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Author
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Topic: Mystery space shuttle Discovery patch
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spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 07-03-2012 04:30 PM
   
Can anyone tell me anything about these two Shuttle patches which apparently depict "Discovery"?  |
mach3valkyrie
Member Posts: 719
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 07-03-2012 05:36 PM
The only thing I know about them is that they are connected with the STS-42 mission. In what capacity or by whom they were designed, I don't know. |
Kevin T. Randall
Member Posts: 1082
From: Chesham, Bucks UK
Registered: Dec 2008
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posted 07-04-2012 03:34 AM
Donnis Willis of Lunar Legacies sold an example of the bottom version of this patch on eBay on 21st October 2007 (lot No. 150172055877 which sold for $102.50 with 10 bids from 5 bidders). His description for that auction sale was: A very uncommon STS-42 alternative crew patch. The only time I have ever seen this patch was on a display as being flown on STS-42. Hence it's association with STS-42.At the moment I can only find one other sale of this patch (bottom version) on eBay, lot No. 180785261448 on 1st January 2012 when it sold for $48 with 3 bids from 3 bidders. There may of been another in a lot of four or five other patches sold on eBay a few years ago, but at the moment I can't find it. This is the first time I've seen an example of the top version of this patch. |
Harald Kraenzel
Member Posts: 304
From: Dinslaken,Germany
Registered: Nov 2005
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posted 07-04-2012 05:37 AM
I have the same information regarding the bottom patch. This is the first time I see the top patch. |
Bill Hunt
Member Posts: 399
From: Irvine, CA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 07-04-2012 02:27 PM
I've always suspected that it was some kind of private commemoration of "Sonny" Carter's original involvement with the mission. I believe he was a U.S. Navy officer, wasn't he? Could explain some of the patriotic symbolism. Conversely, it could be payload related. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 07-05-2012 12:56 AM
Maybe Al Bishop was the creator of this patch since he seems to have had a significant stack of the lower design. The fact that he also had a single example of the top design makes it look like that might have been a pre-production sample based on alternative artwork. |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3218
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 03-18-2018 02:18 PM
An astronaut from STS-42 does not recall that patch so the mystery still lives. It is still a cool patch. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 03-18-2018 02:38 PM
Certainly not anything that I know of concerning Al Bishop.Sonny Carter was a Navy captain, but I can't recall any such patch design relationship to him nor STS-42. While I do have one of the patch issues myself, I just can't recall its tie-in with anything at the moment. The patch design, in error (or if you want to call attention to the error, rather minor or not), depicts all three SSME's firing, but without an External Tank providing the main engine propellant supply.
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spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 03-18-2018 03:24 PM
Ken, the reason I suggest a link with Al Bishop is because his collection included a small stack of these patches as well as a couple of photos of the design plus the alternative design shown at the top of the thread which appears to be a prototype.Unfortunately there was no paperwork with this material but it certainly gave the impression that he might have been involved in having these patches made. The possible STS-42 link is based largely on the auction listing from Donnis Willis above, mentioning a flown example from STS-42. It also ties in with the "Discovery" identification on the side of the Shuttle. All circumstantial I guess but that's what we have for now. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 03-18-2018 04:30 PM
It's possible that maybe Tom Foley/CKM made the patches for Bishop, which I do have, but knowing and working with Tom and Al for so long, I am at a lost for any additional information. We usually shared together, in most cases, joint projects as this in their distributions. Let me check some of my older files from Tom and Al to see if anything comes up. |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3218
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 03-18-2018 04:33 PM
According to a mission specialist on that mission, he says he has never seen it before. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 03-18-2018 05:44 PM
I agree it was probably CKM that made the patches as most of the patches in the Al Bishop material I acquired were CKM.As for the story behind the patch... I guess we're still stuck with it being a "mystery space shuttle Discovery patch" for now. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 03-19-2018 04:48 AM
Just in case anyone is wondering why this old thread has been resurrected it's because I'm offering a few examples of this patch on this thread in the Buy, Sell, Trade forum. |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 03-19-2018 10:58 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Ken Havekotte:
The patch design, in error...
Never mind the bird flying above an orbiter, or the planet draped in a US flag the size of a continent? |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 03-19-2018 11:27 AM
LOL. Good points, although I think some people really do think the world looks like that.I would also note that stars are not really shaped like that, and space isn't blue. |
KSCartist
Member Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 03-22-2018 05:59 PM
Makes more sense that it would be a concept art for STS-51A.I’ve had draft designs lifted off the internet and patches were made without my authorization. That could be the case with this. |
J Blackburn
Member Posts: 224
From: Riner, Virginia USA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 03-23-2018 11:00 AM
I see that one of these patches has already made it to eBay #263548410542 for a "Buy It Now" price of $49.  |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42984
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-23-2018 11:23 AM
I believe that listing predates Chris' recent offer, but has been updated since. Timing aside, the seller offers a possible clue to the patch's origin: It may however be an alternate mission patch or otherwise associated with STS-51A given certain common design characteristics and because I personally sold an example that was stitched to a baseball cap and signed by Joe Allen to Al Bishop. The cap came from Bishop's estate which also seems to most often be the "original" source of these patches when they surface for sale. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 03-23-2018 11:26 AM
Actually I think that listing preceded my sales of these patches.Interesting to read that extra clue. I must admit I was hoping to find out the background to these patches before I ever sold them but it's been so many years now I've given up finding out the real story. |
J Blackburn
Member Posts: 224
From: Riner, Virginia USA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 03-24-2018 09:43 AM
The patch on eBay has been sold for the "Buy It Now" price of $49.00. it is a unique patch and I always enjoy the investigation that goes along attempting to identify patches like this one. |
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