posted 07-23-2008 10:28 PM
In this image of the Mercury 7 astronauts I was wondering about the 'flight suits' that each astronaut is wearing.
I'm not a military guy (my dad was in the Aircorps flew in B-29s during 1945) but I'm assuming the Navy guys (Carpenter, Schirra, Shepard) were issued orange flight suits whereas the Air Force and Marine guys got olive drab?
Also can anyone comment on the boots/shoes they are wearing which all seem to be different. Grissom appears to be wearing the 'silvery' boots that go with his spacesuit. I don't know what to make of the 'blue suede' boots that Glenn is wearing. And best I can tell Slayton is wearing street shoes. Any comments and discussion of this photo and those great flight duds is welcome!
Also is that an F-106?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43576 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-23-2008 11:15 PM
The NASA caption to the photo answers one of your questions:
The Original Mercury Seven astronauts with a U.S. Air Force F-106B jet aircraft.
With regards to the suits, Gordon Cooper once commented:
When we were selected as astronauts in 1959, little effort was made to create a standard flying suit for us. Our classic photo in front of the F-106 jet shows how we had scrounged around to get flight equipment from the various armed services. The dark blue NASA flight suit was mainly a result of the publication of that one photograph.
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3400 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 07-24-2008 04:51 AM
And to add to the discontinuity... the Mercury 7 mainly used F-102s for maintaining flight proficiency, NOT the similar-looking F-106 pictured here.
Dirk Member
Posts: 943 From: Belgium Registered: Jul 2003
posted 07-24-2008 08:06 AM
In the early seventies the Belgian Air Cadets used the same orange flight suits. It were the suits used by airforce pilots during at sixties. The label says:
posted 07-25-2008 05:43 AM
It is my understanding that USN flightsuits of the period were orange in order to improve/aid rescue of the pilot in the case of ditching at sea ie make him easier to see. Can anyone tell me if I am wrong here?
Also, I have always wondered about the boots Glenn is wearing in this shot - what gives with those? They look like they have been carved out of wood!
Lou Chinal Member
Posts: 1332 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
posted 07-25-2008 06:40 AM
Does anyone have a date for this photo? I say Dec.'59/Jan.'60.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 43576 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-25-2008 08:41 AM
According to Langley Research Center, the photo was taken on January 20, 1961.
Machodoc Member
Posts: 207 From: DE Registered: Aug 2005
posted 07-25-2008 09:08 AM
January 20, 1961, eh? Interesting date, since that was the day JFK was sworn in.
KC Stoever Member
Posts: 1012 From: Denver, CO USA Registered: Oct 2002
posted 07-25-2008 10:15 AM
Bill Taub, NACA-NASA photographer, took the photo. He remembers taking this unforgettable photo.
Notice too that they're all standing in alpha order: CCGGSSS.
Lou Chinal Member
Posts: 1332 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
posted 07-25-2008 10:58 AM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: ...the photo was taken on January 20, 1961.
That was also the date that Shepard found out that he would be on the first flight.
Richard Glueck Member
Posts: 15 From: Winterport, Maine, USA Registered: Sep 2007
posted 07-26-2008 09:50 AM
Is this image prior to, or after, the revealing of the prime pilot? If so, those are some great actors. I have wondered if, at some point, any of the Mercury astronauts simply said "I'll get my flight in time. Why get stressed?"
328KF Member
Posts: 1251 From: Registered: Apr 2008
posted 07-26-2008 10:31 AM
I think this same day there was quite a bit of photography going on. There is motion film of this photo event (which, unfortunately, did not make it into the SF DVD set) as well as individual photos of the guys either on the ladder or in the cockpit of the F-106.
I sure would like to see prints of those individual shots made available.
FFrench Member
Posts: 3165 From: San Diego Registered: Feb 2002
posted 07-26-2008 01:27 PM
quote:Originally posted by KC Stoever: Notice too that they're all standing in alpha order: CCGGSSS.
I'm quite fond of this version of the photo, Kris, with you in it and two Scott Carpenters!
KC Stoever Member
Posts: 1012 From: Denver, CO USA Registered: Oct 2002
posted 07-26-2008 01:39 PM
Yup. Me too, Francis. A keeper...
John Charles Member
Posts: 342 From: Houston, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2004
posted 07-26-2008 02:46 PM
quote:Originally posted by Richard Glueck: Is this image prior to, or after, the revealing of the prime pilot?
According to Glenn's book (p. 233), the seven were notified by Gilruth on Jan. 19, the day before JFK's inauguration. Slayton (p. 93) also said it was the day before JFK's inauguration, but put the date on Jan. 20. Shepard was quoted by Roy Neal as saying it was about 5 pm.
So, if the flight line photo was taken on inauguration day, then they all had heard the news the evening before the group photo was taken.
