Gemini 7 (1965)

The Gemini 7 crew leaves the suiting trailer during the prelaunch countdown. That's astronauts James A. Lovell Jr. at the front who was the pilot, and Frank Borman behind him who was the command pilot. The suit they wore were designed to be more comfortable during the 14-day mission and give the astronauts greater mobility than on previous Gemini missions.

And after two weeks they appear to be very happy to be back


Steve

Russian GSh-6A pressurized helmet (1968 onwards)

The Russian GSh-6A pressurized helmet for high altitude flights. This helmet was usually used on MIG-21, MIG-23 and MIG-25 fighter/interceptor airplanes. The clear pressure visor is electrically heated to prevent fogging of the visor. The introduction of this helmet happened in around 1968. Phased-out samples of this helmet were obtained after German reunification in 1991 from the former East-German Luftwaffe.....

 

 

.....And then became available to buy online and double-up as a very convincing space helmet requiring little or no modification.

 

You may also have seen them in the list of films and videos below and can see them again by following the label: Helmet - Russian GSh-6A at the bottom of this post.


Test Pilota Perxa (1978)
Last Flight (2011)
The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets - 20 Minutes of Oxygen Video (2011)
Love (2011)
Red Dwarf S10 Episode 4 - Entangled (2012)

......And many others, which you are free to update me on or remind me off at your leisure.

Cheers
Steve

(Tim, which ones have I missed?)

RAF Air Ventilation Suit (1950's)

I was never happy with calling this a G-Suit, even if that's what the man who helped source it for the Cybermen costumes was calling it when I quoted him in The Doctor Who - Earthshock post because, quite frankly, it doesn't look like its up to the job.

A G-Suit, or the more accurately named anti-g suit, is a flight suit worn by aviators and astronauts who are subject to high levels of acceleration force (g). They are designed to prevent a black-out and g-LOC (g-induced loss of consciousness) caused by the blood pooling in the lower part of the body when under acceleration, thus depriving the brain of blood

Where as, with their thin material and their network of tubes, these suits actually looked more like they might be used solely for the purpose of cooling  the wearer.  I spent a bit of time searching for clues but failed to make inroads.  So I did what I always do when I need help with a post, I ask for it. And that's where a blogger from Newtonphotographic.com stepped in to say those magic words;

They're actually 50s vintage Royal Air Force Air Ventilated Suits - as seen here about 2/3rd of the way down the page

 

http://canberratalk.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=print&num=1323711500

 

They were worn under flying suits in hot climates and the tubes are for cold air to be blown through them from the aircraft A/C system.

 

Well what do you know, I found this...

and a whole lot of history.  That's just a teaser section of a larger picture but as its not mine to show I'll let you follow the link and find it with your own eyes.

Anyway, once you know the name of what your looking for it suddenly gets a whole lot more interesting and fruitful.

That's from a clothing website called Frumpadelick

https://www.etsy.com/listing/206331345/vintage-1950s-raf-air-ventilation-suit

and although it has long since sold, they too describe it thus...

a vintage 1950's RAF issue air ventilation suit. It is made of parachute material and has all kinds of hoses attached to it. It would make a great Halloween costume for somebody. These were made to be skin tight so this would probably be most suitable for someone around 5'7" or so who is quite slim. Then it would not be so tight. It is not in perfect condition since these is a rip along the edge of the slit at the back

And provided further images

including one of the label which tells you so much more about them including the manufacturers.

Once you have that, you begin to discover all sorts of interesting facts such as the history of the company;

http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/subjects/industry/gq_parachute_company/

and from the comments section of that website, these little snippets;

The air ventilated suits were worn inside pressure suits used by air crew flying at high altitude.

Often nicknamed the ‘Fairy’ suit, the air-ventilated suit was produced to give relief from discomfort of high cockpit temperatures by moving cool air to the wearer’s skin via some 144 PVC tubes, with one larger ‘inlet’ tube.

Now you just know the ethereal Kate Bush would have been delighted to know the ventilation suits by that particular name.

