Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Pro Shots Added July 16, 2014!

[Captain April]

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Handled Real Moon Suit! 2/1/2014

Since we are on the subject of part dimensions, what's the collar diameter? Again it looks 12 to 13 inches.

 

[DarkJedi1500]

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Handled Real Moon Suit! 2/1/2014

ID=10" (same as my suit)
OD=11"(same as my suit)
thickness=0.5" (same as my suit)

The square part of the lock on the front is about 1.44" wide and 0.75" deep

 

[Captain April]

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Handled Real Moon Suit! 2/1/2014

Thanks.

 

[DarkJedi1500]

Re: Apollo A7L Jim Lovell's Moon Suit, Handled Real Moon Suit! 2/1/2014

Happy 45th aniverssary of Apollo 11! To celebrate, here are the first three shots I did with a local photographer and a garage full of concrete!

Apollo_1 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

Apollo_2 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

Apollo_3 by 2StoryProps, on Flickr

 

[Utri]

Man, that is do cool!
So awesome!

 

[nick daring]

So cool.

 

[p51]

I never get tired of looking at this.
Loved your blog, so neat they let you into the vault at Huntsville. Do they still have that later 7 series suit sitting out in the open in the Davidson building? I'll be going to Kennedy Space Center this Fall, will be taking a lot of detail shots of suits I find there.

 

[p51]

I thought you might like this, you can wear this when you re-create Jim Lovell busting into his house and saying he just got bumped up for the landing...
http://www.alexanderleathers.com/nasa2.html

 

[phase pistol]

How can this keep getting cooler?! :facepalm

 

[Teacherinspace]

Your suit looks amazing! Great pictures.
If you want you could still add some padding to your upper arms and shoulder joint area. Shoulders were huge in real suits.

 

[DarkJedi1500]

I never get tired of looking at this.
Loved your blog, so neat they let you into the vault at Huntsville. Do they still have that later 7 series suit sitting out in the open in the Davidson building? I'll be going to Kennedy Space Center this Fall, will be taking a lot of detail shots of suits I find there.

Yes, The A7LB is still on display in the Davidson Center of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Some of the pick in the flickr album are actually of that suit.

 

[p51]

Yes, The A7LB is still on display in the Davidson Center of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Some of the pick in the flickr album are actually of that suit.

I still can't believe they have that suit out in the open where people can touch it...

 

[real_ronin677]

Hi, after watching Gravity I am considering making a costume similar to yours. One question. How do you attach your inner 'sleeping bag' suit to the main cotton outer suit? Is it attached or worn separately? Do you have any photos of putting the costume on piece by piece so we can see how it goes together?

thanks

 

[p51]

I remember many years ago seeing a anti-mosquitto suit that sort of looked like a space suit, it provided bulk that the bugs can't get to the skin, but not the insulation to kill the wearer by heatstroke. I've wondered if someone ever thought about a similar concept with replica spacesuits. Because the one thing Hollywood space suits usually mess up is the 'inflated baloon' look of a pressure suit in a vacuum...

 

[real_ronin677]

Also, in regards to the helmet connecting to the neck ring. The neck ring just sits on the fabric suit yes? If so what stops the helmet 'flopping' about? What keeps it stationary?

 

[Lear60man]

Also, in regards to the helmet connecting to the neck ring. The neck ring just sits on the fabric suit yes? If so what stops the helmet 'flopping' about? What keeps it stationary?

On mine, there is an aluminum ring that is held in place via velcro to the suit. The helmet has another 'inner ring' that rests within the aluminum ring.

 

[real_ronin677]

On mine, there is an aluminum ring that is held in place via velcro to the suit. The helmet has another 'inner ring' that rests within the aluminum ring.

Ahh I see. That makes sense. Silly question though, but with the weight of the helmet doesn't the rings just move about causing the helmet to tip etc. I take it the helmet is just free floating. Does that question make sense, I'm having trouble explaining myself haha

 

[Lear60man]

Yes, the helmet is free floating......kind of. There is an outer lip on the aluminum ring about 1/2 inch high. The helmet base fits inside this ring and bottoms out on the base of the aluminum ring. It only pops out if you would do some serious head bangin' or lean really far over in one direction. Its like the cup holder in a car. The helmet base is the cup, and the aluminum ring is the cupholder. The cup is free floating and can spin in place, but gravity keeps it from falling over. Same thing with the helmet, its held inside the aluminum ring under its own weight, and your head has plenty of movement inside the helmet.

 

[real_ronin677]

Excellent many thanks, I am starting to understand the mechanics of this now. One last question. The ring or 'cup holder', this is attached to the main suit via a fabric collar that is part of the suit yes? What stops the 'cup holder' from moving about too much? Does this just sit squarely on the shoulders?

Sorry for all the questions but if I get it wrong it will bug me every time I wear the costume hehe

Yes, the helmet is free floating......kind of. There is an outer lip on the aluminum ring about 1/2 inch high. The helmet base fits inside this ring and bottoms out on the base of the aluminum ring. It only pops out if you would do some serious head bangin' or lean really far over in one direction. Its like the cup holder in a car. The helmet base is the cup, and the aluminum ring is the cupholder. The cup is free floating and can spin in place, but gravity keeps it from falling over. Same thing with the helmet, its held inside the aluminum ring under its own weight, and your head has plenty of movement inside the helmet.

 

[Lear60man]

Good question. If you had a shirt collar, like a Priest, it would stick up about 1.5 inches. There is velcro inside of the 'shirt collar' on the suit....... it attaches to velcro on the outside of the aluminium ring (which slips inside of the shirt collar). Now the Aluminum ring is solid on the suit and the base of the helmet ring fits into the aluminum ring.

Ill try to post a pic later tonight. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Here ya go. This is a shot from the side of the helmet. I pulled down the suit collar so you could see how its velcroed in place. The helmet is three basic pieces: 1) base ring that sits inside of the aluminum suit ring 2) main dome 3) face shield.