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Author
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Topic: Florida Challenger license plate with Fred Haise
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Scorbin
New Member Posts: 6
From: Cocoa, Florida, USA
Registered: Jul 2015
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posted 07-07-2015 10:38 PM
  
Hope someone can shed some light on some Florida Challenger license plates that I came across. They are imprinted with Fred W. Haise's "signature" below the space shuttle (between the BFM and numbers).I haven't been able to find anything on this. Even Google failed me (of course, it could be that I have crappy googling skills). Thanks for any info. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-08-2015 12:46 AM
Looks like someone took ordinary Challenger plates and had Haise's autopen pattern printed on it for some unknown reason. No tags were issued with an astronaut's signature, let along Haise, who flew Enterprise and not Challenger. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 07-08-2015 07:32 AM
Hart is likely correct but the plate shown displays little wear and no annual stickers; plus the signature looks thick enough to be a Sharpie. Perhaps someone had Fred sign an actual plate and then never used it.These license plates show up on eBay often, here's one I bought. Notice the wear and stickers compared to the OP's photo.  |
MarylandSpace
Member Posts: 1336
From:
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 07-08-2015 10:45 AM
I bought two different versions of the Florida Challenger license plates probably on eBay. I think the Kennedy Space Center gift shop used to sell these plates, too. |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 07-08-2015 06:19 PM
The Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (seen here on opening day) was financed in part by Florida automobile owners buying the special Challenger license plates directly from the state DMV. |
Scorbin
New Member Posts: 6
From: Cocoa, Florida, USA
Registered: Jul 2015
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posted 07-09-2015 10:47 AM
The plates are in a box addressed to the Center for Space Education at KSC from the tag plant at Raiford prison. The box had originally 100 plates, there's about 30 mostly consecutive plates with papers between each. I first thought they were printed with the signature, but there is variations between the plates. I'm really curious what these are. I know they were not issued as I had a Challenger plate on my truck for years. Going to see if I can contact the person who the box was addressed to. Here's a picture of the box...  |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-09-2015 11:37 AM
I'd be curious, too, as I don't recall Haise signing authentically with his middle initial. And he usually includes his position underneath the signature, e.g., "Apollo 13 LMP" or "Enterprise CDR," or even just "Apollo 13." |
cycleroadie
Member Posts: 452
From: Apalachin, NY USA
Registered: May 2011
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posted 07-09-2015 11:50 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Hart Sastrowardoyo:
I'd be curious, too, as I don't recall Haise signing authentically with his middle initial.
Here's an obviously authentic example. |
lunardreamer
Member Posts: 86
From: Royal Oak, Michigan USA
Registered: Nov 2013
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posted 07-09-2015 01:36 PM
That box is a neat find. I'd be interested in buying a couple of plates if you are planning on selling some. |
Scorbin
New Member Posts: 6
From: Cocoa, Florida, USA
Registered: Jul 2015
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posted 07-13-2015 07:22 PM
The box was/is addressed to a Mr. Feidman, President and CEO, AMF, KSC. Thanks to Cozmosis22's photo I at least figured out a couple of pieces of the puzzle. AMF is Astronaut Memorial Foundation and the Mr. Feidman is a misspelling of Mr. Feldman, who was once the President and CEO of AMF.I'm getting there. I would really like to know what they were signed for? And when? |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 07-13-2015 08:31 PM
When the Challenger memorial plates were changed to a different design some amount of surplus old ones were possibly sent to KSC for dispersal. Sometime after that the Astronaut Memorial Foundation folks may have gotten Mr. Haise to sign a number of them as part of a fundraising effort?That's a lot of assumptions for sure but it's my best guess. Good luck in your quest! |
Scorbin
New Member Posts: 6
From: Cocoa, Florida, USA
Registered: Jul 2015
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posted 07-15-2015 09:18 PM
I'm going with your assumption... Of course, you know what assume means right?  |
Scorbin
New Member Posts: 6
From: Cocoa, Florida, USA
Registered: Jul 2015
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posted 07-15-2015 09:22 PM
I did want to mention that the only good hit from the all knowing search engines for info on this was this cS topic.That was from 2004, so I'm ASSUMING these plates are over 11 years old. The box looks like it. |
Scorbin
New Member Posts: 6
From: Cocoa, Florida, USA
Registered: Jul 2015
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posted 07-22-2015 10:04 PM
I'm still trying to find the answer to my puzzle. I did find a Challenger plate autopen signed by Charlie Duke, so it seems what I have might be legit. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-22-2015 10:23 PM
Apologies if I am asking the obvious, but have you tried contacting the Astronaut Memorial Foundation? |
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