I really enjoyed diving deeper into the fact how different Omega wristwatches (Flightmaster, Speedmaster 125 and Speedmaster Mk III) got behind the Iron Curtain and into the early 1970s Soviet-Russian space program...
In fact the whole story reads like a novel as everything started with... Apollo 13 !
...
We're now sure that each of the support and backup cosmonauts for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project received an Omega 861 Speedmaster and some of those cosmonauts wore it on later missions (e.g. Yuri Romanenko on Soyuz 38).
.

45 years ago...
Russian cosmonauts Valeri Kubasov and Vladimir Dzhanibekov wearing an 861 Omega Speedmaster during ASTP-training in Houston JSC

 

And $11,500 dollars (adjusted for inflation) so change from 10 couches

 

50 years ASTP is going to be an important milestone...

 

Visited Bienne - Switzerland... the Omega HQ, their on-site Omega boutique, the Omega museum and was able to hand my latest article " Time Peace " to some Omega staff members...
The follow-up of this behind the Iron Curtain story can be found here:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/hidden-gems-from-the-russian-space-photo-archives.65152/page-6

 

Looking forward to all the details on this.... showing my ignorance did any Omega automatics make it into Space during the seventies (1040)?

 

Remember there were no American spaceflights between July 24, 1975 and April 1st, 1981...
In that period, the Russians flew 21 missions and wore the Omega Speedmaster Mark III on Soyuz 15 (August 1974) and Soyuz 33 (April 1979)
Mark III
https://www.fratellowatches.com/speedy-tuesday-omega-speedmaster-mark-iii/#gref

 

Next burning question we will be tackling... Why didn't Omega take all astronaut feedback into consideration ?
NASA Astronauts wanted a more practical bezel instead of the Tachymètre and Omega complied as a 60-minutes bezel was used on their 1972 Alaska II Project Speedmaster and red outer cases... never to use this practical bezel or its decimal counterpart again on later models ?
...
coming soon...

 

Finally, and honestly for me as by thunder strike ....
Half a century after NASA astronauts' feedback to the Omega design team, this is IMHO the most interesting & most exciting Speedmaster-wise development... the comeback of the practical " 60-minutes " bezel
https://www.radialproject.com/

 

Cannot wait for mine ! I agree with you since the beginning the 60-minutes bezel is one of the most interesting design change of the Speedmaster, now waiting for the rebirth of the radial dial !!!

 

did u miss the speedytuesday 1 model ????

 

The "real" radial dial is matte black... and with minor subtle changes, Omega could reproduce the 1972 model with 60-minutes bezel...

 

I do have it but I'm talking about the all black Radial dial Alaska III model just like the one you have

 

.
https://www.watchbooksonly.com/articles/watch-reviews/the-speedmaster-radial-dials/

 

Hallo Guys

here a version 2.0 of the NASA Speedmasters by NASA Assigned Numbers


Ciao, Gino

 

I believe Collins is a 145.012-68SP, not a -67

 

May be, 26.552.xxx is the highest ser/numb. of the table (Schirra #19 apart) .

Only the ref on the back inside can clarify the question


Ciao, Gino

 

Mine as been produced on the 22/11/1968 (so 14 earlier than Collins) and is a -68SP. I don't think they went back to -67 during the production

 

Agree, but I have seen a pair of 26.554.xxx, delivery date November and December 1968 , that inside the back show 145.012-67

Ciao, Gino

 

Ah could be then .. the mystery stays full !
Good work Gino by the way

 

The data on that list for the Schirra Gemini 6 watch is certainly not right, no 321 had a 29m serial AFAIK, certainly not a -64 Ed White. Maybe it got mixed up with a later watch, or the movement was later swapped. It wouldn't make sense for his Apollo 7 watch either. There are other major anomalies too, like several 145.012s on 20.5m serials. A lot of it doesn't add up.