8217

Apollo 11 Flown Command Module Columbia ID Plate

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:50,000.00 - 100,000.00 USD
Apollo 11 Flown Command Module Columbia ID Plate

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Auction Date:2017 Apr 20 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
The original flown main assembly parts tag mounted on the spacecraft bulkhead immediately inboard of the right hand rendezvous window of the Apollo 11 Command Module ‘Columbia,’ 3? x 1?, embossed with identification information: “Command Module, Ser 107, Pt No. V36-000002-111, Model V36-3, Contr. 7137.” The tag bears two quality inspection stamps on the right side. In very good to fine condition, with scattered staining. From the collection of a former North American Aviation quality control engineer and accompanied by a signed 2016 photo of him peering into the Apollo 9 Command Module as displayed in the San Diego Air & Space Museum, and a letter of provenance.

This item was featured with its owner on the February 27, 2017 episode of Antiques Roadshow. He worked at North American Aviation as an inspector and later as a quality control engineer, resulting in his extensive interaction with each Apollo Command Module and the astronauts who flew onboard them. Overall, he worked on NASA’s spacecraft from the unmanned flight and test spacecraft to Apollo 1 all the way through Apollo 17, Apollo-Soyuz, three Skylab missions, and preflight development of the Space Shuttle. After the historic Apollo 11 mission, the Command Module was returned to North American Aviation in Downey, California, for study. The quality control engineer was given this parts tag after the spacecraft was stripped down and cleaned by NAA’s engineering team, as he was the person who applied the final quality inspection stamp.

Additional forensic corroboration of flown status has been made on the basis of photographic comparison of the tag and post flight recovery images of Columbia which show a corresponding pen/abrasion mark transecting the proximate location where the original tag was mounted on the flight vehicle, and the tag itself.