HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

Here's to a healthy and happy 2010 for us all. See you in the new decade.

DR.WHO AND THE LOST EPISODES

This was on UK radio over the Crimbo holidays - about the lost episodes of the Dr. Who TV series. Fascinating. You can listen to it here: BBC DR. WHO LOST EPISODES. Don't forget that the conclusion of the current David Tennant Dr. Who's demise, The End of Time, is on UK TV tomorrow, New Years Day. Mandatory viewing!

MAROONED AND THE XRV SPACE GLIDER

Well it's New Years Eve afternoon in frozen Ackworth, West Yorkshire and I'm got my feet up. I've just watched a great US movie from 1969 called MAROONED starring Gregory Peck, Gene Hackman, Richard Crenna (years before his Colonel Troutman role in Rambo) and a blonde-haired astronaut who I just can't place but I'm sure he was a TV Detective? Anyway, an excellent film released in December 1969, which must have added a cheery note to the first post-Moonlanding Christmas! Not! It looks great for it's time and features a fabulous red Lifting Body space glider called the XRV, which if you ignore the huge exhaust, looks like Thunderbird 2 minus its rear tail-bridge. It's even on a Rescue mission to save the marooned spacemen!

You can see the XRV being transported to its launch area in this You Tube clip of the film. Recommended.

ED'S REDBOX

"Hi, I like you blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been documenting vintage 1960s-70s Knock Off toys in preperation of making a book. Operation Astronaut is one of my favorite pieces. I have found many varations of this Knock Off including scale varations some are only 8 inches tall. This is the first time I found the varation you have. GREAT FIND!

It's hard too find such cool Sci -Fi pieces. Redbox made many Gi Joe/Action Man Knock Off's in 1960s a very prolific company they even made a KO Batman. I thought you might get a kick out of pics. There are at least 4 varations of uniform too. Overall pretty scarce toys.

Ed"

Always happy to help Ed. Maybe other bloggers have more Redbox?

Into 2010 with a Rocket!

Guest Blogger Hugh sends us this great article about the small rocket launcher premiums we all had as kids! Great to shed a little light on the subject!


Photos reading top to bottom:


R1 - Rocket launchers as issued by Kellogg's, Kleeware/Tudor Rose (in the UK) and others (abroad).


R2 - Similar rocket issued by Unimel in France/Belgium (?) as a product incentive/premium.


R3 - Manurba (Manfred Urban) in Germany used the same design for their military rocket. Both the rocket and the base were marked 'W.GERMANY', the rocket can be removed and becomes a stand-alone unit like the others.

R4 - Comparison shot between the various rockets.

R5 - The Rocket launcher from the Marx Mystery Spaceship, different design, same idea.

Wotan writes - I had a boxed set with a long thin submarine in and about six of the 'kellogs' style launchers in it. It came with loads of multi coloured missiles too. Ive since seen a similar loose sub on ebay, but never a set like that. Anyone got any ideas ?

CHRISTMAS 2009 POSTBAG

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"Greetings to you Paul,

Merry Zero-Xmas to you and your family! May the new year bring many more opportunities to enjoy the best space toy blog on the net! Cheers!

William"

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I've just got back from Whitby on the Yorkshire Coast (North East England) after spending 8 fab festive days there with my family over the holidays. Christmas by the sea! It was totally snowbound, wonderfully bracing on the beaches, completely IT free and only a little TV ( it was restricted to just 4 channels in our Xmas cottage!). Whilst away I recieved some nice messages including the above e-Crimbo cards from readers Darth and Mike Burrows. Thanks a bunch guys. Hope everyone has had a great great Christmas.

PS. Thanks also to everyone who left me Birthday messages on WOTAN's posting last week. Much appreciated! To be honest I don't like getting older, wish I was still playing with all the cool toys I used  to have and not collecting them but hey ho, time marches on regardless. Having a Birthday so near to Xmas was always a bit wierd too! I mostly got a couple of early Crimbo prezzies as a nipper, which was fine with me especially when one of 'em was a Zeroid or an Outer Space Man! Now I'm all growed-up, my own family try very hard to make my Birthday stand out from the imminent festival and the highlight this year was an original VHS tape of Kubrick's 2001 Space Odyssey in a pristine early 1980's 'big box' video case with all its 'rental store' stickers, which just add to its history . I love old big box VHS (the first generation of video) as they're closer, time-wise, to the original films than DVD (which I also love). I suppose I should collect old boxed Cinefilms if I want to get as close to the orginal films as possible but collecting big box VHS videos is relatively cheap and with the number of Charity Shops and Car Boots around here easy to get rewarding results often. I hardly ever see boxed Cinefilms, Super 8 or the like. It must have been an earlier generation of collectors who hoovered them all up maybe?

