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Author
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Topic: Neil Armstrong wearing a medal in 1964
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Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 01-26-2019 10:08 AM
   
A series of photos, taken in February 1964, showing Neil Armstrong with test pilot Fred Drinkwater standing next to the Ames Bell X-14 test aircraft, clearly show Neil wore some kind of medal on the zipper above his left knee... Anyone know exactly what this was?More photos from the series can be seen here.  
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MarylandSpace
Member Posts: 1337
From:
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 01-26-2019 03:49 PM
Could it just be a "zipper pull"? |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 01-27-2019 03:32 AM
That large? It was larger than the wristwatch he was wearing! |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 205
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
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posted 01-27-2019 06:05 AM
Enlarging the original image it appears to be the equivalent of a modern day challenge or command coin. It appears the attachment point was crudely attached and is misshapen. There is clearly an aircraft planform with text around the circumference of the medallion and if I had to guess looking at the sharp nose, intakes (?), and small wings my guess would be an X-15 (Armstrong flights '60-'62) or F-104. Armstrong's good luck charm? |
NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 03-26-2019 06:01 PM
The "challenge coin" has a swept wing aircraft on it. Armstrong had climbed into the X-24B. He checked out the cockpit but never flew the plane. |
David C
Member Posts: 1015
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 03-26-2019 11:54 PM
That is not the X-24B, it's the X-14, which he did fly. To my eyes the "swept wing aircraft" looks like the X-3 or an F-104. Nose seems too long for the X-15.
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albatron
Member Posts: 2732
From: Stuart, Florida
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 03-27-2019 02:13 PM
The "coin" on his zipper appears to show the D558-II. |
David C
Member Posts: 1015
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 03-27-2019 03:03 PM
Not convinced Al, seems to have pronounced fuselage intakes. Not convinced the wing and horizontal stabilizer are even swept, could well be trapezoidal. I'm sticking with the F-104 as most likely. |
oly
Member Posts: 905
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 03-27-2019 06:39 PM
Looking at the image using post processing software to sharpen and increase contrast, the aircraft on the coin has swept back wings and tail, similar to the D-558-2 design, however it also has intakes on the fuselage sides, indicating a design with jet engines versus rockets.The wings are set too far forward to resemble a F-104, but the intakes are similar. Is it possible that the coin has some generic aircraft design of the times? |
TLIGuy
Member Posts: 205
From: Virginia
Registered: Jul 2013
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posted 03-27-2019 06:39 PM
Looking at the original image enlarged again I'm more convinced one of my original thoughts of the planform seen on the medal/coin is the F-104. I clearly see the leading edge of the wings slightly aft of what appears to be intakes on the fuselage. Also, the larger image appears to have a horizontal stabilizer proportionally correct to the wings of an F-104. |
David C
Member Posts: 1015
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 03-27-2019 09:04 PM
Maybe it will come up in this May's Armstrong auction and surprise us all. |
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