Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

  collectSPACE: Messages
  Patches & Pins
  STS-48 crew patch variation

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   STS-48 crew patch variation
Liembo
Member

Posts: 857
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013

posted 02-06-2024 07:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Liembo   Click Here to Email Liembo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
99% of the time, the patches worn by the crew are identical to the souvenir patch. However, there are the occasions where they don't. A few examples are ASTP, STS-35, STS-76, STS-78 and STS-125. In these cases, the crew can be seen in training or in official portraits wearing alternate versions of their patch.

One of my holy grail patches was to find the version worn by the STS-48 crew for their portraits and their flight. For some reason, their insignia was surrounded by a black field. I finally found one in the wild!

It is not to be confused with a 3" version which mimics the appearance but lacks the details of the original. Why there is a 3" souvenir version that has the black surround but not a 4" is beyond me.

The patch bears the round sticker common to A-B Emblem prototype patches of the time. The only other difference is the black starfield is a very deep violet instead of black.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 51963
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 02-06-2024 09:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Congratulations on the find!

At first I thought the black field was to differentiate the red in the patch from the orange of the ACES suit, but even a thin black border (as on the souvenir version) would have done that.

Now I am wondering if they just didn't have the ability to cleanly cut out the protruding features of the patch such that they added the black border to ensure a consistent look.

lucspace
Member

Posts: 518
From: Hilversum, The Netherlands
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 02-26-2024 08:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for lucspace   Click Here to Email lucspace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Would there be enough interest here to justify approaching AB Emblem to produce a corrected historical version?

vanerie
Member

Posts: 87
From: Outer Banks, North Carolina
Registered: Sep 2016

posted 02-26-2024 11:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for vanerie   Click Here to Email vanerie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'd be interested.

Paul J. Brennan
Member

Posts: 270
From: Linden, CA
Registered: May 2019

posted 02-26-2024 02:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Paul J. Brennan   Click Here to Email Paul J. Brennan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'd buy one.

justin13
Member

Posts: 58
From: Richmond, VA, U.S.A.
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 02-28-2024 08:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for justin13   Click Here to Email justin13     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'd be interested too.

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement