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Author
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Topic: X-15 rocketplane (NASA/USAF) program patch(es)
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GoesTo11
Member Posts: 988
From: Denver, CO USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 03-10-2009 01:00 PM
   
I can't believe this hasn't come up here before, but a search of the forum didn't turn up anything... can anyone tell me if there was an insignia, official or otherwise, for the X-15 program?On page 35 of Jenkins' and Landis' "Hypersonic" there is a small illustration of a "program patch," with no information or elaboration. I'd never seen it before, and can't locate any period photos showing anyone wearing it. Can anyone tell me anything about this emblem, or any other vintage patch specific to the X-15 project? Thanks! |
E2M Lem Man
Member Posts: 793
From: Los Angeles CA. USA
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 03-10-2009 07:13 PM
Dennis has it right. There are a few photos kicking around showing the patch (see Dennis' and Tony's books "Hypersonic" and "the X-15 Scrapbook"). There was another one that appeared to look down at the X-15 that Michelle Evans designed, but that came out years later and was not an official patch. It can be found on eBay. |
FFrench
Member Posts: 3093
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 03-10-2009 09:14 PM
quote:
Originally posted by E2M Lem Man:
There was another one that appeared to look down at the X-15 that Michelle Evans designed, but that came out years later and was not an offical patch.
That design can be seen here. |
KSCartist
Member Posts: 2467
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 03-11-2009 08:15 AM
At the risk of spraining my arm to pat myself on the back, I've also designed an X-15 patch.You can see it on this thread. There's a few still available. By the way, Michelle's is a great design! |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 923
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 11-24-2010 10:11 AM
Does anyone know where I could get one of the X-15 patches that used to show up on eBay? (I have the Tim Gagnon program patch.) There were two designs that I remember seeing and one design is available as a pin. The other featured a top view of the craft with brightly colored exhaust on a black delta-shaped background. |
x15gal
Member Posts: 28
From: Lake Forest, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 11-24-2010 01:18 PM
I have not been on collectSPACE for a while, but Francis mentioned the talk about X-15 patches, so he suggested I chime in.First, I must say that Tim did a wonderful job on his X-15 commemorative patch. His skills are exceptional. The story on the patch that I designed is that during my research on the program, I always asked all those I interviewed if anyone had ever seen a patch. Not one person said that there was a X-15 patch done at the time of the program. Because of that, I decided to sit down and design my own. Not long after I did that, one of the guys I was interviewing said that he did have a patch, and showed me a copy of the round green patch with the X-15 rising above the Earth. From everything I was able to discover about this patch, it was something that came along well after the program was completed, but it obviously pre-dates mine by some unknown number of years (mine was designed in 1986). (If anyone can find a photo, or other info, that shows the patch in use during the actual program, it would be greatly appreciated.) As for my patch, it is not available for sale currently. I have seen someone selling knock-offs of my patch on eBay which were not authorized by me. I asked him to quit selling them without my permission, and as far as I know, he has kept his word to do so. The only time it was legally commercially available was when it was being sold at Thomas Aviation, which has long since stopped business. If there is ever enough interest to warrant selling them again, I would love to have them professionally done again and made available, but I have never seen enough interest to make it viable to go that route. |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 923
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 11-26-2010 10:27 AM
I would purchase 3 or 4. |
robsouth
Member Posts: 604
From: West Midlands, UK
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 11-26-2010 06:07 PM
Here's my design for the X-15 patch.  |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 923
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 11-26-2010 06:08 PM
That's pretty cool. |
robsouth
Member Posts: 604
From: West Midlands, UK
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 11-26-2010 06:12 PM
Very kind of you to say so. I think that simpler designs, like the Apollo 8 patch, tell the story in a much better way. I hope my patch captures what patches looked like back in the 60's. The X-15 leaving the round edge of the patch is similar to the Shuttle on the STS-2 patch. |