AND A STAR TO STEER HER BY..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Im sure all readers will join with me today to wish our founding father, Paul Woods a very happy 49th trip around the sun! Yes today is the big day and I personally would like to take the opportunity to thank him for bringing me here. It was shortly after I first took my tentative steps into the internet and began to research into the mystery that was Spacex and Sword toys that I almost immediately ran into the Project Sword Checklist. After a hurried exchange of mail and a few photos, with Paul and an introduction to Paul Vreede across the channel, that my knowledge and enthusiasm began to grow exponentially!

Since those bleary days huddled over a clunky pc and a copy of internet explorer, Paul has tirelessly pursued the Sword cause and twelve months (and a bit) ago, brought us here to the ultimate resource and what must now be the definitive catalogue of 'known' info on some of the most obscure toys.

Its been an absolute blast and I want to wish you a very happy 49th and another 49 at least to come! You are the Lord of Sword!

Best Bill (wotan)!

PYRO SPACE CRUISER AND THE NEW SPACEWAYS COMIC ANNUAL

Blog reader and ace miniature modeller Velbor has pointed out that the New Spaceways Comic Annual Number 1 has the Pyro Cruiser on its cover! there's more on Wikipedia. Nice one.

JR21 CUSTOM SPECTRUM HELICOPTER BY FERRYMAN

Blog reader and ubermodeller Ferryman has sent in these pics of his latest custom JR21 toy and box, the wondrous SPECTRUM HELICOPTER. Respect!

Hope Santa Sword brings me one!

KLAUS BUERGLE: FABULOUS GERMAN SPACE ARTIST

Ever since I bought this old hardback novel with Scramble Bug cover, in Berlin, part of the BOJE sci fi series, I've wanted to find out who was rge cover artist. Tonight I succeeded and his name is KLAUS BUERGLE, a famous German space artist. Digging a bit deeper it's clear that he did the covers for many of the BOJE series including this one below with another 'bug' like vehicle.

Even more interesting are his paintings for the long running German magazine Das Neue Universum (The New Universe - began in 1880!) and the 1970 issue 87 included this wonderful Nuclear Ferry-esque scene (which, amaongst many other images, can be purchased as a poster here).

 

For more detailed information (some switchable to English), Klaus Buergle is heavilly featured on the excellent RETRO FURURISMUS. DE website, which includes details of the amazing BUERGLE 2010 CALENDER. Wunderbar!

PS. Wonder if he ever did toy box art? Anyone in contact with Herr Buergle?

BLECHROBOTER. DE

Here's a space toys site I've just discovered in Germany: BLECHROBOTER.DE. There's a little piece about the Apollo 2000 Robot a la Durham/Tarheel. There's even a link to this blog! Froehe Weihnachten!

BOOK OF SPACE ADVENTURES: DYNA SOAR COVER

I first posted this way back in the year but like it so much I've posted it again tonight. I love the colours used and the general cartoon feel of it. Its funny how the Dyna Soar attracted the attention of comic-styled books like this, Mike Mars and others. This looks like its blasting straight out of the astronaut's lap! The picture, as before, is courtesy pf the wonderful Dreams of Space website.

DURHAM AND TARHEEL TOYS

I've long been intrigued by the similarities between the two American Toy manufacturers, Tarheel and Durham. Both of them have roots in towns in North Carolina, Durham and Tarboro, which are located quite close to each other. Both company logo's are linked by the red globe (pictured above - what's the origin of this globe?). Like many 1970's toy manufacturers there also appears to be cross-labelling of some of the same toys by Durham and Tarheel. Examples I've found are the Apollo 2000 Robot, Astroids and just for the Wotan, a toy Sewing Machine! (all pictured below)

Above Durham (top) and Tarheel Apollo 2000 (you can just see the T on the left side of the box)

Above Durham (top) and Tarheel Astroids

Above Durham (top) and Tarheel toy Sewing Machines (sorry!)

