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Author
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Topic: Apollo 9 mission patch (variants and updates)
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spaced out
Member Posts: 2223
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted October 27, 2006 03:57 PM
   
Here's an oddity for you... Resembles a crew patch in some ways but with a different font, no red in the "D" and some other subtle differences. Plus it's 4" in diameter. Back is bare cloth.Has anyone seen this patch before?  |
Go4Launch
Member Posts: 353
From: Bethesda, MD
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted October 28, 2006 12:02 AM
This patch was made by Texas Art Embroidery. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 2223
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted October 29, 2006 07:44 AM
Does this mean Texas Embroidery made two different patch designs for Apollo 9?I understood that the crew version was 3 1/4" in diameter, with a red "D" in McDivitt and Eurostile extended font. This one is 4" with no red D, a different font, and some other subtle differences. |
Mike Z
Member Posts: 384
From: Ellicott City, Maryland
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted October 29, 2006 10:50 AM
I was just wondering where you found this patch? |
spaced out
Member Posts: 2223
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted October 29, 2006 02:33 PM
On eBay in a batch of mixed patches. Some old, some new, nothing else rare though. |
Bill Hunt
Member Posts: 365
From: Irvine, CA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted October 29, 2006 06:04 PM
How do you know for sure that the patch was made by Texas Art Embroidery? |
Go4Launch
Member Posts: 353
From: Bethesda, MD
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted October 29, 2006 09:43 PM
quote:
Originally posted by spaced out:
I understood that the crew version was 3 1/4" in diameter, with a red "D" in McDivitt and Eurostile extended font.
I have been unable to confirm that Texas Art made the smaller ("authentic") version -- so I can't really answer that question for sure. Can you confirm that? quote:
Originally posted by Bill Hunt:
How do you know for sure that the patch was made by Texas Art Embroidery?
This is based on my "field research!" That's all I can say for now... |
spaced out
Member Posts: 2223
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted June 13, 2007 12:43 PM
The other day I came across a small Apollo 9 patch that I can't seem to identify. It measures 3 1/4" across so it's only a fraction larger than the AB Emblem 3" patch but it's not theirs.The back is bare cloth and it certainly appears to be a vintage version. Also of note is the fact that it is tail-less (i.e. has a merrowed edge), something normally seen in e.g. Lion Brothers or Texas Art Embroidery patches. Anyone seen this before?   |
dtemple
Member Posts: 556
From: Longview, Texas, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted June 14, 2007 11:34 AM
Are you absolutely certain it measures 3 1/4 inches across? I have a nearly identical version which measures 3 1/8 inches across. The "D" is not filled-in with red stitching like yours. Other than a possible size difference, that is the only difference I noticed. For some reason, a number of Apollo 9 patch variations were made. I have one that looks like an A-B Emblems type but with a Lion Bros. style CSM-LM and black stitching for the "USA" lettering on the rocket. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 2223
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted June 15, 2007 02:11 AM
Okay, it's actually 80mm across, which is close to 3 1/8 inches. Maybe it is the same patch as the one you have.There certainly seem to be a lot of variations on the Apollo 9 patch design as you say. Anyway I've added this one the My Collection page of my AstroGallery. extras site, alongside two other variants from the mission. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 2223
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted January 20, 2009 02:01 PM
I've just posted an updated version of the Apollo 9 page of my Crew Patches site.I have to thank Andrew Li for pointing out to me that what I'd thought of as a variant of the crew patch is in fact a perfect match for patch worn by the crew for their formal portrait. I also managed to track down a high-res post-flight image that shows that the patch worn on their jump suits after recovery is the same version. I believe the type I previously showed as the crew patch to be a variant, most likely from a different production run, so I've noted it as such on the page. The differences in design are subtle, but once you know what to look for it's easy to
identify which version you're looking at. Going back through a few PDF and online auction catalogs looking at flown crew patches and unflown crew patch examples mounted alongside flown flags, I found that most of these appeared to be of the variant. This sample was pretty small so doesn't necessarily tell us much, apart from the fact that the crew carried both types with them on the flight. |
andrewcli
Member Posts: 327
From: La Jolla, CA, USA
Registered: Jul 2007
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posted January 20, 2009 03:10 PM
Just keeping you honest Chris.  Actually it has been fun interacting with you regarding these patches - you get to learn a lot of things. Regarding flown Apollo 9 patches, I did see the type I patch at the Astronaut Hall of Fame, it belonged to Dave Scott. Sorry, didn't take a picture of that when I was there. |
Bill Hunt
Member Posts: 365
From: Irvine, CA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted January 21, 2009 06:40 PM
Chris, I can help you out here as well. I actually have one of the original run of the crew patch, sans the red fill in the "D" in McDivitt's name, which you refer to here: According to James McDivitt the crew returned a delivery of patches that were intended to be flown because they lacked the red "D". I'll scan it tomorrow... |
dtemple
Member Posts: 556
From: Longview, Texas, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted March 07, 2010 08:06 PM
Who manufactured these two 3 1/8th-inch cloth-backed Apollo 9 patches shown at top? Note the unfilled "D" in "McDivitt" and also note the black "USA" on the crude Atlas-like rocket (similar to AB Emblems) on the patch at left. The one to the right has a nice rendering of the Saturn V, but like the one next to it lacks the red thread-filled "D." The patch at bottom I presume to be an error version from AB Emblems; it should have a red border. All of these seem to be quite uncommon.  |
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