WOTAN, he who cannot be stopped, has found this shot of the MIDORI ATLAS on the fabulous
WOTAN has provided bigger pictures of the wonderful Century 21 Lunar Climber, which appeared on Ebay in 2007. It looks like a black remote control unit tucked underneath, although there doesn't seem to be mention of it on the box sides we can see - it does say that it's battery operated though. Anyone got pics of the hidden sides?
1 Martian Excursion Vehicle
Here is the vehicle that started the war of nerves with the Mysterons during the first episode of Captain Scarlet. The MEV was of course recycled from the Thunderbirds Are Go feature film.
The MEV model seen here was probably made from wood. It had tracks on the bottom, probably from the Japanese 'MS-58 Missile Tank' or 'M-1 Tank' battery operated toy. However, it seems that just the tracks were used, not the motor mechanism, as this model looks like it is being pulled along a wire. The MEV model has a Jetex pyrotechnic motor installed underneath it to blow up clouds of Fuller's Earth to simulate Mars dust. The interior is illuminated.
2. XK-3 Rocket
The XK-3 rocket was used to take Captain Scarlet, Captain Blue, and Lt. Green on a trip to the moon in 'Lunarville 7'.
This model appears to have been a simple turned wooden shape. The model was probably filmed upside down to make the exhaust flame appear to shoot straight downwards. The exhaust flame and smoke of model rockets that were filmed the 'proper' way often curled upwards, ruining the effect. Thus, rockets like this were often filmed upside down in Captain Scarlet.
3. XK-3 Moon Lander
This is the XK-3 moon lander used by Captain Scarlet, Captain Blue, and Lt. Green on their mission to the Lunarville 7 moonbase in 'Lunarville 7'.
This appears to have been a simple wooden model which was detailed with kit parts and other small shapes. The landing gear legs seem to have been made from plastic model railroad truss bridge parts. Spacecraft models such as this were often covered with panel detailing which was made from adhesive tape.
4. Moon Hopper
The unusual moon hopper was featured in 'Lunarville 7' and 'Crater 101'. I would think that hopping around over great distances would not be the most attractive way to travel, but what do I know?
This is a wooden model that has metal landing gear. There is a Jetex pyrotechnic motor installed underneath the model to raise clouds of Fuller's Earth dust on the moonscape sets. Note the cargo pod. This was attached to the model for 'Crater 101'. It is supposed to contain the Spectrum team's lunar tank. Apparently stock footage of the moon hopper from 'Lunarville 7' was used in 'Crater 101' and in those scenes, the moon hopper does not have it's cargo pod!
Trivia note: the Captain Scarlet moon hopper probably inspired the similar SHADO moon mobiles featured in UFO.
5. Captain Scarlet's Lunar Tank
Here is Captain Scarlet's lunar tank as seen in 'Lunarville 7'. Note the small plasticine model of Lt. Green in space suit bending down to look at the tracks.
This is another model that was built on top of the battery operated tracks and mechanism of the Japanese 'MS-58 Missile Tank' or 'M-1 Tank' toy. The superstructure is wood. Note all the various kit parts that cover the structure of this mode. Visible are aircraft fuel tanks, torpedoes, and bits from the Airfix SRN-1 hovercraft kit.
6. Mysteron Lunar Tank
This lunar tank was used by a Mysteron agent to plant a nuclear bomb at the Mysteron complex featured in 'Crater 101'.
The lunar tank model was based upon the Remco 'Tiger Joe' battery operated toy tank. A new superstructure and operating crane have been added to the toy. The basic shape of the lunar tank has been detailed with various plastic kit parts.
Trivia note: That domed structure behind the lunar tank was actually the large scale section of the Phobos camera satellite featured in 'The Shadow of Fear'.
7. Mysteron Automated Construction Vehicle Mobile Control Unit
This strange looking thing is a computerized mobile control vehicle used by the Mysterons to direct the operation of various automated construction vehicles engaged in building a Mysteron complex on the surface of the moon in 'Crater 101'.
This model seems to have been based upon a photographic spotlight reflector. Various bits and pieces from who-knows-where have been stuck to the basic shape. A Jetex pyrotechnic motor was fitted to the underside to raise clouds of Fuller's Earth 'moon dust'. Note the 'springy' wire antennae!
8. Automated Mysteron Lunar Construction Vehicle
This is one of the automated lunar construction vehicles used by the Mysterons in 'Crater 101'.
At least two of these strange looking Mysteron things were made. They were probably based upon some kind of decorative plastic sphere or hemisphere with plastic and wire parts added. A Jetex pyrotechnic motor was fitted to the underside to raise a cloud of Fuller's Earth 'moon dust'.
9. Mysteron Flying Saucer
The Mysterons came to Earth in glowing flying saucers to attack Spectrum's headquarters in 'Attack on Cloudbase'.
A number of these glowing flying saucer models were made, and no two were exactly alike. They seem to have been made from clear plastic dinner plates and vaguely egg shaped things which were also made from clear plastic. The saucers were detailed with automotive striping tape. Some of the saucer models had metal 'towers' on top and others didn't. The saucers were illuminated with internal lights which may have been fed electricity through the thin metal control wires.
10. Decoy Satellite
This large decoy satellite was used by Spectrum to divert the attention of the Mysterons away from a much smaller camera satellite vehicle in 'The Shadow of Fear'.
Very little for sure can be said about this model. It was probably made from a combination of wood, plastic kit parts, and plastic toy parts. Note the large painted backdrop behind the model.
