Hidden gems from the NASA photo archive

Jones in LA · Jul 28, 2015

Gem #13

More EVA training. Sooooo Speedy! Click on image to see the Speedmaster in all its glory.

Official description in image library:

Al Bean (right) hammers a core tube into a box full of lunar soil simulant during training. Pete Conrad watches. Note that the lettering on Pete's RCU is red. The magazine lock on Al's camera is labeled in adetail. 6 October 1969

Jones in LA · Jul 28, 2015

Gem #14

This shot is a lot like Gem #13 so I was less inclined to show it, but since the official description mentions a watch I figure I should include it. If you click on the image to see it in high-resolution, you can see some detail on the watch's bezel.

Official description in image library:

While training indoors at the Cape, Al Bean appears to be holding a sample bag containing soil. Also visible are his 'saddlebag', watch (left sleeve) and camera decals. 6 October 1969.

Jones in LA · Jul 28, 2015

Gem #15

An astronautical Speedy-fest. It's interesting that the Apollo 11 crew's preference was to wear their watches on the right arm, but the Apollo 12 crew decided to go the other way.

I'm surprised I haven't seen this photo show up in Omega promotional materials. I mean -- it's positively saturated with Speedmasters!

Official description in image library:

(Left to right) Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon, and Al Bean pose with the Apollo 12 Saturn V in the background on the pad at the Cape on 29 October 1969.

SW4323 · Jul 29, 2015

Very interesstion Photos. Thank you!!

Traveler · Jul 29, 2015

redpcar
Buzz has way more hair now than in the '60s. What's his secret? 😉

Rogaine? Came out in 1988... ::psy::

jud · Jul 29, 2015

Thank you for taking the time to share. I really enjoyed this post.

Jones in LA · Jul 29, 2015

Gem #16

A trio of Speedmasters at Apollo 12 pre-launch breakfast.

Astronaut Stafford (not part of the Apollo 12 crew) flew on two Gemini missions (6 and 9), Apollo 10, and Apollo-Soyuz. Stafford's name is engraved on the back of my 35th Anniversary Apollo-Soyuz Speedmaster.

Official description in image library:

Tom Stafford (foreground), Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon, and the Flight Crew Support Team Leader at pre-launch breakfast. 14 November 1969.

TLIGuy · Jul 29, 2015

Jones in LA
Gem #16

A trio of Speedmasters at Apollo 12 pre-launch breakfast.

Always nice to see the pairing of a low residue breakfast and Speedmasters.

This has always been my favorite Speedmaster trio picture.

AS8-319-68PC-309-68HC-836-INCREWQUARTERS_zpsf7afda3f.JPG

Jones in LA · Jul 29, 2015

TLIGuy
Always nice to see the pairing of a low residue breakfast and Speedmasters.

This has always been my favorite Speedmaster trio picture.

That's a priceless shot for Speedy fans. Thanks for posting it here!

It's funny you'd mention that about the breakfast. As I was sifting through the Apollo 12 pre-launch breakfast photos I thought to myself: "Wow! They're eating all that just before launch? They're just going to have to poop all that out in the cramped confines of the Command Module."

Jones in LA · Jul 29, 2015

Gem #17

This photo shows Astronaut Gordon being suited up for the Apollo 12 launch, and brings up an interesting question: is the Speedmaster on Gordon's wrist being worn as a "non-flight" watch that will be removed and stored away with other personal belongings, or will the bracelet taken off the watch and replaced by a velcro strap so the watch can be used during the flight? @TLIGuy -- do you have some insight here?

Official description in image library:

Dick Gordon during suit-up. 14 November 1969.

Jones in LA · Jul 29, 2015

Jones in LA
Gem #16

A trio of Speedmasters at Apollo 12 pre-launch breakfast.

Astronaut Stafford (not part of the Apollo 12 crew) flew on two Gemini missions (6 and 9), Apollo 10, and Apollo-Soyuz. Stafford's name is engraved on the back of my 35th Anniversary Apollo-Soyuz Speedmaster.

Official description in image library:

Tom Stafford (foreground), Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon, and the Flight Crew Support Team Leader at pre-launch breakfast. 14 November 1969.

Not a Speedmaster gem, but an important follow-up to the crew breakfast photo. The official record identifies the individual in the background as "Fourth Crewmember".

AAAKK · Jul 29, 2015

Great thread, loving these pics!

Lou P · Jul 29, 2015

Thanks for sharing all these great photos!
I like this one of Jim Lovell, proving the Speedmaster has always been a "chick magnet" 😉 .

.

