Apollo 7
"The Apollo 7 design itself highlighted the earth orbital nature
of the mission. It was our original intention to emphasize the first
manned Apollo (Gus Grissom's flight) and the recovery from the fire
on the pad aspects as well. We considered a spacecraft rising from
a ball of fire and calling it the Phoenix. The patch designed was
subject to NASA approval and we abandoned the Phoenix theme feeling
it would be rejected as in bad taste. I zeroed in on a circle (for
the Earth) and an ellipse (for orbit). The orbital plane was tilted
for artistic reasons."
--Walt Cunningham, The
All-American Boys
This patch, and all patches through ASTP were worn on the left
breast.
The creator of this patch was unknown until May 2008, when Ed Hengeveld and Noah Bradley identified Allen Stevens of North American Rockwell as the artist.
For years, Walt Cunningham has been pained by the really awful interpretations of the design he was instumental in creating. In 2010 he undertook (with the assistance of Shuttle-era patch artist Tim Gagnon) to issue a limited edition of 300, painstakingly crafted to capture the original design. They are without a doubt, the definitive embroidered version of this patch. Mr. Cunningham has made them available through his own website, www.waltercunningham.com.
 |
 |
 |
|
[ap07-aw1]
NASA photo ID: S68-26668
Taken: 1 Jun 1968
|
|
[ap07-bc1]
Beta cloth version of the Apollo 7 patch.
109mm w × 76mm h
|
 |
|
 |
|
[ap07-em3]
According to John Bisney, this is the embroidered patch
that the crew wore on their post-recovery jumpsuits. The
white circular part was trimmed away prior to use. Thanks
to Bill Hunt for this image.
104mm dia
|
|
[ap07-em6]
In 2010, overwhelmed by the pervasive sight of the incredibly poor AB Emblem patch (see below), Walt Cunningham undertook to make a definitive embroidered version of the Apollo 7 design. This is how the Apollo 7 patch should be remembered .
108mm w × 81mm h
|
 |
|
 |
|
[ap07-em1]
AB Emblem embroidered Apollo 7 patch. The crew names are
not Eurostile Extended, which seriously changes the proportions;
the flame trail is misshapen; and the CSM bears only a superficial
resemblance to the original. Finally, the "VII"
designation -- which defines the horizontal axis -- is rotated
anti-clockwise, which causes the rest of the patch to be
tilted clockwise. Sadly, this is by far the most often seen version of the Apollo 7 patch.
117mm w × 97mm h
|
|
[ap07-em2]
The Lion Brothers embroidered Apollo 7 patch is a much better
rendition than the AB Emblem patch. However, the lettering
is still not the correct Eurostile Extended; and a white
border has been added surrounding the Earth. There are two
variants of this patch: one has a purple background, the
other a dark blue (neither of which is correct - it should be black).
115mm w × 88mm h
|
|
|
[ap07-em5]
A 2006 remake of the Apollo 7 patch by Randy Hunt. A vast improvement over the previously available designs, but overshadowed by Walt Cunningham's authentic remake.
117mm w × 95mm h
|
 |
|
NASA photo S68-33744
The Apollo 7 crew pose for a portrait in the White Room.
This was taken in May 1968.
|
 |
|
This detail from the crew portrait photo
clearly shows that the patches on the crew suits at the
time were neither Beta cloth nor embroidered. They were
probably vinyl -- note the reflections on Eisele's and Cunningham's
patches. Apparently the beta cloth patches had not yet been
delivered at the time of this photo.
|
 |
 |
 |
|
NASA photo KSC-68PC-211
The Apollo 7 crew aboard the USS Essex, CVS-9.
|
|
This detail from the photo at left shows
that the patch worn on the recovery jumpsuit was almost
certainly ap07-em3.
|
 |
|
 |
|
An unusual use for a patch -- the Apollo
7 patch is used here as decoration for a helicopter landing
pad. Presumably this was for a visit of the Apollo 7 crew.
|
|
This detail from the photo at left clearly
shows the Apollo 7 patch. |
 
 |
This page copyright © 2000-2010 Eugene Dorr.
All rights reserved.
|
|
