Lion Brothers Space Patches

Shuttle-era patch list

The list below attempts to show all known patches from the Shuttle era manufactured by Lion Brothers. For the purposes of comparison, the second column of images shows the AB Emblem version, the third shows the vintage Swissartex version (sometimes sold in Eagle Crest packaging) and the final column shows a patches from Cape Kennedy Medals or unknown manufacturers.

It should be noted that certain patches were produced in multiple versions by a single manufacturer. In the case of Lion Brothers I have tried to list all the versions. Swissartex produced mission patches with waxy-looking plastic coatings on the reverse and versions with vacuum-sealed backings but the fronts look identical so I have not included multiple versions in the list below.

Note that this list was compiled largely based on discussions in this thread on the CollectSpace.com message board.

You will find some of these patches available for sale in my Crew Patches eBay Store.

Lion Brothers

AB Emblem

Swissartex Emblem

Cape Kennedy Medals / Unknown Manufacturer

U.S. Flag

4" x 2¼" flag patch

Seen with bare cloth back and vacuum-sealed plastic backing.

Not strictly-speaking a space patch, but was sold alongside the space mission patches.

U.S. Flag

3" x 2" flag patch

Seen with bare cloth back and vacuum-sealed plastic backing.

This is a smaller version of the US flag.

STS Program

Seen with plastic backing and vacuum-sealed backing.

Key differences: Dark background has pointed top. Wings & text different.

ALT Program

Very scarce.

This patch has been seen both with a bare cloth back and with a vacuum sealed back.

Key differences: Huge US flag on wing.

STS-1

April 1981

Bare back version.

Key differences: Three color flame (yellow-orange-red).

STS-1

April 1981

Version with coated back.

Differences from bare back LB: Black stitching down right side of shuttle fuselage. Cloud patterns different. Stitching on reverse.

STS-1

April 1981

Example with 'canvas' coated back.

Differences from bare back LB: 'canvas' style backing. Only one example seen, so likely a prototype.

STS-2

November 1981

Bare back vesion.

Key differences: Silver border full above shuttle nose.

STS-2

November 1981

Version with coated back.

Differences from bare back LB: Flag stars more pointy. Eagle eye and beak less detailed. Columbia lettering less bold. Stitching on reverse.

STS-2

November 1981

Example with 'canvas' coated back.

Differences from bare back LB: 'canvas' style backing. Only two examples seen, so likely prototypes.

STS-3

March 1982

Only seen with bare back.

Key differences: Blue 'streak' on nose.

STS-4

June 1982

Only seen with bare back.

Key differences: Earth lighter. White trim around shuttle nose.

STS-5

November 1982

Bare back version. Very scarce.

Key differences: No flag on wing.

STS-5

November 1982

Version with coated plastic back.

Key differences: One-piece windscreen. Larger star and fonts. No flag on wing.

STS-6

April 1983

Very scarce.

Like the ALT patch this patch has been seen both with a bare cloth back and with a vacuum sealed back. In addition, an odd version with a unique white vacuum-sealed plastic back exists.

STS-6

April 1983

Version with coated plastic back.

Key differences: Subtle differences throughout.

This version is the one usually seen in sets of Lion Brothers patches.

STS-7

June 1983

Coated back.

Key differences: Subtle differences throughout.

STS-8

August 1983

Coated back.

Key differences: Black outline around Challenger lettering. Right SRB points to "U" of Truly.
Swissartex version has orange tank, and right SRB points to "R" of Truly.

STS-9

November 1983

Only seen with bare back?

Key differences: Subtle differences throughout. Swissartex version has blue nose.

STS-41B

February 1984

Vacuum-sealed plastic backing.

Key differences: Many small differences.

STS-41C

April 1984

Coated back.

Key differences to AB: Center of 'sun' larger. Swissartex version has orangey-yellow sun. Blue background ribbed.

STS-41D

August 1984

Vacuum-sealed plastic backing.

Key differences: Ship much larger.

STS-41F

August 1984 [CANCELLED]

[No likely candidate identified]

As this mission was cancelled quite close to the launch date it seems likely that Lion Brothers created a version of this patch, presumably with a vacuum-sealed backing.

AB Emblem and Swissartex apparently re-used their STS-41F patches for the STS-51D mission eight months later by adding a sew-on tab for the payload specialists.

An oversize version of this patch is also shown here. At first glance it appeared a possible candidate for the 'missing link' but the coating on the reverse does not match those used by Lion Brothers. It was most likely produced by AB Emblem.

STS-41G

October 1984

Vacuum-sealed plastic backing.

Key differences: one piece patch with lettering in capitals.

STS-51A

November 1984

Vacuum-sealed plastic backing.

Subtle design differences to AB.
Swissartex version has radial thread pattern in border, otherwise similar to LB patch.

STS-51C

January 1985

Vacuum-sealed plastic backing.

Key differences: Gold border around wing tips. Silver stripe above shuttle in center. One piece patch.

STS-51E

March 1985

[No likely candidate identified]

Mission cancelled only a week before launch. If Lion Brothers did produce a version of this patch it would have been widely distributed before the cancellation.