TLIGuy · Jul 29, 2015

Jones in LA
is the Speedmaster on Gordon's wrist being worn as a "non-flight" watch that will be removed and stored away with other personal belongings, or will the bracelet taken off the watch and replaced by a velcro strap so the watch can be used during the flight? @TLIGuy -- do you have some insight here?

I do not believe the watch on Gordon's wrist was removed after this point in the suiting up phase. I think at this point in the process that if the watch was going to be stowed in the personal preference kit (PPK) it would have already been done. Many of the astronauts wore multiple Speedmasters during the Apollo missions. I know it's crazy talk here but Ed Mitchell wore his 2 Rolex GMT's, one on each wrist, within his suit on Apollo 14.

Here is a picture of Gordon during the Apollo 12 walkout with a Speedmaster on Velcro on his left arm.

Here is a photo from the onboard video from Apollo 12. You can clearly see he is wearing the Speedmaster on the JB bracelet on his right wrist so I'm inclined to believe he was wearing two watches during his flight.

Screen Shot 2015-07-29 at 10.54.03 PM.jpg

TLIGuy · Jul 29, 2015

Lou P
Thanks for sharing all these great photos!
I like this one of Jim Lovell, proving the Speedmaster has always been a "chick magnet" 😉 .

.

I wonder if Lovell is wearing his GMT under his suit. ::stirthepot::

While not a Speedmaster on his wrist this is my all-time favorite Lovell and Apollo 8 image. The guy is just oozing bas ass in this picture with his new shiny Rolex GMT.

And here is the same watch some 40+ years later while signing my Speedmaster case back. For any GMT fan this is one stunningly faded bezel insert.

One of my favorite email exchanges about watches was with Ed Mitchell. I asked him a question about the Speedmaster and he said "I don't know about that but I think most of us were wearing Rolex watches."😲

Jones in LA · Jul 29, 2015

TLIGuy
Here is a photo from the onboard video from Apollo 12. You can clearly see he is wearing the Speedmaster on the JB bracelet on his right wrist so I'm inclined to believe he was wearing two watches during his flight.

Yes, that looks like convincing evidence that Gordon's 'on-the-wrist' watch is different than his 'on-the-suit' watch. Why go with just one Speedmaster when you can have two? Thanks for clearing that up!

TLIGuy · Jul 29, 2015

Here are the last 3 to round out my favorites...

White with his iconic 105.003...

A great close up of Stafford's Speedmaster with a super crisp straight lug case...

And Finally this bat $h!t crazy a$$ set up worn by John Young. A riveted leather strap with, yes my friends, a metal calendar folded over the strap. I also find it interesting that the dial plots already appear to be deteriorating.

How can anyone wear this set up you ask? He's John Young and he can wear his Speemaster anyway he wants.

Screen Shot 2015-07-29 at 11.58.28 PM.jpg

Traveler · Jul 29, 2015

Jones in LA
Yes, that looks like convincing evidence that Gordon's 'on-the-wrist' watch is different than his 'on-the-suit' watch. Why go with just one Speedmaster when you can have two? Thanks for clearing that up!

I've heard this several times - they had one on a bracelet for 'normal' wear which stayed under the glove when that was worn - makes you wonder how many Buzz really had on ..... And why it was necessary for Armstrong to go watchless at all if he had several ... May be the multiple watches just started in later missions?

TLIGuy · Jul 29, 2015

Traveler
I've heard this several times - they had one on a bracelet for 'normal' wear which stayed under the glove when that was worn - makes you wonder how many Buzz really had on ..... And why it was necessary for Armstrong to go watchless at all if he had several ... May be the multiple watches just started in later missions?

I believe the practice of wearing multiple watches did not occur until later in the Apollo program post Apollo 11. During the earlier missions it was believed that wearing a watch under the suit could possibly impede the movement of the wrist because of the way the joint rotated and was constructed so it was not allowed. It's possible they concluded that the watch did not pose a problem and later missions allowed for wearing watches within the suit. Pure conjecture on my part.

Jones in LA · Jul 29, 2015

TLIGuy
A riveted leather strap with, yes my friends, a metal calendar folded over the strap.

Ha! My Dad always had one of those metallic "perpetual calendars" folded over his watch band. As a kid I thought it was pretty cool. Thanks for the memory @TLIGuy 😀

Hidden gems from the NASA photo archive

Jones in LA

Jones in LA

Jones in LA

SW4323

Traveler

jud

Jones in LA

TLIGuy

Jones in LA

Jones in LA

Jones in LA

AAAKK

Lou P

TLIGuy

TLIGuy

Jones in LA

TLIGuy

Traveler

TLIGuy

Jones in LA

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