Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 05-22-2020 11:05 AM
The following two photos were just sent to me by a collectSPACE colleague. Pictured is Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford, USAF. While training he used my Father's Gemini G-2C-2 suit.
Apparently after my Father's work on the Gemini Escape System was completed his suit was used by several astronauts in training. His suit was also modified to test future cooling systems.
Zoom in on the name tag to see Laine.
I have also located his boots at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. GB-2C-2.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 05-22-2020 09:33 PM
Here is Walter M. Schirra Jr. at the same water egress training with Thomas P. Stafford in preparation for the Gemini 6 flight. Walter is wearing CWO4 Mitchell B. Kanowski's Gemini G-2C-4 Full pressure suit.
Apparently after the escape system testing in El Centro, California, NASA made good use out of the G-2C training suits. I believe this suit, G-2C-4, was later refurbished and sold at auction.
Philip Member
Posts: 6219 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
posted 05-27-2020 08:48 AM
Thanks a lot for sharing your findings!!!
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 07-03-2020 02:09 PM
Through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I was able to locate this video related to the Gemini Personnel Recovery System and the G-2C full pressure suit.
Kanowski, Powers and Marcum are pictured getting into their G-2C suits and preparing to jump. Check out the hard landings and Kanowski had a malfunction and ended up landing with his main and emergency chute open.
These were brave men and did a great service to the Gemini program and our country. I thought the community would find this interesting.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 07-22-2020 11:59 AM
Here is a photo of Walter Salyer, a NASA space suit technician assisting my father, CWO Charles O. Laine, after a test jump of the Gemini G-2C full pressure suit and personnel recovery system. I have also included a photo of the backside description of this photo.
oly Member
Posts: 1455 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
posted 07-23-2020 02:57 AM
Great find. I somehow missed your post regarding the film released via FOIA, another great piece of history, well done.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 09-02-2020 01:16 PM
Here are two updated photos of the Kanowski helmet after it was returned from display at the Mariners Museum to the National Air and Space Museum. The tag inside the helmet reads GH-2C-4 Size Kanowski.
I am still looking for my Father's helmet. That tag should read GH-2C-2 Size Laine. Any help in my search would be greatly appreciated.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 09-20-2020 12:37 AM
In 2016, while at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center to see my father's Gemini G-2C full pressure suit, I saw what appeared to be a pair of Gemini G-2C gloves among many other helmets, boots, and gloves from different spacesuits in their artifact storage facility. Recently, the rocket center's new curator was able to send pictures of these gloves.
I know that the glove currently on my father's suit is not his glove as none of the photos I have of him in his suit have lightbulbs in the fingertips. The glove currently on his suit was made for someone else. Perhaps that glove can be removed one day so we can identify who it was made for.
It turns out that I was correct in that the gloves I saw in 2016 were in fact G-2C gloves. I was surprised to see that they were GG-2C-4 gloves, size Kanowski. Now we know where Kanowski's gloves are located. His suit was refurbished and auctioned off. His helmet is at the National Air and Space Museum.
The search continues for my father's helmet GH-2C-2, size Laine, and gloves GG-2C-2, size Laine.
Lou Chinal Member
Posts: 1387 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
posted 10-05-2020 12:14 AM
Still fantastic reading after all these years.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 01-30-2021 12:00 PM
As I continue my research related to my father's Gemini G-2C full pressure suit, I came across this iconic photo of astronaut John Young just before he participated in parasail training related to his upcoming Gemini flight. His suit looked very familiar to me and when I blew up his name tag I could read "LAINE."
I enjoy doing this type of research and continued to find more history behind this particular suit. The search continues for my father's helmet: GH-2C-2 size Laine and his gloves: GG-2C-2 size Laine.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 04-26-2021 08:15 PM
The Gemini G-2C full pressure suit assigned to my Father, CWO4 Charles O. Laine, is now on display in the Dare to Explore exhibit at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Needless to say, I am very proud of this new exhibit as this is what I was hoping would happen to his suit. The curator at the museum and some volunteers cleaned up the suit and made a very nice display.
None of this would have been possible had I not contacted collectSPACE and received all the help and support given to me related to my research on my father’s suit. My goal to have the suit displayed and be able to tell the story of the man that tested the Gemini Personnel Recovery System while wearing the suit is now happening. I thank you all for your help and support and I will continue to look for his helmet and gloves. Be well.
David Carey Member
Posts: 995 From: Registered: Mar 2009
posted 04-27-2021 12:23 AM
I had somehow missed this thread over the years but thank you for sharing a great story and the thrill of the hunt. Kudos also to all you cS detectives.
An excellent outcome for bringing your father’s space program contributions forward. Hope to read that you some day find the remaining pieces of the puzzle.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 06-07-2021 09:54 AM
Here is a photo of the G-1C full pressure suit assigned to Alan Shepard and used for training. It appears this suit was modified to test liquid cooling by the addition of the two aircraft AN fittings on the lower abdomen of the suit. For comparison, I have included two photos of the G-2C-2 full pressure suit assigned to my father.
Perhaps this is the other suit that Dennis Gilliam was referring to earlier in this string as to date, this is the only other Gemini suit I have seen with this modification.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 06-18-2021 10:40 PM
As I continue my search for my father’s Gemini GH-2C-2 training helmet, I have included several photos below related to this search. This helmet has several distinctive features that should easily identify the type of helmet that I am looking for.
For comparison I have included the same photo as above but have circled in red the distinctive features that I was referring to. Notice four bumps on the front of the helmet just above the neck ring. Also notice the small tube with no base plate as well. These were early versions of the GH-2C helmets and many modifications were made to these helmets soon after.
Here are astronauts John Young and Pete Conrad wearing the same type of helmet below while training in 1963. I am hoping that these distinctive features will make it easier to identify the helmet that I am looking for. Any assistance given in this search would be greatly appreciated.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 12-14-2021 05:23 PM
Through research at the National Archives, I was able to locate these two videos related to my father’s work on the Gemini space program. The first video has outstanding air to air footage related to this testing and the second video shows Laine and Marcum in live jumps as well as dummy testing. There were also several malfunctions recorded in the second video.
Note: The dummy drop recorded is wearing what appears to be a Gemini G-2C full pressure suit. The G-2C helmets, gloves and boots were interchangeable. This may explain why I have not be able to locate my father’s helmet. Enjoy!
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 06-21-2022 09:39 AM
Here is astronaut James Lovell wearing the Gemini G-2C-2 full pressure suit assigned to my father while testing the Gemini capsule's seaworthiness in the Gulf of Mexico in the 1960’s.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 09-26-2022 04:55 PM
I am trying to find out information related to this suit. In 2013 it was on display at the Atlanta International Airport. Any information related to this suit would be greatly appreciated.
I am particularly interested in the gloves attached to the suit as the look very much like G-2C gloves. Please advise. Thanks!
James913 Member
Posts: 326 From: Houston, TX Registered: Oct 2004
posted 09-27-2022 03:06 AM
On a tangent, here's the David Clark Company 75th anniversary patch, highlighting their work on Gemini, U-2, Shuttle and Orion vehicle suits.
Wlaine Member
Posts: 50 From: San Diego, CA. USA Registered: Oct 2015
posted 07-22-2023 11:40 AM
Here is the actual footage of the first live jump of the Gemini Ballute. My father did this jump on Nov. 22, 1963. Sadly, this jump took place on the same day JFK was assassinated. There are several different camera angles that you may find interesting.
posted 05-22-2020 11:05 AM
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