#maninspacesoonest

[moonwatchuniverse]

October 1960, Bulova introduced the Accutron microsonic tuning fork wrist watch developed by William Bennett & Max Hetzel. The shock-resistant stainless steel Accutron featured a black face with luminous hour markers, an adjustable push down 24-hour outer ring, and a second hour hand so both local & Greenwich Mean Time could be set and displayed simultaneously. By 1962 the Accutron wristwatch was adopted by NASA’s Mercury 7 astronauts, USAF and civilian test pilots, even by CIA pilots flying the A12 reconnaissance aircraft. Image shows a M4 (1964) Accutron Astronaut on a Jacoby Bender Champion steel mesh bracelet. (Photo: MoonwatchUniverse)

Learn more about early Space Age wristwatches in this Podcast: https://www.time4apint.com/podcast/the-time-4a-pint-podcast-episode-52

[moonwatchuniverse]

1961, USAF testpilot Robert White leaving the support van wearing the Accutron Astronaut tuningfork wristwatch on his way to start an X-15 test flight. Each flight was planned months in advance, prepared in a flightsimulator to ensure efficient flight research. White made 16 flights, reaching Mach 6.0 and an altitude of 95 Km earning him USAF astronaut wings. (Photo: NASA)