyPhill
·Thx for the positive replies...
So we can assume that these "Alaska II" time pieces stayed at least 1263 days (3 years 5 months 16 days) aboard Salyut-6
Even if these "Alaska II" chronographs & cases were left aboard Salyut-6 , we can count a period of 1764 days ( July 29, 1982 = re-entry of the Salyut-6 space station) flown-in-space...
🙁 Although I'm missing a few (important) pieces of the puzzle (if returned to Earth, where are these chronographs today ? Moscow ?Baikonour or StarCity museum ? )... several various magazines (spaceflight & watch-related content) show interest in bringing this remarkable story... which I'm glad to offer on a 100% voluntary & unpaid basis... as the story has to be told to celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary of the Soyuz 29 spacewalk ( July 29, 2018 )
...
So we can assume that these "Alaska II" time pieces stayed at least 1263 days (3 years 5 months 16 days) aboard Salyut-6
Even if these "Alaska II" chronographs & cases were left aboard Salyut-6 , we can count a period of 1764 days ( July 29, 1982 = re-entry of the Salyut-6 space station) flown-in-space...
🙁 Although I'm missing a few (important) pieces of the puzzle (if returned to Earth, where are these chronographs today ? Moscow ?Baikonour or StarCity museum ? )... several various magazines (spaceflight & watch-related content) show interest in bringing this remarkable story... which I'm glad to offer on a 100% voluntary & unpaid basis... as the story has to be told to celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary of the Soyuz 29 spacewalk ( July 29, 2018 )
...
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bazderome
·Thx for the positive replies...
So we can assume that these "Alaska II" time pieces stayed at least 1263 days (3 years 5 months 16 days) aboard Salyut-6
Even if these "Alaska II" chronographs & cases were left aboard Salyut-6 , we can count a period of 1764 days ( July 29, 1982 = re-entry of the Salyut-6 space station) flown-in-space...
🙁 Although I'm missing a few (important) pieces of the puzzle (if returned to Earth, where are these chronographs today ? Moscow ?Baikonour or StarCity museum ? )... several various magazines (spaceflight & watch-related content) show interest in bringing this remarkable story... which I'm glad to offer on a 100% voluntary & unpaid basis... as the story has to be told to celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary of the Soyuz 29 spacewalk ( July 29, 2018 )
...
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SpeedyPhill
·Thx, writing the article clearly showed Omega's 1960s pioneering spirit to develop & deliver the perfect/ultimate space watch.
By October 1968, the Speedmaster performed excellent during 10 Gemini missions (24 Speedies were flown) and the Apollo 7 mission, so Omega wanted to make sure that the Speedmaster chronograph wouldn’t fail during the prolonged exposure to the lunar surface, especially during lunar EVAs on the Lunar Roving Vehicle which were planned to last 7 hours.
Remarkable to see that, after protecting the movement, the dial in a titanium watchcase, Omega designers came up with an aluminium outer case… lightweight red anodized outer shrouds to heat protect the entire wrist watch. For Alaska I it came with 3 buttons, for Alaska II with 2 buttons and an added 60-minutes bezel... the latter as used by the Russians in 1978.
It would be interesting to know/read the feedback of the Russian cosmonauts who used these ex-Alaska II time pieces aboard the Salyut-6 space station… now 50 years ago… but we can assume that the conventional Speedmaster already met most requirements as the outer case wasn't used on Alaska III and nowadays the Russian cosmonauts directly strap the SpeedyPro over the outside of their Orlan space suit, without the need for an external shroud. Spacewalks on the ISS can last up to 8 hours, that’s longer than the lunar EVAs of 7 hours, but without the anticipated vibration levels.
Of course Omega’s accumulated knowledge lead to the Alaska IV into the X-33 Speedmaster alarm chronograph, which was presented aboard the Russian space station Mir in March 1998 and is still routinely used aboard the ISS 20 years on…
In summary an amazing time piece, which makes us eager to see if Omega will come up with a 50th anniversary LE in 2019... 🍿
By October 1968, the Speedmaster performed excellent during 10 Gemini missions (24 Speedies were flown) and the Apollo 7 mission, so Omega wanted to make sure that the Speedmaster chronograph wouldn’t fail during the prolonged exposure to the lunar surface, especially during lunar EVAs on the Lunar Roving Vehicle which were planned to last 7 hours.
