So, Tron we go...

Hello Moonbasers!

What do the movies Tron, Tron:Legacy and Tron:Ares all have in common apart from their names?

They were all box office flops. Yet Disney keeps making them!

I just caught up with Ares on DVD.

Disney made the decision not to realease physical product in the Australian market any more. Unfortunately as they also own Fox, this means a significant array of titles are no longer available.

I used to trot along to a JB HiFi shop and buy my DVDs there. Now I have to buy from eBay and as I'd prefer the cheapest price, some of these might just be Chinese bootlegs, so Disney isn't making any profit from their change in marketing strategy.

...but I digress.

I was absolutely amazed at how good I thought Tron:Ares was. The idea of bringing the world of The Grid into ours was a clever variation on the established formula.

Does anyone else have an opinion?

Looey in Oz

CORGI ADAMS BROS PROBE 16

 Corgi Toys ‘Whizzwheels’ Adams Bros Probe 16, Produced between 1970 and 1973.

My example is finished in metallic green-gold, blue tinted windscreen with sliding roof panel, a white detailed interior, and jewelled rear lights.

Corgi also produced a smaller junior version.

The toy was based on the 1969 M-505 Adams Bros Probe 16, designed by brothers, Dennis and Peter Adams. It was powered by either a 1.8 litre Austin in-line four engine, or a 1.9 litre Janspeed tuned engine variant, giving it a top speed of only 115 mph.

Only three cars were ever built, one left-hand and two right- hand drive. It’s only 34” (86cm) in height, so it really is low slung. Despite it’s futuristic look, it used traditional handcraft techniques, having a wooden chassis rather than metal.

The car (chassis no. AB/3) appeared in the Stanley Kubrick film, A Clockwork Orange (1971), in which it’s renamed the Durango 95. The Durango 95 was used to transport the film’s protagonist, Alex, and his gang of criminals called the Droogs. after they steal it.

Only two of the three vehicles built have survived, including AB/3. The first M-505 Probe 16 built was sold to an American, and at some point, is believed to have caught fire and burned beyond repair.

My photographs  of one of the surviving M-505 Probe 16's (Chassis No. AB/4) were  taken in 2019 at the Design Museum Stanley Kubrick Exhibition. The car at that point had undergone a complete rebuild and restoration by it’s owner, Colin Feyerabend.

Pony Space Race

I like the look of this Dutch space game, Space Race.

Beautiful graphics and little rocket playing pieces. 

Looks like the maker is Pony. You like?

Rob C's O Tester 4

Woodsy,

Here are pix of the Bandai model of the O Tester 4, which I think looks like the Zero-X with a weight problem!

Rob C

USA

Anyone else know the O Tester?

CORGI CLUB BATMOBILE GIFT SET 3

 My latest acquisition from the Corgi Club, the Batmobile and Batboat 1967 Gift set 3.

The gift set combined the second version of the Corgi Batmobile, featuring a tow hook, with the first edition of the Batboat.

Originally, each model featured Batman and Robin figures in both cockpits. To avoid this visual anomaly the Corgi Club edition includes all four figures separately, allowing you to display how you’d prefer.

The set comes with all the usual accessories, missiles, badges etc.

The folding header card allowed Corgi to sent the sets to retailers without damage. This, along with the yellow plastic insert was left out of later versions of the original Gift Set.

I must say, I’m constantly impressed with these reasonably priced authentic replicas, and the attention to detail is exceptional. 

I'm  thinking, all I want now is for Mattel, who currently own the Dinky brand to decide  to accurately reproduce the original Gerry Anderson line of die-casts for reasonable money. Not much chance, I suppose, but we can all dream!

Rob's Marui Ultra Mobile SPV

Re-posted from 2020

Woodsy,

Inspired by your incredible scratch-built Jet Patrol, I thought I would tackle another pseudo-legend from the Supermarionation universe, the Marui UltraMobile, a blatant knockoff of our beloved SPV. 

I'll keep you updated, and yes, I plan to assemble the secret spy wrist radio and the hidden mountain base that came with it!

 

And here at long last is the Science Patrol Vehicle (not to be confused with the Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle!), from Marui in Japan, circa 1974.

 According to Scalemates, Marui milked every drop they could out of these molds, reissuing it every year or so with a new name and different box art. 

This version, as you can see, came with a secret headquarters, plus a special wrist radio for Science Patrol agents. Oh, and that’s not Captain Scarlet in the cockpit, it’s Captain Science!

 Rob C,

USA

2020

Terry and The Marui SPV

Hi Woodsy,

With regard to your recent post on the unusual SPV vehicle on Buyee then SFZ in the USA is correct as Marui produced this kits in several guises. 

I do not have a boxed kit in blue as mine are bronze or clear/smoke and titled Mechanic No. 3. They were also named Ultra Mobile. I attach some images.

The from windscreen is not in keeping with the Captain Scarlet SPV design but rather strangely Bandai adopted this on their battery operated bump 'n' go version.

Regards

Terry

Outer Space Mantis Toy

 

This is a new one on me. By Toy House Mfg. Corps of Taiwan, it's an odd toy with nods to  Transformers and Converters.

I like it. Do you?