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Sale 73
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Lot 216
Mercury Program, 1961, USN Mk IV, Mod 3, Type 1 Pressure Suit and Helmet., This green USN Mk IV high altitude, full pressure suit was made by B. F. Goodrich. It includes the helmet, full neck ring and a pressure gauge on the thigh. A gold USN patch on the chest and right shoulder plus a US Navy patch (blue) on the left shoulder. The integrated cloth shoes are included (the gloves are omitted). Some zipper and rubber faults as would be expected, but the suit is in overall very good condition.
By the early 1960s, the US Navy had progressed through a series of developmental models of the full pressure suit that would ultimately take final form in the Mark IV, Model 3, Type 1, a production suit which US Navy aircrew wore on high altitude flights during its cold weather operations.
Regardless of the success of the A/P22S-2 suit and its modifications in Air Force use, it remained to the US Navy's cooperative program with the B. F. Goodrich Company and pioneer suit designer Russell Colley to solve some important problems concerning mobility and full pressurization. One of the most important developments was an aneroid suit controller that maintained suit internal pressurization at precisely 0.24 bar. The Mark series of US Navy full pressure suits which followed culminated in three models of the final Mark IV suit, which went into production in 1958 as standard high altitude issue for US Navy squadrons. The Mark IV, Model 3, Type 1 suit featured various enhancements in fit and ease of donning, as well as substantially improved pressurization control. It would go on to be selected as the basic foundation of NASA's early earth-orbital suit (the original Mercury prototype suits were specially reworked Mark IV suits).
Included with the suit is its matching gold helmet, complete with clear and sun visors, US Navy decal and earphones (H-143/AIC, ROANWELL CORP). There is a soft circular pad at the top inside the helmet that reads 2528, AG8475-521-6082-LF50, Mk4-mod I-TYPE 1. The label on the back of the helmet reads B.F. Goodrich, USN. On the left is a decal that reads RESCUE 1. PUSH BUTTON AFT, 2. LIFT VISOR. The helmet appears to be in excellent condition.
This is a unique opportunity for the astute collector to acquire one of the iconic early space suits. (A similar USN Mk IV, Mod2, Type 1 suite sold for $7,200 in sale 52.).
Estimated Value $3,500 - 4,000
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