11. Minisat Payload Shroud
This is the payload shroud that protected the Spectrum minisat camera satellite lander that was placed on the Martian moon Phobos in 'The Shadow of Fear'. In this episode, Spectrum plotted a special Earth to Mars trajectory that kept the space vehicle between Mars and the Martian moon Phobos so that the Mysterons were unable to detect it until after it had landed on Phobos.
This small hollow model appears to have been made from a couple of plastic bottles or other some other kind of plastic household containers.
12. Minisat Camera Satellite Lander
This is the minisat camera lander that was landed on the Martian moon Phobos by Spectrum in 'The Shadow of Fear'. With the minisat camera safely on Phobos, Spectrum expected to get full photographic coverage of Mysteron activity on Mars as Phobos circled the red planet.
At least two of these Phobos minisat camera lander models were made, a large version and a small version. Plus, a large scale camera dome section was made too. The Phobos minisat camera lander appears to have been made out of wood and a variety of plastic bits and pieces.
13. SKR-4
The SKR-4 spacecraft was featured in 'Inferno'.
This model appears to have been made from a number of hollow plastic shapes to which various bits and pieces were stuck for detailing. The front end, for example, appears to have been taken from Revell's Vostok Russian spacecraft plastic kit. This model is covered with panel details made from bits of adhesive tape.
14. TVR-17
Here is the TVR-17 radio station satellite featured in 'White as Snow'. Note the Mysteron rings. The TVR-17 has been caught here in the process of Mysteronization!
This model appears to have been made from a number of hollow plastic shapes. It's hollow nature is revealed when it is blown apart in 'White as Snow'. The model was sprayed with gold paint and was covered with black automobile striping tape.
15. CB-29 Rocket
This CB-29 rocket was used by Dr. Linda Nolan, the controller of Lunarville 7, to warn Captain Scarlet and his Spectrum team of a Mysteron nuclear booby trap in 'Crater 101'.
This is a simple model which was made from turned wooden shapes. The model was covered with panel details made from adhesive tape bits.
You can find more of Marc's 1990's articles at:
http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~bat/GA/ga-models.html
http://www.supermarionation.tv/sfx/japbooks.html
http://www.tvcentury21.com/marc/ ( Bill Earle Die Cast in Anderson)
http://www.tvcentury21.com/marc/ ( Bill Earle Die Cast in Anderson 2)
US Space Toy enthusiast Rob Godwin has sent these awesome shots of the PAYA LUNAR CLIMBER X-11000 shown in a previous blog this week. BUT these are way better pictures so thanks a lot! Rob says ' Here's the info on the Paya series. They were and are a long established Spanish toy maker. The Lunar Climber was part of a three toy space series: The Lunar Climber, Lunar Jeep and Space Vehicle. I have attached a catalog page for the three toys ( above). I own the lunar rover (top right) and will send pics soon'.
Above - Century 21 Lunar Climber UK
Above - Paramount/ Midori Astro Car Japan
All images copyrighted © Graham Bleathman and repsective copyright and licence holders.
Captain Scarlet Series No. 20 Nuclear Carrier (released 1968 ?)
Box dimensions: 14 cm x 9 cm x 3 cm
Kit number: 129
Retail: ¥50
Moulded in 7 red and 4 white plastic pieces.
Propeller is powered by rubber band.
Decals included.
A Century 21 licensed product
Other than being powered by rubber band there are no other ‘action’ features in fact there are no Angel Interceptors included in the kit.
Following the initial post of Wotan's Favourite Martian, heres a shot of the rest of his force with the Apollo Moon Exploring set chrome figures and later 1980's greyish knock offs. In the back are three 2.5" jumping figures, each mounted on a suction cup and spring mechanism.
Astronit, another US space toy fan, has sent these amazing pictures of his American Tarheel Taskforce space rockets. Just check out his fantastic space display too! If you want to see more of these fabulous toys and much more have a gander at astronit's photostreams:
US Project Sword enthusiast Rob Godwin has sent these fabulous pictures of the US Sears Apollo Saturn Rocket and Base, together with the amazing box. The bottom picture shows the Century 21 Rocket next to the taller Sears. I find it fascinating how the Sears set is like a mix of the Century 21 Cape Kennedy set and Apollo Saturn Rocket. Rob says that the SWORD Saturn V was modelled on a 1964 Sears rocket. It is almost identical but smaller (i.e. the mold was cast from the Sears one). The original Sears vehicle actually emitted smoke and came with a launch tower. It is extremely rare! enjoy!
Well it's Friday evening in the UK and the end of the working week. I've got that Friday feeling and plan to go to the local IMAX and see Batman the Dark Knight on the big screen with my mate Mark. And then I was sent this fabulous 1960's article (bottom of the two) from fellow enthusiast Kim about Project Sword Toys being displayed in a London nightclub and in cinemas to coincide with showings of Kubrick's 2001 A Space Oddysey. What a great story! Click on the picture to read the article and see how many different SWORD vehicles you can spot! It's amazing just how hard Century 21 were marketing Project Sword and yet not that many people remember it. The picture - bunny girls having fun with sword toys - is more than a grown man can take! 
A fellow Project Sword enthusiast, Wotan, spotted this Moonship on Ebay. With the box too! Notice the all- important Union Jack sticker, which is clearly visible in the old Trade Ad I posted the other day. And by golly, that's a Century 21 Toys logo on the top right corner! So, besides both being Regent Toys, the Lunar Climber AND the Moonship were also BOTH Century 21 Toys. Excellent. Cheers Wotan! Looks soooooo sleak and great but I now realise that the tinplate Moonship that I got at some expense in the early 1990's ( top picture) is not the real deal, it's something else! Drat, double drat!
