STS-41G Patch [Series III-V]

And to round off this triptych of twill [or, a very close approximation], here we have the STS-41G patch that can be seen resting above the F-14 Tomcat patch on the screen-left sleeve of Lister's leather jacket, more specifically closest to the shoulder.

Intriguingly, of the three left-sleeve patches, this is the one that has seen the least amount of screen-time. It disappears before the start of Series VI, and hasn't found another place to reside, to date. For its altogether fleeting appearances during Series VII, the sleeve, nay jacket, undergoes a complete overhaul, with this patch being replaced by the US Space Command patch, and embroidered Drive & Console Officer name tags, presumably surplus from Series I.

How and why this new arrangement came about remains something of a mystery. As seen during The Inquisitor, there were clearly at least two Lister jackets, with what seemed to be matching adornments. As with any TV or film production, it's fairly commonplace for multiple garments to be fashioned, so that one can be used as back-up for the other. For one thing, this allows any potential damage or wear to remain undetected to the viewer, and in turn massively helps preserve continuity. The question remains, why did the jacket's design change so noticeably between Series V & VII? Assuming a handful of pins and patches inevitably became misplaced over the years, it's almost as though there was only one jacket at hand, and whatever was left was naturally rearranged. Who knows? I could think of two people, at the very least, whose thoughts I'd be thrilled to hear on the subject... Obvious Cough*HowardBurdenAndGillShaw*Obvious Cough.

Special mention - NASA mission STS-41G was the sixth flight of the ill-fated Challenger spacecraft, and the third to carry an IMAX camera, interestingly.