Durham have made some interesting plastic toys in there own right and I've included a selection below all found online. A google search for 'Durham Industries Incorporeted toy' revealed several patents and many law suits, which may have hastened thier eventual closure (discovered on a Holly Hobbie site).

Durham Snowmobile above and below (showing a similar 'star' text bubble found on some Tarheel toys like the Rescue Helicopter)

Durham Super Tractor above

Durham tank above

and my personal favourite, the Durham Kung Fu action figure, which I've got somewhere (well a header card at least)

So the inevitable question is - did Durham ever distribute any Project SWORD toys like Tarheel? Answers on a postcard! Happy Christmas!

What's The Weather Like?

Pretty poor weather here in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. Snow. Ice. Car won't start this morning. Must be Winter! What's it like in your neck of the woods?

CRUISING TO CHRISTMAS: PYRO, ARCHER SPACE PORT AND MORE

Reader Grif has set me off on a trail to find more Moonship lookalikes by Archer, Pyro and the like. Here are a few I've found on the wonderful ALPHADROME Robot Database including an amazing tin version of the Pyro Space Cruiser (the same story as our very own Moonship coming in both plastic and tin!):

Alphadrome 1, Alphadrome 2, Alphadrome 3

Anybody actually got any of these?

KRIS'S DURHAM HELICOPTER, MARX MOONBASE AND JOHNNY 7 TANKS

Hello Paul, I did a Google search of Johhny Tarheel toys and the first that came up was a website called Project Sword Moonbase Toys. I see that your email's match so you must the Proprietor of this site. I sell toys to buy more toys, I collect mainly transformer toys and display them to the dismay of my wife. I have enclose some cool Marx stuff that I used to have and a Johnny 7 set from Deluxe Reading. I have lots of great toys pics but mostly Army men Marx/Mpc stuff . Sorry to bother you just thought It was cool to find out who was emailing me (about the Durham Helicopter). Thanks, Kris

No bother Kris. Thanks for sharing your cool toys. They're fab! Woodsy

I originally emailed Kris about his cool Durham Johnny Tarheel boxed helicopter (below), which he has up for auction on Ebay. More to follow on Durham Johnny Tarheel soon.

PYRO SPACE CRUISER

Is the beautiful Pyro Space Cruiser above the inspiration behind the Century 21 Moonship below?

When was it manufactured? What;s the box like? Or was there a NASA concept like this?

Super January 2009 Remembered

Hard to believe it's nearly a year ago but I can remember quite clearly the excitement I felt last January. There were new origins of SWORD and SPACEX vehicles discovered, a Time Line with loads of entries from readers and newly discovered toys. But the cream was a boxed Nuclear Ferry on Ebay. Things were absolutely buzzing! Yep, January 2009 will be hard to beat! For interested readers who may have missed it you can re-live it here.

LP AND TETSUJIN ASTRONAUT DIVER

Back in September Ferryman posted pics of his fabulous LP collection including this wonderful 'ASTRONAUT' with the Moonbus-like MOON EXPLORER pictured on the box. Whilst mooching through Ebay I've come across what appears to be the same figure - this time silver, Japanese and described as a Diver made by (?) or named Tetsujin. Does anybody know more about this robot-like character?

AVATAR 3D

Avatar is without doubt one of the best films I've ever seen. Just got back after seeing it with my buddy Mark - started at 9.15pm and finished at 12.15am! Its long! The hardware is fantastic, including a HUGE stealth-like space glider and some fabulous VTOLS! But its the landscape of Pandora and the overall look and feel of the film (so yes, the effects) that blew me away. You MUST see it in 3D too! The best £7 I've spent in a long time. Treat yourself and take a friend!

Another Blog Reader Writes A Book: Model building the Barry Ford Way

Blog reader Barry Ford has written a book and a short bloglet about it:

"As some of you may be aware, one of the great passions in my life is model building and for the last eighteen months or so I have been contributing to Science Fiction and Fantasy Modeller magazine. For those of you who are not aware of the publication, to call it a magazine is a bit of a misnomer as, with its 100 full colour, square bound, pages it is more like a book published on a quarterly basis.

