Mech
1742
105.003
Jan 01, 2011,18:48 PM
In a quiet New Year day afternoon, I brought out my vintage 321 Speedie and changed out the brown strap with an old black croco one.
Took a pix of the original case back and sat infront of my mac and re-read Chuck Maddox's material on some of his facinating write-ups of the Moon Watch.
Nothing new, just revisiting his stories about all things Omega, particularly the Speedie:
- in 1965 June 3, Ed White became the first American to walk in space with an Omega Speedmaster wearing his ref 105.003 on his Gemini V expedition.
- 105.003 was the first watch worn in to Space by him.
- it was the last Speedmaster with a round case and without a crown guard (straight lugs), and without the "PROFESSIONAL" on the dial.
- the last watch on the moon worn by Eugene Cernan on the Apollo 17 mission. Cernan was the last person to leave the surface of the moon and his watch (a 105.003) is now in the Omega Museum.
- an extract from the Omega Museum:
09. OMEGA Speedmaster 321, 1965 - Stafford's personal watch: Back engraved: P/N-SEB 12100039-001 ASTRONAUT THOMAS P. STAFFORD Gemini 6 & 9 - Apollo 10.
This is one of the very first OMEGA chronographs worn in space:
Gemini 6 - December 15, 1965
Gemini 9 - June 3, 1966
Apollo 10 - May 18, 1969
Long self-adhesive Velcro strap for fixing the watch over the space suit sleeve. (Watch ref.=ST 105.003)
Happy New Year guys! Take out your tucked away treasure and relive their glory! I never got tired of these Apollo Missions stories!
Perhaps I should re-watch Tom Hank's Apollo 13 movie, the failed Mission to the Moon in 1970.
A reserve oxygen tank exploded on board the spacecraft, all the timekeeping mechanisms were not working, except the astronauts wristwatches. The astronauts used his Speedmaster to time the extremely important firing of the secondary rockets (14 seconds mid-course correction burn) to escape from the moon's orbit and eventually brought the Apollo 13 spacecraft back to Earth.
Now who can beat such a story?!!
Have a great 2011.....!! Don't forget your vintages!!
Mech.
Comments:
view entire thread
105.003
By: Mech : January 1st, 2011-18:48
In a quiet New Year day afternoon, I brought out my vintage 321 Speedie and changed out the brown strap with an old black croco one. Took a pix of the original case back and sat infront of my mac and re-read Chuck Maddox's material on some of his facinati...
Actually....
By: RJW : January 1st, 2011-19:38
The Apollo 13 movie was on television last night here. And I watched it and thought of my vintage pre-moon speedie. Thanks for the timely reminder Mech. Regards, Richard.
Great film...
By: Andy : January 2nd, 2011-12:36
I remember a couple of years ago chatting to somebody on this site who was in the film...he played one of the Houston team talking to the crew in the spacecraft..!! Not sure what his name was here though. Yours, Andy.
Thanks Nic! Speedie has always been a
By: Mech : January 2nd, 2011-05:18
great conversation topic among WIS and non-WIS....!! Mech. ps: btw Nic, all the 105.003 I have seen have the tappered end of the chrono hand, has yours been replaced? Just curious?
not really Mech. i pointed...
By: G99 : January 2nd, 2011-05:29
not really Mech. i pointed it out to Nico when he first got it and he was immensely distressed, but i think he's over it now.
It is ok, now...
By: amanico : January 2nd, 2011-05:56
Thanks for the thought, my friend. Someday, I will find the correct hands for my Speedie, or will upgrade it for a 2998. Best, Nicolas.
my 105.003 comes out to say hi
By: G99 : January 2nd, 2011-03:06
with the out of spacesuit JB Champion bracelet on it and another pic with this modern shorter length velcro strap. a bit of fun to make you feel like an astronaut. what i find most amazing about these watches is their durability. never designed for anythi...
Here's my 105.003-63
By: jwalther : January 2nd, 2011-04:28
I'll put the JB Champion on when the weather warms up....
cant argue with that Mech....
By: G99 : January 2nd, 2011-05:35
cant argue with that Mech. i got a display back for mine as well. i'm desperately trying to find someone who can do display backs for the sm30 and sm600 handwinds as they look so good. G...
Awesome Graham!
By: Mech : January 2nd, 2011-05:40
Can't Thomas make that for you? Keep us posted ya if you found one eventually! Mech.