John Charles Member
Posts: 342 From: Houston, Texas, USA Registered: Jun 2004
posted 07-26-2008 02:50 PM
I just noticed something funny about the photo Francis French posted and the photo at the top of the thread. In the top photo, the jet's air intake is open, but in the bottom photo, the intake appears neatly covered by some sort of blanket. It doesn't look like an artifact of the large photo, but what else could it be?
AND the designation "AD246" and what appears to be a logo have been added to the aircraft's nose, right above KC and Scott's heads!
In fact, the astronauts have been moved and shrunk and their shadows erased, and other markings on the aircraft altered!
What gives, Francis?
FFrench Member
Posts: 3165 From: San Diego Registered: Feb 2002
posted 07-26-2008 03:08 PM
The photo with Kris and Scott was taken in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex galleries - a wall with life-size blowups of the Mercury 7 from that clasic photo, set against an airplane backdrop. It allows the visitor to stand in the scene and be photographed as if they were there (sort of).
My guess is, to get the effect, they used the photos of the Mercury 7 from the original photo, and placed them against a similar but not identical photo of a jet. Note that the cockpit is also closed, there is no yellow ladder, and the tail is red... judging by the stanchion in front of it, also visible in the photo, it's probably a more recent photo of a jet on outdoor museum display somewhere...
golddog Member
Posts: 210 From: australia Registered: Feb 2008
posted 07-26-2008 07:05 PM
The aircraft in the visitor complex photograph is a QF-106 target drone - hence the "AD" number stenciled on the nose. These aircraft were modified for the role from 1985 onwards, so it is a far more recent photo.
Paul78zephyr Member
Posts: 678 From: Hudson, MA Registered: Jul 2005
posted 07-26-2008 07:37 PM
I wonder why NASA felt in needed to change the picture of the F-106 in the background?
spacecraft films Member
Posts: 802 From: Columbus, OH USA Registered: Jun 2002
posted 07-26-2008 07:41 PM
It probably wasn't "NASA," but whatever artist was responsible for executing the photo for the visitor's center display. By pulling the astronauts off the old photo they could expand the scope beyond the original photo by using another plane behind them.
That way they kept the flavor of the photo and made the astronauts approximately lifesize, and filled the area the photo was required to fill.
And there you have it...
I don't know... but it is just a possible explanation.
FFrench Member
Posts: 3165 From: San Diego Registered: Feb 2002
posted 07-26-2008 07:46 PM
quote:Originally posted by Paul78zephyr: I wonder why NASA felt in needed to change the picture of the F-106 in the background?
My guess... nothing but a guess... is that to create a backdrop where life-size astronaut images were there for visitors to stand next to, they needed to be repositioned slightly to get the right effect. If they had used the original backdrop, this would be impossible (moving someone would leave a space in the photo), so they needed a photo of the same kind of plane, same approximate position, but no one standing in front of it.
And, with the arrangement over who runs KSCVC and creates the exhibitions, my guess is also that NASA has nothing to do with it.
In any event, it's a fun backdrop to have your photo taken in front of on a visit there... and very nice to see Scott standing next to a fullsize version of his younger self!
(on edit - in the time I began my reply to the time I posted it, I see Mark also replied above with the same guess...)
golddog Member
Posts: 210 From: australia Registered: Feb 2008
posted 07-26-2008 11:59 PM
quote:Originally posted by Paul78zephyr: I wonder why NASA felt in needed to change the picture of the F-106 in the background?
I don't know, although I suspect it is as previous posters have suggested, for scale in allowing people to take photos alongside it. When I saw it during a visit to KSC last year it is a very large photo, and the f106 in it is fairly clearly in need of a little TLC.
It's sad really that so many of those beautiful delta darts met their end by sidewinder missile. They truly were a beautiful machine.
golddog Member
Posts: 210 From: australia Registered: Feb 2008
posted 07-27-2008 03:29 AM
For those who are interested, I've done a little research around the web. Apparently, the original F106 in the picture, 590158, is still in existence and on display at the Air Force Flight Test Centre Museum at Edwards AFB. She was saved as a drone (AD 276) thankfully and now looks gorgeous.
Richard Glueck Member
Posts: 15 From: Winterport, Maine, USA Registered: Sep 2007
posted 07-27-2008 10:17 AM
Knowing the F-106 is preserved is a warming thought! I think it was one of the classiest jet fighter designs ever, and the connection to the Mercury 7 shows somebody was thoughtful about which planes got saved.
ejectr Member
Posts: 1758 From: Killingly, CT Registered: Mar 2002
posted 07-27-2008 11:49 AM
quote:Originally posted by golddog: Apparently, the original F106 in the picture, 590158, is still in existence and on display at the Air Force Flight Test Centre Museum at Edwards AFB.