I must admit that I had not done any serious writing since school days (way back in the mists of time, when dinosaurs still walked the earth) other than the odd report for work, so I was a little unsure about chronicling my modelling exploits when first approached by Mike Reccia, and even more unsure that my modelling skills were up to scrutiny. Anyway, I must have been doing something right, as Mike was soon asking me to make even more contributions on a regular basis. Then, one autumn day last year Mike asked me if I would like to write a book on model making with an emphasis on diorama building. Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather, but I quickly agreed: not quite realising what I had let myself in for.

So, for the last twelve months I have been building models and writing up my exploits in a, hopefully, entertaining manner. The endeavour has probably taken an average of twenty hours a week input on top of the day job to complete, and whilst beavering away on my lonesome the end product of a complete book seemed to be an almost unreal goal. However, the end is now nigh with most of my work done and the final formatting being completed by the publishers prior to publication in February. To say that I am excited by the prospect of the book’s publication and relief that it’s complete is an understatement.

Whilst, ostensibly, a “how to” book I hope that I have created a fun read and that whatever level your modelling skills are you will find something of interest in the book. My intention with the book has never been to say how to build a particular model, but to try and give the reader some ideas and encouragement to have a go at doing something themselves. Most of all, this is meant to be a pleasurable past-time and I want people to view model making as something fun to do and not something to get stressed out over: we all have enough of that in our lives anyway.

I will just finish my witterings by saying that the book will be 128 pages long, in full colour, and will go on sale in February (an ideal Valentine’s gift for your loved one) at a price of £14.99. However, if you pre-order from the publisher before the end of January it is being offered at a price of £13.99 including postage to the UK and Europe, or £16.99 to anywhere else in the world. The book should also be available from good model shops or other retailers that order from Diamond Distributers, i.e. Forbidden Planet. The publisher’s website is here.

Many thanks for reading, Barry Ford"

Bad News: Eagle Forum

Can't believe that the Space 1999 Eagle Transporter Forum is ending tomorrow! Such a great great shame.

MERRY SPACEXMAS TO ALL SWORDHEADS!

Just want to wish everyone who has supported the blog this, its first full year, a very merry Christmas and a happy healthy 2010 (wow, that's one futuristic looking date!). You have made it all worthwhile and a lot of fun.

Keep on Swordin'

The 2 W's - Woodsy and Wotan

ZEE and YOT THUNDERBIRDS

Just been to our works do in Sheffield. The City looked great lit up with Christmas lights. There's a huge ferris wheel covered in lights too just as you come out of the Town Hall. Really beautiful. And there's water everywhere - fountains, walls of water, pools and rivulets. Amazing. I must go again. Yep, as my Brother Steve has been telling me all week, its starting to look a lot like Christmas!

Here's something that would look good in a Christmas stocking, a set of ZEE TOYS FIREBIRDS, Thunderbirds knockoffs par excellence on Ebay US, kindly flagged up by Paul Vreede.

I first came caross these 1978 TB clones in Dennis Nicholson's Andersonalia bible back in the early 1990's. I've never seen any in the flesh. There appear to be different colour variations of the TB1, TB3 and the Mole lookalikes. Odd how they didn't knockoff TB2, the most popular Thunderbirds vehicle. And it looks like a sort of Hot Wheels booster unit pictured on the card back? Anyone got any of these?

There's a great site devoted to ZEE TOYS with this great 1979 catalogue page of Firebirds, which actually shows a Thunderbird 2 on the Shop Display but there's no TB2 toy. Looks like a Colonial Viper or two thrown in the range as well!

ZEE has got me thinking about those other Thunderclone makers Dennis's book flagged up, YOT of Taiwan. Again I've never actually seen any of these but there's a nice loose TB4 on Ebay Australia now and a carded TB3, which appears to have spinning parts, went for a fair few bob recently - both pictured below. Are ZEE and YOT related?

SMALL SCALE BLOGGING

Heres a great show and tell from guest Blogger, Hugh from Small Scale World. Hugh specialises in toy soldiers and similar figures and has a great blog here. Stay tuned for a great article on LP spacemen from him!

Meanwhile, he's sent over some nice pieces in the shape of a german Rocket Bank and a rather cool cap rocket from Argentina. This is very unusual in that it includes an astronaut pilot! The bank is possibly made by Manurba (Manfred Urban) and dates from the 50's. Still on a Manurba thread, he sent the shot of the 30mm white metal astronuts in very distinctive suits. He suggests that there would probably have been 8 in a full set and the design would suggest quite an early release.

Watch this sace for more from Small Scale World!