Remarkable to see that, after protecting the movement, the dial in a titanium watchcase, Omega designers came up with an aluminium outer case… lightweight red anodized outer shrouds to heat protect the entire wrist watch. For Alaska I it came with 3 buttons, for Alaska II with 2 buttons and an added 60-minutes bezel... the latter as used by the Russians in 1978.
It would be interesting to know/read the feedback of the Russian cosmonauts who used these ex-Alaska II time pieces aboard the Salyut-6 space station… now 50 years ago… but we can assume that the conventional Speedmaster already met most requirements as the outer case wasn't used on Alaska III and nowadays the Russian cosmonauts directly strap the SpeedyPro over the outside of their Orlan space suit, without the need for an external shroud. Spacewalks on the ISS can last up to 8 hours, that’s longer than the lunar EVAs of 7 hours, but without the anticipated vibration levels.
Of course Omega’s accumulated knowledge lead to the Alaska IV into the X-33 Speedmaster alarm chronograph, which was presented aboard the Russian space station Mir in March 1998 and is still routinely used aboard the ISS 20 years on…
In summary an amazing time piece, which makes us eager to see if Omega will come up with a 50th anniversary LE in 2019... 🍿
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SpeedyPhill
·Alaska prototyping brainstorming started about 50 years ago... Amazing that Omega designers came up with a redesigned Titanium case version in an Aluminium red outer case just one year later !
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Geo7863
·Please don`t kill me 🤪
But in the next step is the best solution a rotation bezel.
After this.....here is the best moonwatch 😗
(please be cool i love speedys also)
Edited:
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Geo7863
·Excellent research, I have an Alaska project (the modern LE obviously) I never knew that they actually flew!
Where is there evidence though of a Flightmaster going up? I know the Russian crew of the ASTP where shown in training with Flightmasters but I haven't seen any photos of them in space.
Where is there evidence though of a Flightmaster going up? I know the Russian crew of the ASTP where shown in training with Flightmasters but I haven't seen any photos of them in space.
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bazderome
·G Geo7863Excellent research, I have an Alaska project (the modern LE obviously) I never knew that they actually flew!
Where is there evidence though of a Flightmaster going up? I know the Russian crew of the ASTP where shown in training with Flightmasters but I haven't seen any photos of them in space.
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SpeedyPhill
·@Geo7863
Want to see some photographic proof of flown OMega time pieces;
Flightmaster ( Soyuz 14 by cosmonaut Artyukhin in 1974 and Soyuz 21 by cosmonaut Zholobov in 1976 )
Speedmaster Mark III ( Soyuz 15 by cosmonaut Sarafanov in 1974 and Soyuz 24 by cosmonaut Gorbatko in 1977 )
Speedmaster "125 " ( Soyuz T-6 by cosmonaut Dzhanibekov in 1982 )
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Check this topic:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/hidden-gems-from-the-russian-space-photo-archives.65152/
@bazderome is right about ASTP in 1975, a total of 11 Speedmasters were flown ( Leonov carried 3 ) but no Flightmaster nor Gold Apollo tribute Speedmaster chronographs were flown, but the latter can both be seen in pre-mission training photos.
See MoonwatchUniverse photoblog: https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
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Want to see some photographic proof of flown OMega time pieces;
Flightmaster ( Soyuz 14 by cosmonaut Artyukhin in 1974 and Soyuz 21 by cosmonaut Zholobov in 1976 )
Speedmaster Mark III ( Soyuz 15 by cosmonaut Sarafanov in 1974 and Soyuz 24 by cosmonaut Gorbatko in 1977 )
Speedmaster "125 " ( Soyuz T-6 by cosmonaut Dzhanibekov in 1982 )
...
Check this topic:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/hidden-gems-from-the-russian-space-photo-archives.65152/
@bazderome is right about ASTP in 1975, a total of 11 Speedmasters were flown ( Leonov carried 3 ) but no Flightmaster nor Gold Apollo tribute Speedmaster chronographs were flown, but the latter can both be seen in pre-mission training photos.