I sent my son at Edwards an email and asked him to take a photograph of it and send it to me. When he does, I'll post it so we have a current photo of it.
golddog Member
Posts: 210 From: australia Registered: Feb 2008
posted 07-28-2008 03:38 AM
That would be fantastic, thanks. Any chance he could get a cockpit shot too?
ejectr Member
Posts: 1758 From: Killingly, CT Registered: Mar 2002
posted 07-28-2008 07:31 PM
I sent my son the photo from the link above to which he answered:
In that picture it is parked outside the museum. About a year ago they created Century Circle, which is a collection of century series fighters at the gate (F-100, 102, 104, 105, 106). It may be the 106 they moved, I will check.
ea757grrl Member
Posts: 732 From: South Carolina Registered: Jul 2006
posted 07-28-2008 09:53 PM
quote:Originally posted by FFrench: In any event, it's a fun backdrop to have your photo taken in front of on a visit there...
As for me, the substitution of the QF-106 for 59-0158 jumped out at me when I saw it... that, and the KC-135 or 707 that's parked on the starboard side of the 106 in the photo (that you can see when you're there). Regular folks don't notice it, but it was really jarring when I saw it.
ejectr Member
Posts: 1758 From: Killingly, CT Registered: Mar 2002
posted 08-23-2008 10:07 PM
quote:Originally posted by ejectr: I sent my son at Edwards an email and asked him to take a photograph of it and send it to me.
Here are the pictures of the F106 at Edwards AFB my son took.
The F106 is now located at the entrance to Edwards AFB in what they call "Century Circle" where all the F100 series aircraft are displayed.
Lou Chinal Member
Posts: 1332 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
posted 08-24-2008 02:59 AM
I'm glad to see some part of history is still with us.
golddog Member
Posts: 210 From: australia Registered: Feb 2008
posted 08-30-2008 02:38 AM
Thanks for getting your son to do that. What a beautiful machine!
Obviousman Member
Posts: 438 From: NSW, Australia Registered: May 2005
posted 08-31-2008 05:33 AM
Thought the F-106 fans might enjoy this:
More aircraft and space images are available here.
KC Stoever Member
Posts: 1012 From: Denver, CO USA Registered: Oct 2002
posted 09-22-2008 06:14 PM
It's not an F-106, but this Delta Dagger at Wings Over the Rockies, at Lowry, makes for a similar photo too. That's me on the left standing with fellow cSer, Francis French.
There's also a nice new installation at Wings devoted to Colorado's legion of astronauts.
FFrench Member
Posts: 3165 From: San Diego Registered: Feb 2002
posted 11-20-2008 01:58 PM
While at the Cape, I took the opportunity to take some more "Then and Now" Scott photos in that spot.
Linda K Member
Posts: 62 From: Greensboro, NC 27455 Registered: Aug 2008
posted 11-20-2008 02:59 PM
Just thought you guys might like a little more history about the F-106 in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex photo.
My husband worked his butt off to send me down for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation show, and all he asked of me was that I ask Scott Carpenter if he'd ever flown the F-106. My husband recently retired after 20+ years in the Air Force, where he started out working on the 106 at Minot AFB. Scott told me that "all the Mercury guys flew the 106" and said "she was a sweet plane."
When I showed my husband the wall photo from the visitor center, imagine my surprise when he recognized the plane used for that exhibit as one that he had worked on! Turns out that when Minot got rid of the F-106s, they sent three to NASA for the Eclipse Project. There are some neat pics and info about that plane.
There's even a shot of it after it had a mid-air collision and got its nose blown off. That was before my husband's time. After being repaired it continued its adventures until it ended up in the Eclipse Project. While it never got to actually fly in the project, it was there! Talk about a small world!!
010 is now a static display at the Aerospace Museum of California.
bruce Member
Posts: 917 From: Fort Mill, SC, USA Registered: Aug 2000
posted 12-06-2008 09:23 PM
quote:Originally posted by FFrench: While at the Cape, I took the opportunity to take some more "Then and Now" Scott photos in that spot.
During the 2008 Astronaut Scholarship Foundation weekend at Kennedy Space Center, a fellow cS'er took a picture of me next to the Mercury 7 group mural in the museum area of the Debus Conference Center. I thought it was clever pose; me leaning with my elbow propped up against the right arm of Scott Carpenter, trying my best to blend in with The Right Stuff guys.
When I got home and showed the image to my wife, I asked her, "who do think is the best looking of the Mercury astronauts?", hoping she'd pick me. She took a quick glance at the photo, and said, without a moment's hesitation, "Carpenter". So much for my ego...
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3324 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 02-09-2014 10:25 AM
It looks like there were also individual photos of the Mercury astronauts taken at the F-106 (59-158) aircraft.
posted 07-23-2008 10:28 PM
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