A CENTURY OF T

 As a Brit I love T.

This T in particular.

The T in a Circle/ Tai Hing Moon Prospector I aw a while back on auction, so I saved the snaps.

Of note is the design number usually seen on these boxes, here missing from its normal bottom right position.

This omission has been discussed before on MC in the early days when many early readers were involved in contacting the National Archives at Kew for patent details of various space toys.

These early T Prospectors and its stablemate the Moonbus paved the way for Century 21 Toys to licence it with a design number and slap on the Project SWORD kite brand.

This particular example went even further and is a Century 21 Toys Prospector no less!

Have you got a T in a Circle  Prospector?

SHORT QUOTE QUIZ

It's a Titchy film quotes quiz. Why don't you Have a go. Maybe two or three each. Go go go! Just name the film in the comments!

1. Unleash Hell!

2. Shake and bake.

3. Chum some 'o this sh*t

4. Its alive, alive!

5. That's a nice bike!

6. But not yet. Not yet.

7. I've got to science the sh*t out of it!

8. It was beauty that killed the beast.

9. Fokker out!

10. The Mafia! I've sh*t 'em!

11. Twenny footer! Twenty five.

12. Show me the money!

13.  Put the lotion in the basket!

14. Life's like a box of chocolates.

15. I'm an excellent driver!

16. You filthy animal!

17. I'm still collating.

18. Its the Stay Puft Marshmallow man!

19. I got chills, they're multiplyin'!

20. Is it Safe?

Rack Toys Kindle Book: Cheap and Crazy!

Hi

I just found this on Amazon (listed on both UK and US). A Kindle book called Rack Toys - Cheap, Crazed Playthings, Brian Heiler, 2017. There does not look to be a print edition. 

If you click on Look Inside, you get to see a few pages. There is a plastic Batman Seaplane from the 1960s. I actually had a non-Batman version of that plane in the 1970s. 

At least I think it is the same toy. A Grumman amphibian from the 1940s, so it would be the right period for the early Batman. Looks like a fun read.

Rack Toys: Cheap Crazed Playthings eBook : Heiler, Brian, Patterson, Matt, Chatlin, Rob: Amazon.co.uk: Books

 Paul Adams, NZ

One Small Sip

I was really pleased to receive a lovely gift recently from Mr and Mrs Moonbase. To compliment my vintage space library, a commemorative moon landing tankard!

The large ceramic mug has gold embossing and a fine image of the Eagle LEM on the lunar surface, with dates and the names of the intrepid trio across the base. On the back is a small image of the commemorative plaque left behind on the side of the LEM landing gear.

It has a makers emblem on the base, surmounted by a crown, but its hard to define what it says. Any clues?

 

MAJOR REPLACEMENTS

 I've been thinking about cheaper replacements for Major Mat Mason Parts. 

Not that I have any Matt Mason anymore but I adored the Major as a nipper.

Consider the cool Matt helmet with that glorious visor.

Well howzabout Playmobil's Mars astronaut's helmet. OK its too small but darn it, that's the same visor design!

And what about Matt's wonderful little chrome tools like those binoculars.

Well, Playmobil have some Mars bins ready to go too!

Larger items are trickier and may need some proper upcycling to replace them. Take the Recono-Jet, that neat zip-line sled.

Well, you could always repurpose an old hairdryer like this Moulinex Jet.

and a base from an old calculator maybe.

The classic Moulinex drier gives further possibilities.

The fab MMM Space Bubble, the Major's posin' globe, could be made from a variety of clear spheres.

Here's some Amazon. Or maybe even find an old Ferrero Rocher gift ball. 

The white frame is a lot harder. I was thinking of a toy wheelbarrow frame?

What do you think?

Have you got any more Major upcycling ideas readers? The wackier the better!

PUTTY IN MY HANDS

This set has appeared before on MC but I couldn't resist some more shots borrowed from Yahoo Japan.

Talk about Supermarioplasticisation!

I loved plasticine as a kid and that Zero-X mould would have made my day.

Yours too?

THE SPATANK

This is a new one for the blog.

This is the "Spatank" battery operated space truck from Chrin Fong toys of Taiwan.

Its designed to drive forward, with free wheel bump-n-go action, and rotating turrets. 

There are lights in the engines and guns. The side guns also can be extended forward. 

It came in black too.

Do you like it?

SEE-THROUGH MOO: THE VISIBLE COW

Part of the Renwal Anatomy series was The Visible Cow Assembly Kit. Number 816-598 was priced at $5.98, and was released in 1960. Like the other kits in the series it included All Vital Organs - Skeleton - Transparent Skin. It's Easy to Assemble - Take Apart - Re-assemble. 

There was the usual informative Handbook on cows. The finished model stood on a black plastic base, with name plate. This was a large model, with a length of 13 1/2 inches, and a height of 8 3/4 inches. Scalemates give the scale as 1/4th, which is clearly far too big. Cows vary in size, but I would guess about 1/7th or 1/8th.

     It seems only one half of this model was clear, with the right side finished in brown and white. Although this does not match the box top, which shows the right side being transparent. Confusing. The skeleton parts were moulded in a suitable 'bone' coloured plastic, with the internal organs in the usual Renwal pink.

     The Box Art Den has Renwal catalogues for 1966, 1969, and 1973. The Cow is listed in the 1966 catalogue, but not the 1969 edition, so it was retired fairly early, compared to some of the other kits in this line. This page is from the 1966 Catalogue. The kit is described as being part of the Visible Nature Series.

renwal 66 09-960 (boxartden.com)

     In 1994 Skilcraft re-issued a number of old Renwal anatomy kits, including the Visible Cow, as 74627. There were a couple of different boxes, some carrying a 1996 copyright date. The box side said 'Study Anatomy as You Build Your Visible Cow Model'. It seems both sides of the cow were now moulded in clear plastic.

A copyright note on the side of the box says Craft House Corporation, of Toledo, Ohio. So presumably Skilcraft was just the name given to this range of kits.

From Worthpoint, a cardboard store display card.

Renwal Vintage The Visible Cow Model Kit Cardboard Store Display | #1980521322 (worthpoint.com)

Scalemates listings for these kits:

The Visible Cow, Renwal 816-598 (1960) (scalemates.com)

Visible Cow, Skilcraft 74627 (1994) (scalemates.com)

Other large scale cow models include the Bachmann Snap-fit Cow and Calf kit from the 1960s. But this was a normal plastic kit, and did not contain any clear parts.

VINTAGE BACHMANN ANIMALS OF THE WORLD COW AND CALF MODEL KIT W/ BOX 7201-198 | #2001868479 (worthpoint.com)

All photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand