I have occasionally put my name on bits of kit, but with anything I'm keeping, I much more obsessive about keeping Project Logs. My oldest is my HRO log which tells me which capacitors I was busy changing back in 1969. These days, everything is on my PC. With arrival of digital cameras, pictures form an increasing role in recording work done (a picture paints a thousand words
).
A friend (English) works in the US and was involved in constructing the
propulsion system of a NASA spacecraft which was to be sent to Mars. Very much against the rules, he and his co-workers signed their names on the spacecraft where it would not be seen. It was successfully launched, travelled out to Mars without problems, but when the engines were fired to brake it into orbit around Mars, communications were lost and
never restored. A huge and vigorous enquiry followed to try and determine the cause of the distaster; he and his team spent several sleepless weeks terrified that their misdemeanour would be uncovered and that they would end up carrying the can for the failure. They were never found out, and nor was the actual cause with any great certainty.