Some really great news from the National Air and Space Museum via collectSPACE.

Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 Speedmaster is back on public display along with other personal items from Apollo 11.

More about the new exhibit can be found here via collectSPACE.

Smithsonian debuts Apollo 11 '50 Years from Tranquility Base' exhibit


Photo Credit - NASM/Smithsonian via collectSPACE

 

Wow, that is so cool!! I just got lost in the link reading about all this stuff, can't get enough of it. Great that the Speedmaster is accounted for and available for viewing.
Would be great to see a closeup of it...

 

amazing. after decades in waiting. it did not state it was found in a drawer. hope to see more close up picture of the watch.

 

Thanks for sharing. I'll have to make a point of getting back to the Smithsonian to see the exhibit.
Cheers.

 

Great news. Wonder why they don't tell the story of the watch....

...oh right, because most of the planet doest care the way we care.

From the pic though, very nice looking speedy.

 

Sunglasses look like “Randolph Engineering” milspec..

 

This thread went on a Sunglasses tangent a couple of times. I would love to know of the Apollo 11 glasses have plastic lenses (I think they do). I was under the impression they were American Optical but any solid info gratefully received.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/sha...alite-apollo-nasa-selection-myth-maybe.91611/

@TLIGuy - Thanks for posting this. I have an ambition to do a tour round all the main Museums with flown speedys on display. Not sure when but good this one is back out in public.... I wonder if the missing Buzz watch will ever turn up?

 

It is amazing the kind of details you can find in the NASM online collection.

Collins' Apollo 11 Sunglasses

 

...
Buzz' Speedmaster ? Cerca Trova

 

Sorry for the delay but here it is. I received this image yesterday evening but wanted to confirm it was authorized to share since it did not appear in the original collectSPACE article. I also wanted confirmation from another source what type of restoration, if any, had been done to Armstrong's Speedmaster.

Here the additional unreleased image of the Armstrong Speedmaster from the NASM (Smithsonian 2019) via collectSPACE. Thank you to cS for allowing me to share it here first.

The watch is all original and has only had a restorative cleaning. It was disassemble and cleaned and all parts are original to the watch as it was received from Armstrong by the NASM in 1973.

​

Image Courtesy - NASM (Smithsonian 2019) via collectSPACE

Here is an enlarged image of the watch where you can see the Serial Number #46 engraved on the lower left lug.



Image Courtesy - NASM (Smithsonian 2019) via collectSPACE

One interesting observation I made is the evidence of the restoration by the orientation of the scratches on the unpolished crystal. The large scratch you see from the center of the dial to the 5 hour marker is oriented differently from how the crystal was set in the watch at the time of delivery in 1973. If you look at the original images of the Armstrong watch here taken in 1973 you can see the same large scratch running from the center to the 3 hour marker.

I hope you enjoy the new image of this fantastic piece of history.

 

Awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing. Made take out, wind up, and put on my speedy

 

*note not worn on moon.

 

Not "worn" on the moon, but it was indeed on the moon in the LEM. So cool to be able to see this Speedmaster, and its in amazing condition too.

Stunning pictures... Just brilliant....

 

I have a pair of Ray Bans that look almost identical to those glasses....

 

HF or CB case do we think?

 

Wait-a-minute.... Is that an ebay DON?

 

The condition is incredible... as attractive as it gets. I hope I’ll get a chance to see it in person some day.

 

It's a 105.012-65, so an HF case. Note the double-beveled caseback.

 

That’s awesome we can search the Smithsonian. Thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks very much for the update... Since Buzz's has been stolen/lost, it's the only remaining piece which was on the moon...