Omega Speedmaster*** 145.022-74 RRAF*** 1976

OUR ARCHIVE » Omega Speedmaster*** 145.022-74 RRAF*** 1976

OMEGA Speedmaster 145.022-74 Rhodesian Air Force, circa 1976
Serial: 39180073 / Issue Number 18-77
Circa: 1976 / Issued in 1977
Reference No.: 145.022

CASE: 42mm, stainless steel, steel with black bezel tachymeter. Special 5.5mm large pushers, No NASA caseback (without nasa inscription) with military engraving.

DIAL: Black matte dial with tritium hour markers

MOVEMENT: Calibre 861, hand-wound chronograph, 17 jewels

BRACELET: Leather strap

CONDITION REPORT: All original and stunning condition. The dial and hands are in mint condition. The case is unpolished, crystal is replaced and original one was kept on the side. The movement underwent a full overhaul and gaskets were cleaned out and replaced in November 2020.

Notes: Several series of watches were issued to the Rhodesian Air Force, directly and indirectly, including this special batch of Speedmaster 145.022-74. The first unique attribute is its similarities to the Apollo-Soyuz in that they had the special larger pushers (5.5mm instead of 5mm), fall within the same serial number range of 39,180,xxx and were manufactured in 1976 according to the Omega archives. These were issued in 1977, which makes sense as well they would be issued soon after their production in the previous year.
The casebacks do not have the usual moon watch inscription and instead have military engravings:
Air Force #-77 6B NiV188
The # is the individual number of the watch issued in that batch, this one being 18. Others observed are between 2-29, which may indicate at least 30 pieces were issued.
The 77 is the year of issue of these watches corresponding to 1977.
6B is the section or category of this item either relating to the Air Force equipment or timing instrument
NiV stands for Not in Vocab with Ministry of Defense codification during that time, but it is unclear what 188 stands for and may relate to the type of item as well.

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