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New reveals about the NASA Space program watch choice

eugeneandresson
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
Thanks but I already did this 20 years ago... only now bringing it online for a series of articles that will finally tell the complete true story of the Omega Speedmaster chronograph usage in spaceflight. An interesting saga which is way overdue to be told...
What do forum-members think of the last B&W photo showing Deke Slayton ?
Hesalite glass, lugs, 7912 bracelet, small pushers, bezel, ...
Could it be a CK-2998 Speedmaster ?

Could be. But, the pic is somewhat blurry, also the angle i.e. it looks to me like the crystal goes all the way to the case sides, and not to an external bezel. What about the bracelet? Looks familiar, but also different somehow...now would be nice for that 'tech' they had in old movies where they miraculously extract detail that are not present in images...

Fascinating stuff, thanks to all who posted.
 
TLIGuy
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
tumblr_oog8g1jxFf1wnbgw6o1_1280.jpg

This watch appears to be a 1961 or 1962 Breitling Top Time chronograph.

original.jpg


Regarding the last photo, the angle is tough but it does look like the possibility of a CK2998 with a missing bezel. Maybe Slayton, like Schirra, had some bezel hate issues back in the day.
 
TNTwatch
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Not sure if you know which watch is in this image, but the hour and minute hands look quite close to those of the 2998.

Deke_Slayton_Autopen_Litho_large.jpg
Edited:
 
SpeedyPhill
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That's not Bulova Accutron Astronaut wristwatch, although most Mercury astronaut had one and these were even worn as second timepiece, it was in fact a Glycine Airman chronometer next to the official Omega Speedmaster chronograph, during Gemini missions (e.g. Charles "Pete" Conrad - Gemini 5 and 11, Neil Armstrong - Gemini 8 )
馃槜
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Edited:
 
SpeedyPhill
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While the 55th anniversary of the first use of an Omega Speedmaster in use for a Spaceflight mission training is just 22 days away, I'm still trying to get opinions on the photos I'm selecting for another article on the Speedmaster...
May 1963, mission control "Aurora 7, it looks like Donald "Deke" Slayton was wearing an Omega Speedmaster CK2998 chronograph on a Komfit Forstner bracelet ... What do You think ?
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SpeedyPhill
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Donald "Deke" Slayton...
May 15, 1963 at Cape Canaveral mission control during the " Faith 7" mission
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SpeedyPhill
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Thanks, talking about new reveals... in about a fortnight we could find out for 100% sure:
1. At least two pre-Moon era photos show Donald Slayton wearing a CK2998 Speedmaster
2. General Thomas Stafford did not wear his gold tribute Speedmaster onboard ASTP in July 1975.
3. Astronaut Joe Engle was the first to wear a radial Speedmaster onboard STS-2 in November 1981...
 
SpeedyPhill
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Historically, the month of May has always been a busy & important month for space flight operations... So time for some reveals 馃槜
May 13, 1962 was the very first time that an Omega Speedmaster was used for official NASA spaceflight training: Wally Schirra's personal Speedmaster CK2998
May 1963, astronaut Leroy "Gordo" Cooper was always wearing his personal Omega Speedmaster CK2998 during training and Faith 7 mission
More details: https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
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tumblr_op9ne4fYpg1vzb1n7o1_1280.jpg
May 13, 1962 Schirra training as backup pilot for "Aurora 7"...
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May 14, 1963 astronaut Cooper egresses from "Faith 7" as his launch was postponed.
On launchday, May 15, 1963 Cooper was so relaxed that he even managed to nod off and slept between orbits 10 & 14...
 
Screwbacks
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only the 105.003 was tested by nasa? but only the 105.012 reached the moon. did nasa break any protocol or procedures then?

in 1965, 105.102 were already produced. why would one insist that only the 105.033 was bought and tested?

why did they go through with the test if in the end, the watches worn by apollo 11 were not even the ones tested?.

why cant all speedmaster owners settle the issue once for all.
 