Not sure what else there is to say really except that I would bet my last Rolo that everyone of these...

is either the very same ventilation suit or at least a version from the same manufacturer.


Steve

Gemini 4 (1965)

Gemini 4 was the second manned space flight in NASA's Gemini program, occurring in June 1965. It was the tenth manned American spaceflight (including two X-15 flights at altitudes exceeding 100 kilometres)

Astronauts James McDivitt and Edward H. White, II circled the Earth 66 times in four days, making it the first US flight to approach the five-day flight of the Soviet Vostok 5. The highlight of the mission was the first space-walk by an American, during which White floated free outside the spacecraft, tethered to it, for approximately 20 minutes. Both of these accomplishments helped the United States overcome the Soviet Union's early lead in the Space Race

On June 3, 1965 Edward H. White II stepped outside his spacecraft and let go, effectively setting himself adrift in the zero gravity of space. White floated and maneuvered himself around the Gemini spacecraft while logging 6500 miles during his orbital stroll. He was attached to the spacecraft by a 25 foot umbilical line and a 23-ft. tether line, both wrapped in gold tape to form one cord. In his right hand White carries a Hand Held Self Maneuvering Unit (HHSMU) which is used to move about the weightless environment of space. The visor of his helmet is gold plated to protect him from the unfiltered rays of the sun

 

And here's a better look at that G4C spacesuit updating the G3C for the purpose of all those extravehicular activities. Photo from May 1965, prior to Gemini 4 mission

 

 

Steve

Gemini 3 (1965)

It's been a while since we looked at anything real-world and factual so lets start here and see where it leads us.

Gemini 3 was the first manned mission in NASA's Gemini program, the second of America's manned space programs.

On March 23, 1965, the spacecraft, nicknamed Molly Brown, performed the seventh manned US spaceflight, and the 17th manned spaceflight overall (including X-15 flights over 100 kilometres).

The crew of Gemini 3 were Virgil I 'Gus' Grissom and John W Young. Their primary goal was to test the new, manoeuvrable Gemini spacecraft and during the mission they fired thrusters to change the shape of their orbit, shift their orbital plane slightly and drop to a lower altitude

This is the Gemini G3C spacesuit as worn by both Grissom and Young on that mission alone before being replaced by the G4C - more of which later.

 

Steve

Mercury 3 - Alan Shepard (1961)

Alan Shepard first American in Space,  May 1961.

When Shepard was asked why he thought he had been selected for this historical flight, he grinned and said: “I guess they just ran out of monkeys!”

 

 

Steve

Ham Space Monkey (1961)

Ham the American space chimp completed his sub-orbital flight in January 1961 paving the way for Alan Shepard

 

 

Steve

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (1961)

The first man in space and the first man to orbit the Earth; Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, 12th of April 1961 in Vostok 1.

Say; Hello Cosmonaut


Steve

Nixon and the Spaceman (1959)

1959 and Vice-President Nixon visits Tomorrowland to say; Hello Spaceman…..although he seems far more interested in the Spacelady at this point.  Still, 10 years on from here and President Nixon will be chatting to a very real spaceman by telephone.  From The Whitehouse to the Moon, one small step but one very expensive phone bill.

Steve

Wiley Post (1934)

This is Wiley Post, pioneering American aviator who in December 1934 took his Lockheed Vega monoplane; Winnie Mae, to a record breaking 14,600 meters.

Now in order to survive at those altitudes he had to wear a specially made pressurised flight suit.  It took the B F Goodrich company three goes to get it working right but that’s not so bad when you consider that this is arguably the progenitor of every space suit that would follow.

Steve

Late for Lift-off

This is the Windak high altitude pressure suit being put through its paces.  The issue here being that once the suit had been pressurised, movability was compromised somewhat.  So the logic went that if you could still ride a bike then you could probably manage plane controls or a rocket!

They had bikes back then and they had planes too, shame they never managed the final one.

Still, at least they left us this amusing picture if nothing else

Steve