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Author Topic:   Mercury-Redstone 3 50th anniversary patch
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42984
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-25-2011 09:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Mercury-Redstone 3 50th anniversary patch

AB Emblem is now offering a 4" patch celebrating the 50th anniversary of the May 5, 1961 Mercury-Redstone 3 flight.

This embroidered emblem design honors the men and women of Project Mercury in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the program — 1961-2011!

The part number for this design is 176886.

This design will be used for NASA's commemoration of the anniversary this May.

onesmallstep
Member

Posts: 1310
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 03-25-2011 04:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for onesmallstep   Click Here to Email onesmallstep     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The design seems to me a little cheesy and childlike, being that they just incorporate the 'unofficial' MR-3 flight patch. A better one would have used the Project Mercury symbol (Planet Mercury sign with a '7') against a field of stars and a capsule in orbit.

Go4Launch
Member

Posts: 542
From: Seminole, Fla.
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 03-25-2011 04:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Go4Launch   Click Here to Email Go4Launch     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I couldn't agree more -- I assume the reasoning is that AB wanted to be consistent with the Mercury line it sells. It's unfortunate that NASA is complicit in perpetuating this historical inaccuracy.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42984
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-25-2011 05:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My understanding is that while AB Emblem is reproducing this design for public sale, it did not originate with them.

Skyforce1
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Posts: 200
From: Vineland NJ, USA
Registered: Aug 2009

posted 03-25-2011 05:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skyforce1   Click Here to Email Skyforce1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Very tacky, unusual for AB. A very bland and boring patch. It would have been nice had the patch had stars, a Mercury capsule and a "50th Anniversary" on the patch somewhere.

KSCartist
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Posts: 2896
From: Titusville, FL USA
Registered: Feb 2005

posted 03-25-2011 08:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for KSCartist   Click Here to Email KSCartist     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Don't be too hard on them. As far as I know the design originated from the committee of retired NASA folks who are putting together the 50th anniversary events at KSC. They used the "souvenir" patch because it has been produced since the 1960's and it's very recognizable. The color scheme is red, white and blue for obvious reasons.

I could think of a bunch of ways to design a 50th patch but their intentions were good.

Ken Havekotte
Member

Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 03-26-2011 07:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Overall, I think Tim is correct, as a couple of MR-3 50th anniversary patch presentations were reviewed by committee members last month.

As a committee member, it wasn't one of my favorite designs -- however -- a design concept had to be approved so that the project could proceed on time, even though I wasn't present at the last committee meeting two weeks ago and missed an update on that particular topic.

Even though the MR-3/Freedom 7 mission patch was NASA-authorized long after Shepard's epic space feat, it still remains well-known to many as the only "official" souvenir patch for America's first astronaut space voyage.

Go4Launch
Member

Posts: 542
From: Seminole, Fla.
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 03-26-2011 07:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Go4Launch   Click Here to Email Go4Launch     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
My understanding is that while AB Emblem is reproducing this design for public sale, it did not originate with them.

Thanks for the clarification; if it is NASA retirees who are behind this design, I would respectfully suggest that they of all people may have had a greater responsibility to not reinforce the inaccuracy. I’m certainly not losing any sleep over it -– it’s just frustrating to see historical errors perpetuated, especially when talented artists like Tim and others could have, as previous posters have mentioned, produced something both better and also not in conflict with reality.

The Mercury "souvenir" designs, incidentally, did not appear until at least 1970.

cspg
Member

Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006

posted 03-27-2011 02:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cspg   Click Here to Email cspg     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
AB is now offering or will be offering? I couldn't find this patch on their website.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42984
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-27-2011 03:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It is not yet on their website but with the part number as listed above, you should be able to call/e-mail to order it.

Joe Holloway
Member

Posts: 74
From: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Registered: Jan 2007

posted 04-05-2011 07:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Joe Holloway   Click Here to Email Joe Holloway     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If NASA retirees designed this, particularly those having been involved with Project Mercury, people ought to order one for every member of their family as a keepsake of this milestone anniversary.

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