X-Plane Fan
Member Posts: 122
From: CA, USA
Registered: Jul 2007
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posted 12-03-2010 06:47 PM
Actually the original X-15 patch was created back when the X-15 program was active. To my knowledge it was produced in very low numbers (probably less than a dozen). The only one I've seen that was actually worn was on the jacket of a PSD technician that appears in photos with pilots of the X-15, SR-71 and NF-104 to name a few. Here's a shot taken with Bob Gilliland after the first or second flight of the SR-71A in 1964/65. |
albatron
Member Posts: 2087
From: Stuart, Florida, USA
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 12-03-2010 10:09 PM
Interesting Tony - thanks. I wasn't aware of that one. Any idea who the USAF guy with Bob G. is? |
Philip
Member Posts: 4762
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 12-04-2010 03:43 AM
Major... |
Kevmac
Member Posts: 186
From: College Station, TX
Registered: Apr 2003
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posted 12-04-2010 09:10 AM
Anyone... anyone... |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 923
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 12-06-2010 07:35 AM
That photo seems to answer the question of whether or not X-15 patches existed during the program. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 2580
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 12-06-2010 09:15 AM
Maybe that's someone's home-made attempt at a project patch, or maybe it's an unofficial patch someone had made in small numbers.In any case now that I've seen a photo of it I can understand why it apparently wasn't very popular with pilots or project members at the time. |
lucspace
Member Posts: 257
From: Hilversum, The Netherlands
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 12-06-2010 12:03 PM
This reproduction of the vintage patch (eBay) now turns out to be not very accurate in design or colours. It is not a thing of much beauty, but... could this be another 'accurate reproduction' project starting? |
NAPO99
New Member Posts:
From:
Registered:
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posted 03-04-2011 12:09 PM
Somewhere I've got a photo of the same Major, walking with another pilot wearing the same flight jacket.But I cant remember where I saw it.
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capoetc
Member Posts: 1701
From: Newnan GA (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 03-04-2011 08:08 PM
When a program has so few pilots, you really don't need a patch to identify the members of the unit ...  |
X-Plane Fan
Member Posts: 122
From: CA, USA
Registered: Jul 2007
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posted 03-06-2011 03:34 PM
Is this the shot you're thinking of? |
lucspace
Member Posts: 257
From: Hilversum, The Netherlands
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-24-2011 02:25 PM
Is the design shown in 'Hypersonic' and the 'X-15 scrapbook' the same that Major Richardson in wearing in the two photos? Could anyone mail me scans of the designs in those books?I am trying to reconstruct the patch and am unsure about the stars, as shown in the modern reproduction. |
x15gal
Member Posts: 28
From: Lake Forest, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 05-27-2013 02:02 AM
I've posted this on another cS thread about my book, but wanted to post it here as well since this is specifically about the X-15 patch. After the book came out I decided to offer my patch for sale again, so if you are interested, please check it out. |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 923
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-05-2013 11:25 AM
I just received one of Michelle's X-15 program patches (and a signed postcard). It is beautiful and the quality is excellent. The patch is a great addition to the somewhat limited X-15 collectibles arena. |
x15gal
Member Posts: 28
From: Lake Forest, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 06-06-2013 01:46 AM
Gilbert, Thank you for your comment on the patch (and the postcard). Glad you liked the patch. The company did a wonderful job in their production. The postcards are my small way of thanking those who have an interest in the X-15 who I can't meet in person. And they make great bookmarks! |
Gonzo
Member Posts: 343
From: Lansing, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 06-06-2013 11:42 AM
Just ordered 2! |
x15gal
Member Posts: 28
From: Lake Forest, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 2010
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posted 06-07-2013 03:29 PM
Thanks Gonzo. Your patches will be on their way to you this afternoon. |
GoesTo11
Member Posts: 988
From: Denver, CO USA
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 06-07-2013 09:27 PM
I bought 2 of these from Michelle as well. Very handsome, well-produced design. |
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