Originally post way back in 2009, this article expoed the chequered history of our favorite 'golden boy', th Tri-ang Spacex astronaut. Given the blogs history of uncovering the origins an inspiration for so many of our space toys, I thought it was overdue another viewing. So courtesy of Spacex maestro Paul Vreede, here it s again!The astronaut figures supplied with Spacex toys have a number of different origins. Initially, they're all derived from other toy figures. And most also show details that are clearly based on real-life pressure suit designs.
Eight figures appear to be original designs by LP (LP designs above), which had previously been available in various sets of space toys produced by that company. When supplied with Spacex they all carry the LP trademark.Two others (MPC 2" above), as well as the figures supplied with the moonbase, are copied from designs by MPC. The remaining four figures (MPC 5" above) are derived from another series of larger-sized MPC figures. All MPC copies do not carry a trademark, and are exclusive to Spacex.
As a note, I've sometimes seen Spacex figures described as being copies of Marx designs. I don't know much about Marx toys, but have seen quite a few of their figures over the years. And although I've seen Marx spacemen that come close to some MPC figures in general impression, so far I haven't seen any Marx figures identical - especially in pose - to any of the Spacex figures. Any hard information on this point would be welcome of course.
LP designs
LP made these figures in eight poses and three sizes - 1/72, 1/36 and 1/18 scale (or 25mm/1", 50mm/2" and 100mm/4" scale respectively). Depending on size, these figures are found in quite a few different colours as well.
Based on the graphics and specific contents of various LP packaging these figures are found in, I believe the following predate the gold-coloured Spacex figures:
- 1/72 silver-grey soft plastic, both with and without painted details
- 1/72 white hard plastic, both with and without painted details
- 1/36 soft plastic in silver-grey, white, red, and (probably) blue with painted details.
The painted details can consist of just a painted face on the small figures, and a number of details (weapon/tool, belt, air tanks and hoses, face and eyes) picked out in several colours on figures of either size. Next to that, I have painted figures with and without bases painted green. I initially thought the bases on my 1/36 scale figures might've been painted by a previous owner, but I've since seen another set of figures also with green bases so perhaps LP did paint them like that after all.
In addition to the above, there are
- 1/36 soft plastic in silver-grey, white, red and blue without painted details
- 1/18 soft plastic in white
- 1/36 chrome-plated hard plastic figures
for which I've not seen much if any packaging so far, so don't know where these might fit time-wise.
LP figures in 1/72 scale: silver-grey with painted face, painted details, white, plated with yellow varnish
All eight LP figures in 1/36 scale without paint, with Spacex equivalent.
Origin
MPC 2" designs
Spotting the similarities between the NASA Mercury spacesuit and an LP astronaut is pretty easy, especially on the large figures. The helmet is similar in shape, and has a protruding edge at the base to represent the metal sealing ring of the real thing. The shape of the visor is identical (it's on top of the helmet in the open position, as seen in most official NASA portraits :) and there's the air extraction hose coming out on one side. The pressure suit has the air entry hose attached at belly level, and there's another connection socket just above the same knee (I think this might be for hooking up the biomedics system). The LP suit also shows ribbing at the shoulders, elbows and knees that's visible as sewn-on reinforcements on the Mercury suit. The anti-ballooning straps around the chest are identically placed, with buckles on one side. What looks like another strap at waist-height on the LP figure is probably intended as a pistol belt. Mercury astronauts of course didn't carry weapons, and didn't have (what look like) aqualung tanks on their back. The LP suit also appears to have a single vertical zip down the front (or possibly this is based on the number of smaller vertical straps on the real suit), which is the only real difference in the suit itself.
MPC 2" designs
Multiple Products Corporation of New York produced a set of eight 1/36 scale (50mm/2") astronaut figures, usually in red, blue, white and silver-grey soft plastic. Two of these figures were copied for the regular-sized Spacex figures (above), while one of these together with a third MPC figure were copied for the smaller figures supplied with the Spacex Moon Base (below). MPC produced these figures in various production runs, which can show quite a difference in definition on the figures' suit details.
Moon Base figures (3rd-6th from left) with regular-size Spacex figure (2nd from left) and MPC 2" originals at either side.
All eight MPC figures, from various production runs. The white figure exchanged his pistol for a grabbing tool at some point (lower right figure) but not before being copied for Spacex.
Like LP (and Marx for that matter), MPC based the design for these figures on the spacesuits worn by the Mercury astronauts. Although the helmet shape is less realistic, it has nicely rendered interior details. The suit is readily identifyable by the arrangement of the various zips (complete with pulling straps), the accurately rendered air intake connector (at belly level), the various straps around the chest as well as around the boots. Here too, each figure has an oxygen supply on its back that Mercury astronauts didn't have or need, and the helmet visor is also left open on top of the helmet.
MPC 5" designs
NOTE: bottom row in picture above is incorrect - I've since found pics of the correct figure, but haven't yet tracked down a picture I can use (with permission).
Next to their ubiquitous 2" astronaut figures, Multiple Products Corporation also made these much larger 5" (1/18 scale) figures with many items of separate equipment and some detachable helmets that could be fitted in their hands and also swapped around. They usually came in the usual red, white, blue and silver-grey, but I've also seen examples in pale green and gold-tan.
NOTE: bottom row in picture above is incorrect - I've since found pics of the correct figure, but haven't yet tracked down a picture I can use (with permission).
The Spacex copies hold the actual equipment that was supplied with each individual MPC figure. On the much larger originals, it is (at last!) possible to identify what some of those mysterious gadgets are actually meant to be:
- blue figure top-left holds a cup-shaped item on a small handle, possibly a signaling light.
- red figure top-centre holds a geiger counter, linked to a case that is omitted on the Spacex figure, which is holding the hand-held sensor upside down as well. One of the prongs sticking up is the grip, the other is part of the lead to the case.
- blue figure top-right came with a 1960s cine camera and a sextant, visible on the Spacex equivalent.
- missing figure below holds a rangefinder on a tripod, which on the Spacex figure has the three legs reduced to a single pole.
Origin
Whatever pressure suits these figures may be wearing, they're not astronauts. Most appear to be based on late 1950s flying gear used by test pilots, one figure actually sporting an open shirt-type collar with Air Force rank badges on it. Some of the straps on them (like those on the blue figure top-left on this section's main picture) look suspiciously like a parachute harness as well. Helmets are also an odd mixture. The only one I have a clear origin for is above, very close to what NASA Dryden test pilot Joe Walker was using in 1958, and which saw use by early U-2 spy plane pilots as well. The red figure with the geiger counter is wearing something that may have started life as a 1960s football helmet, while some other helmets look adapted from those worn in an X-15 and a Sopwith Camel...
Text and pictures by Paul Vreede