See MoonwatchUniverse photoblog: https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
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Geo7863
·They flew the ASTP mission with Speedmaster pro not flightmaster, here is Leonov with his
I know, I said they were shown with Flightmaster's in Training. I have seen a photo of a bunch of hands (all wearing Speedies) signing a Diagram./photo/sticker? of the mission Logo, supposedly done in space. I have one of the signed mission Logos and some other original NASA photos of the Crews together....and you can see a Speedy on Kubasov's wrist.
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SpeedyPhill
·Flightmaster topic = https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-flightmaster-thread.36423/
I will post some extra photos over there...
I will post some extra photos over there...
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Geo7863
·Thanks, most interesting. Now I finally have proof that a Flightmaster and the Speedy 125 went up on missions. I had obviously read about them going up but there was no proof.
Photos of watches being worn on publicity shots or on training don't cut the ice with me. I mean take the photo of the Apollo 11 crew at breakfast on the day of their mission.... They could all have been wearing their wives knickers underneath their slacks.....doesn't mean that they wore them on the actual mission does it?
The one that surprised me the most (not amongst your photos that I have seen, but I have seen a photo) is one of the Cosmonauts with that crappy cheap Elektronika 52b watch, immediately after touchdown on the Kazakh steppes. You can clearly see it on his wrist and I doubt very much that he would have borrowed it off one of the reception crew just for the photo!
Photos of watches being worn on publicity shots or on training don't cut the ice with me. I mean take the photo of the Apollo 11 crew at breakfast on the day of their mission.... They could all have been wearing their wives knickers underneath their slacks.....doesn't mean that they wore them on the actual mission does it?
The one that surprised me the most (not amongst your photos that I have seen, but I have seen a photo) is one of the Cosmonauts with that crappy cheap Elektronika 52b watch, immediately after touchdown on the Kazakh steppes. You can clearly see it on his wrist and I doubt very much that he would have borrowed it off one of the reception crew just for the photo!
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Exiztence
·Those bezels are so frikin cool tho
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SpeedyPhill
·Indeed, the 60-minutes was preferred by and worn by many Apollo-era astronauts (e.g. Brand, Worden, ...)
Moreover, the 1972 Alaska II came with such a 60-minutes bezel, which was even replicated in white on the newer version of the red annodized Aluminium outer protective case for the Alaska II... as used by the Russians in 1977-78, that's what this thread is about 😉
Moreover, the 1972 Alaska II came with such a 60-minutes bezel, which was even replicated in white on the newer version of the red annodized Aluminium outer protective case for the Alaska II... as used by the Russians in 1977-78, that's what this thread is about 😉
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lustrousaurus
·The Alaska Project is really a mysterious series of watches. I hope they do another version of it. Thanks SpeedyPhill for bringing this info to light. Never knew the Alaska II w/ red outer shell actually went on a flight. Very cool!
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SpeedyPhill
·@lustrousaurus
Thx for Your comment... indeed these amazing watches & their outer cases went To Russia with love
Thx for Your comment... indeed these amazing watches & their outer cases went To Russia with love
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SpeedyPhill
·Posting photos in the " Hidden gems NASA photo archive " topic, triggered me to check my collection for additional Alaska Speedmaster chronographs effectively used during spaceflight missions... After all 1978 to 2018 = 40 years Alaska III
The 1978 Alaska III Speedmaster is by far the best looking classic black dial Speedmaster, thanks to its radial dial preferred by many astronauts... just pity Omega designers didn't keep the Alaska II 60-minutes bezel or it would have been perfect 😁
The Alaska III was first flown aboard STS-2 Columbia in November 1981 and was used until at least August 1992 as this wonderful NASA picture shows, as Italian astronaut Franco Malerba was about to board space shuttle Atlantis for STS-46...
Of course You all noticed that, in addition to the Alaska III, he also wore an Omega Flightmaster watch at his left forearm !
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The 1978 Alaska III Speedmaster is by far the best looking classic black dial Speedmaster, thanks to its radial dial preferred by many astronauts... just pity Omega designers didn't keep the Alaska II 60-minutes bezel or it would have been perfect 😁
The Alaska III was first flown aboard STS-2 Columbia in November 1981 and was used until at least August 1992 as this wonderful NASA picture shows, as Italian astronaut Franco Malerba was about to board space shuttle Atlantis for STS-46...
Of course You all noticed that, in addition to the Alaska III, he also wore an Omega Flightmaster watch at his left forearm !
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