SpeedyPhill
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馃檮 interesting to say the least...
Almost halfway through the " 60th anniversary year of the Speedmaster " we already revealed some new stuff... without the help of Omega...
But there's more new info... the exact number of Speedies in 6 deliveries to NASA between 1965 - 1990...
The pair of Speedies worn by Ed White = 105.003-64 ( not -63 ? )... Exact references used onboard NASA missions...
New elaborate articles bringing the complete story are " in the works " with exclusive artworks to illustrate the whole Speedmaster story !
馃槑 someone has to do it...
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https://moonwatchuniverse.tumblr.com/archive
to be continued...
 
SpeedyPhill
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@Screwbacks
Not Speedmaster owners but Omega Switzerland has to settle the issue... about time half a century after Apollo 11 !
Stay tuned as #SpeedyTuesday 5th September 2017 will reveal new stuff... courtesy MoonwatchUniverse 馃槈
...
 
Wryfox
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KstateSkier KstateSkier
17 Speedys for $1402!!!! INCREDIBLE.

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WTB, 1 time machine. PM @KstateSkier with details 馃榿
Something seems off here...does it occur to anyone else that this is too cheap? From other information about pricing I've seen from the 60s, this appears to be about 1/2 price, which in my mind says they got these at cost(ie wholesale). Could be due to qty I suppose, but I think it's a clue that Omega knew where these were going to be used, to offer special pricing.

Then again we spent $500billion to go to the moon, so why would a discount on something like this even matter. Literally pocket change.
 
Timmert
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Wryfox Wryfox
Something seems off here...does it occur to anyone else that this is too cheap? From other information about pricing I've seen from the 60s, this appears to be about 1/2 price, which in my mind says they got these at cost(ie wholesale). Could be due to qty I suppose, but I think it's a clue that Omega knew where these were going to be used, to offer special pricing.

Then again we spent $500billion to go to the moon, so why would a discount on something like this even matter. Literally pocket change.
Nowadays, a lot of civilian companies providing goods / services for the government overcharge big time. Partly because they know how long it takes to get purchases approved, so the buying party wants the deal to go through instead of having to go through that painful process again. And of course a lot of the financial controllers in the government branch don't really care about a little extra cost, it's not their money anyway.

To say that Omega gave NASA a large discount is interesting. If they somehow "knew" these were going to be used on space missions and they wanted to use that as a marketing tool, all I can say is "Well played" to however made that decision! Look what it got them in the next 50 years (and counting)!
 
SpeedyPhill
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Well the upcoming 40th anniversary of the radial Speedy for the STS-program (1978-2018)... the 50th anniversaries of Apollo 8 (Dec 1968) and Apollo 11 (July 1969) will be opportunities to finally bring out the complete detailed history and story of the Speedy and its use in spaceflight missions... but You'll read it here first 馃憤
 
cicindela
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
Well the upcoming 40th anniversary of the radial Speedy for the STS-program (1978-2018)... the 50th anniversaries of Apollo 8 (Dec 1968) and Apollo 11 (July 1969) will be opportunities to finally bring out the complete detailed history and story of the Speedy and its use in spaceflight missions... but You'll read it here first 馃憤

Don't be surprised if you hear some new information about Buzz' watch. 馃檮
 
Maitreyoda007
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SpeedyPhill SpeedyPhill
As friends and family are aware of my spaceflight history obsession, they all gave me the same Easter gift...
Got several copies of the new " MoonWatch Only - 60 years of Omega Speedmaster " book... but disappointed on the space history information.
The 10 pages "Speedmaster and NASA" chapter has 7 pages text but space aficionados won't get any wiser as it remains a general overview focusing on the fact that the Speedmaster chronographs were basically off the shelf 321 movements. A single photo was new to me, showing Ron Evans' personal Speedmaster, auctioned in December 2015. 馃檨
Of course a superb ( & the best ) updated book on Speedmaster chronograph hardware & details but a missed chance to bring the Speedmaster spaceflight saga as it really unfolded, perhaps the authors will grab a second chance to do so in a 2019 edition... celebrating 50 years Apollo 11 ?
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What's the difference between the 2 MWO books?
 
Dash1
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cicindela cicindela
Don't be surprised if you here some new information about Buzz' watch. 馃檮
Awww come on, give us a little hint, please don't keep me hanging on. Has it been found?
 
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