posted 09-15-2012 01:30 PM              

It is an A7L/B, and it is in the Command Module Pilot (CMP) layout. Vance was the backup CMP for Apollo 15, so we are thinking it may be from there. It has no patches on it other than his name. Does anyone have any ideas how we can tell what it was made for?

Does anyone know how much it would be worth (for insurance purposes)? Finally, does anyone know where we can buy replica connectors for the TMG, as only one is still attached?

posted 09-15-2012 05:20 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by spaceflightinstitute:
Does anyone know how much it would be worth (for insurance purposes)?

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posted 09-15-2012 11:12 PM               

Previous A7LB CMP suits were “converted” A7L EVA suits (To save money NASA converted some existing suits which reduced the number of A7LB CMP suits they needed to buy). The conversion consisted of removing the multiple water connector located on the upper left of the crew’s chest (since the CMP did not require use of the LCG), and installing a plate on the suit pressure garment to seal the hole in the suit. A new TMG was built for the suit. The “converted” suits still retained the dual set of gas connectors (2 blue inlet and 2 red exhaust) so the CMP could perform deep space EVA if needed. Your TMG appears to be one of the few which NASA did buy directly in an A7LB CMP configuration.

In addition, your TMG has been modified to match the configuration of the 800 series TMG which were built for the ASTP. Thus its last use was probably for training in preparation for the ASTP. The ASTP crew all wore “new build” 800 series suits on the ASTP mission.

Since the ASTP crew would not be performing any EVA, they did not need the dual set of gas connectors. So the 800 series of A7LB suits built for ASTP only had a single set of gas connectors (one blue inlet, one red exhaust just like the early A7L CMP suits). However all the crew wore this configuration of suit on ASTP. In addition, since they would not be exposed to the thermal extremes of EVA, the number of insulation layers in the TMG was changed, and the cover over the urine collection connection on the upper right thigh was deleted.

On your TMG, you can see that patches have been sewn over the holes where the second set of gas connectors were removed from the suit (this was done to make it look like an 800 series TMG for ASTP training. In addition the cover on the upper right thigh over the urine collection connector has been removed. The UTC cover was sewn to the TMG at the bottom with the sides and top of the cover held in place by a series of snaps with strips of Velcro running between the snaps. On your TMG you can see the reinforcing discs were the snaps were once attached to the suit as well as the dual set of stitching marks running between each snap where the Velcro was removed from the suit. This was also done to mmake it look like an ASTP suit.

Sometimes NASA reused suits in training for different crewmembers if they were the same size. This was not done very often but it did happen. Thus they would change the name tag on the front of the suit. Normally the name is also on the suit label which would indicate who the suit was originally built for. If there are no other labels in the suit, check inside the lower arm TMG for a small label. There may be a name along with the serial number. Check the foot TMGs as well.

Also, check the inside of the TMG where the front name tag is sewn to the suit. If the name tag is stitched all the way through the TMG, then it was added after the TMG was made which would indicate a name change. Normally the name tag is sewn to the outer layer of TMG fabric before the layers are assembled into a TMG.

If the front name tag is sewn only to the outer layer then it most likely was originally built his use on the later (cancelled) Apollo missions. Then it was converted for his training use on ASTP.

posted 09-30-2012 09:14 PM            

I've been unable to locate any other pictures of Brand suited for ASTP training. All of the other images I have are of him wearing his flight suit.

As for dummy connectors, the Kansas Cosmosphere's Space Works can replicate pretty much anything (they did the suits for "Apollo 13"). Also, Guard-Lee could fabricate them (the replica Armstrong/Aldrin suits by the lunar module at the National Air and Space Museum were done by them).