|
Author
|
Topic: NASA astronaut U.S. flag flightsuit patches
|
Voyager1975
Member Posts: 188
From:
Registered: Dec 2008
|
posted 01-25-2009 12:14 PM
   
Does anyone know if AB Emblem still manufactures the American Flag patch with the gold border that was on the light blue flight suits in the early-mid 1980's? I know that they make the smaller 2.5 by 3.5 inch version with the gold border as well as the larger 3x5 inch flag patch that is used on the orange pressure suits. The size 3x5 inch is I believe the same size that was on the light blue flight suits but the flag patch is slightly different (stars in the blue field on the flag). |
aerospace educator
unregistered
|
posted 01-29-2009 10:29 AM
 |
Voyager1975
Member Posts: 188
From:
Registered: Dec 2008
|
posted 01-29-2009 01:17 PM
The patch that was worn on the light blue flight suits was 3x5 with the gold trim. Similar to the one you are showing but the stars are a little bigger like the stars on the patch that is worn on the orange pressure suits. If you look at a crew photo in high resolution you can see it up close. For example STS-51J or a lot of the crew photos from the mid-1980's. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42984
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 02-07-2009 10:51 AM
Though not the gold-bolder version, for reference, here is a photo of the smaller, white-border flag as was worn on two-piece powder blue flight suits. This specific example was flown on STS-51A. |
Voyager1975
Member Posts: 188
From:
Registered: Dec 2008
|
posted 02-07-2009 11:38 AM
Yeah that's right! I love that patch! It is the 2.5 x 3.5 inch flag patch. You can still get the same EXACT patch to this day through AB Emblem.And yes that is the same one that was worn on the light blue flight jackets all throughout the 1980's! Thank you for posting the picture. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42984
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 02-07-2009 07:10 PM
Here is an original yellow-border U.S. flag patch, as attached to c.1980s training suit attributed to Sally Ride: |
benguttery
Member Posts: 547
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2005
|
posted 03-29-2011 07:37 PM
Does anyone know the source for the large US flag patches the US astronauts wear? What is their size? 3x5 or 4x6 inches?Editor's note: Threads merged. |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
|
posted 09-30-2011 11:36 AM
I've noticed that most of the current NASA flight suits have a larger US flag than you normally find on current military uniforms. The military almost exclusively uses a yellow border around their flag patches but NASA seems to use mostly a white or light grey border. Does anyone know a good source for these patches? I've done a lot of looking and have come up with nothing... Editor's note: Threads merged. |
MrDaniel
New Member Posts: 3
From: Los Angeles, Ca, USA
Registered: Dec 2011
|
posted 12-19-2011 05:00 PM
Really need some help on this one...I am putting together the most authentic NASA flight jacket I can, but something is holding me up. I have been able to get the right jacket, name badge and NASA patch however the flag patch is giving the most problems. Here is the jacket I am making. See the flag? It is a 3x5 American Flag patch with white border. The only patch I have been able to find is this one. It's okay but its not the exact one. You can tell by the way that the stars don't go to the top of the border and it looks a bit cheap. Does anyone know where I can find the right American flag patch? I'd appreciate any help! Editor's note: Threads merged. |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 03-30-2012 11:11 PM
I've been wondering the -exact- same thing. The strange thing is... if you look at the AB Emblem page for their US flag patches, they seem to have an image of the correct patch, yet it isn't listed in their item catalog as being for sale? |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 04-02-2012 11:14 AM
After emailing AB, they informed me that they don't make the 3x5" patches anymore, although they could fulfill a custom order--with a minimum of 50, although as she said "to make a custom order would be expensive." Luckily for me, the person I talked to said that she found a few left in inventory, and that they'd be $5.99 each. |
328KF
Member Posts: 1234
From:
Registered: Apr 2008
|
posted 04-02-2012 02:42 PM
How many do they have available? |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 04-02-2012 07:31 PM
Good question. I ordered 4. She just said they had "some in inventory." I'd suggest emailing them like I did. It might also help to include this image of the patch. The specific person I talked to was named Kati and she was an Account Executive, you could also ask to be forwarded to her. |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 04-09-2012 04:01 PM
I just got my flag patches in today and they're most certainly identical to the flight suit patches. It was a little disappointing seeing "made in China" on the back of half of them (the other half didn't have a tag at all and also looked like they were manufactured differently, yet they're still identical from the front). Still, beggars can't be choosers. |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 06-18-2012 06:22 PM
Huh. After talking to another rep at AB, I was able to order a very large quantity of these 3" x 4.625" patches. This is definitely the same patch being used on flight suits now.They should be arriving next week. I ordered a lot (I'll probably sell about 130 or 140 and keep the rest for my own projects) so that others here can grab some since they don't seem to be available anywhere else. |
Apollo 8
Member Posts: 176
From: Vienna, Austria
Registered: Oct 2010
|
posted 06-19-2012 12:15 PM
Good news! I am interested in buying 4-5 of these original flag patches. |
GoesTo11
Member Posts: 1309
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 2004
|
posted 06-19-2012 02:07 PM
I'm good for 2-3 as well. |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 06-19-2012 02:18 PM
I'm thinking I'll probably sell them for $6 each (that's the price AB made me pay a few months ago. This time I got a quantity discount, but $6 will compensate for paypal fees and such). I'll post an advert in the buy/sell/trade section when they get here.**Edit** It looks like these same patches have also been used recently on ACES suits, both in training, in portraits, and on later shuttle missions (Such as STS-135). Based on high-resolution photos, it looks like some of the gold-bordered patches are identical in design, while others are slightly different (note the difference in the placement of the starfield and in the width of the top and bottom stripes). The part number for the white bordered patches is 15185W (With W probably being short for White lining), so I would assume they also make a gold-bordered version with a G or something in the part number. Another thing, out of the 4 patches I bought a few months ago, half had Made in China tags (which also included a date and part number) and the other half had no tags and a slightly different backing. The China design varied slightly in that the stripe right below the starfield was slightly curved (you can see it in the photo I posted) while the other two were straight. **Edit 2** Looking back at photos, it seems that every flight from STS-127 to STS-135 (except STS-130) used the white-bordered version on their ACES suits. STS-130 and STS-126 (and older) used the gold border. |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 09-07-2012 02:29 PM
Here's an image of an early 2000s era gold-bordered flag (with velcro sewn to the back). For reference, I included a new white-bordered US flag.This patch is from a former suit tech who worked at the Johnson Space Center. |
Kevin T. Randall
Member Posts: 1082
From: Chesham, Bucks UK
Registered: Dec 2008
|
posted 09-07-2012 02:46 PM
I have an example of that same top yellow/gold bordered flag patch, but without the velcro. 4 3/4" long x 3" high. It is an AB Emblem patch but without an embedded label.I acquired it back in March 1990 when I attended the Space Academy, Huntsville, Alabama. |
Spaceguy5
Member Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011
|
posted 09-07-2012 03:15 PM
Yeah, AB Emblems only started embedding labels into their patches a few years ago. Now there's one embedded in every patch they make. This one doesn't have a label embedded either. It has an inscription written on the velcro in permanent marker indicating that it was flown on a launch/entry suit on STS-109.The suit technician this patch is from assisted both with launches and landings, and with training crews in how to operate the ACES suits. There's even a number of pictures on the NASA Human Spaceflight website showing him during training. |
advertisement