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Author
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Topic: Mercury AstroChimp (Enos, Ham) mission patches
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dmash4077
Member Posts: 64
From: Prattville Al
Registered: May 2006
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posted 06-30-2007 02:29 PM
   
I was wondering if anybody knows anything about a patch for "Enos The Chimp"? |
dtemple
Member Posts: 757
From: Longview, Texas, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 06-30-2007 03:02 PM
This patch I believe to have been produced by Randy Hunt. He sells a variety of reproduction patches as well as patches designed by him (or someone anyway) such as the "Banana 7" patch. This patch is no more official than any of the souvenir Mercury patches available today. If you like the patch, then you got a good deal. If you thought it was an original Project Mercury era patch, then you did not. Evidently, this patch is an example of one bought from him, then resold. Unfortunately, the information on the source of the patch was lost by the time it got to the eBay seller from whom you bought it. That is going to happen with Hunt's reproduction patches, too. I know because I have seen them offered by secondary owners who knew nothing about the patches. |
dmash4077
Member Posts: 64
From: Prattville Al
Registered: May 2006
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posted 06-30-2007 03:17 PM
Thanks! I just like the patch, I didn't think that it was Mercury era. I had just never seen it before... Good addition then. Thanks for the info. |
Gator
Member Posts: 44
From: Crawfordville, FL USA
Registered: Mar 2004
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posted 06-30-2007 03:55 PM
Just to clarify one point on the Mercury 5 patch. I originally had it made just because there was no patch for Enos out there. The person selling them now on eBay didn't get them from me. To my knowledge he or someone else has had them remade and are selling them now. |
butch wilks
Member Posts: 336
From: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 07-01-2007 10:05 AM
As a side note to the Enos the chimp patch, I have a Mercury 2 "Ham the Chimp" patch that that I got off Randy. The two patches make a good looking pair. |
Liembo
Member Posts: 816
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013
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posted 05-01-2013 01:39 PM
quote:
Originally posted by dmash4077:
...about a patch for "Enos The Chimp"?
That version is much better than this remake version, which looks more like "ZOMBIE 7". |
dogcrew5369
Member Posts: 760
From: Statesville, NC
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 05-06-2013 10:10 AM
Good grief! Terrible chimp on that patch. Looks like Boris Karloff instead of Enos. Creepiest patch I've ever seen. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3188
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 04-27-2014 03:26 AM
It may be important to note that these patches are all modern creations rather than examples of original 1960s humour.That said, it's possible they're based on cartoons or decals that may be older. |
butch wilks
Member Posts: 336
From: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 04-27-2014 04:29 AM
When I did my research for my recovery ships patches set I was putting together, I emailed a crewman on Ham's recovery ship USS Donner (LSD-20). His name is AL Halfrey. I think he heads the USS Donner (LSD-20) veterans association. It's been some time now but I have an address for him if you need it. He did a bit on Ham for Astrophile issue; volume 50 number 5, "The Life and Times of 'No. 65' Ham the Chimp." He was a big help in getting the ship patch. The letter I got in from him had more than the patch in it. It had mission photos. I've add my Mercury 2 Ham the Chimp patch made by Randy Hunt.  USS Donner (LSD-20) ship's patch at the time.  USS STORMES ship's patch, ENOS the chimp's recovery ship.  Ham with the USS Donner captain; Commander Ralph A. Brackett USN, checking on Ham as he was taken from the capsule to the ship's hospital. 
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butch wilks
Member Posts: 336
From: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 04-27-2014 04:44 AM
USS Donner (LSD-20) as Ham's capsule comes in to land on the ship. Close up of the landing from the photo.  ENOS capsule by the side of the USS STORMES. I think it's in a test to see how well the capsule floated after reentry.the capsule was higher and faster coming back into the atmosphere then the sub-orbital missions, and as it only in the sea for a short time before being lifted out by helicopter to the ship. note; the die-bag is still working and this will help to see if the capsule has a leak in it.  Ham in his lower part of his life pod chair from the capsule.  |
butch wilks
Member Posts: 336
From: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 04-27-2014 04:53 AM
quote:
Originally posted by spaced out:
It may be important to note that these patches are all modern creations...
As Mercury had no mission patches, they are all modern creations, and as they where made by Randy Hunt only a few years ago, the two chimp patches are modern.But with the passing of Randy, they are now getting older and hard to get hold off. and as we can see by the new ENOS patch just how good Randy's patches are (sometimes). So as the only patches for the mission, modern or not, they help add a bit of fun to a little remembered and often forgotten missions of all the astro chimps that pave the way to the stars and the start to a new hobby collectSPACE. |
QuiGon Grin
Member Posts: 55
From: Rutherford, NJ 07070
Registered: Apr 2010
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posted 04-30-2014 02:31 PM
A bit off topic, but as I think many of us are into patch identification it looks like Cmdr. Brackett has the ship patch on the right breast of his jacket, but what is that on the left? It looks like a black skull with yellow vectors over it. |
Ronpur
Member Posts: 1254
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 04-30-2014 05:32 PM
I think it looks like a wolf's or tiger's head, might be a squadron patch. |
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