Saturday morning at Moonbase Central. The sun is shining and UK air space is closed for another day as Iceland's volcano once more reminds us of the awesome power of Mother Nature. Having stayed in that wonderful country last year I just hope that it's resolute people come out of this okay. On a lighter note, the Daleks make their re-appearance tonight in the new series of Dr. Who on TV. I was a great David Tennant fan and I'm finding the transition to Matt Smith hard. That said I was never keen on the overtly London-centric episodes, particularly when set permanently in an over-sentimentalised kind of World War Two. The best stories were on other planets and my favourite Tennant was about an extra-terrestrial Satan trapped in a vast chasm. Huge, sweeping and scary! What's your favourite Who episode?
Sipping my second cup of coffee browsing through Ebay a few titbits have caught my eye for the blog. First up on Ebay US is this interesting space jumble. Besides Major Matt, it's the Bandai Thunderbirds Recovery Vehicle that I like. Good one for spares for someone who is a budding Brains in the Tracy garage!
And lastly, one of my favourite toys that I never had as a kid but wish I had and would love it in the Moonbase fleet garage now, The TRANSCONTINENTAL EXPRESS BUS by OK. Now this toy has pedigree as we've previously discussed on the blog with it's appearances in various Gerry Anderson TV show episodes. Clearly Century 21 modelmakers were able to get hold of it, presumabley in a Slough toyshop, but I'd never seen one until a couple of years ago. Where they common in the UK or Europe? For me it's a thing of complete beauty and imbued with TV glitz and mystery!
Sipping my second cup of coffee browsing through Ebay a few titbits have caught my eye for the blog. First up on Ebay US is this interesting space jumble. Besides Major Matt, it's the Bandai Thunderbirds Recovery Vehicle that I like. Good one for spares for someone who is a budding Brains in the Tracy garage!
Second is this interesting Greek set of toy ASTRONAUTS by PETALO. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the contents as my brain said 'miniature SWORD Moon Base Set!" but it isn't. Clearly based on the LP Astronauts this set appears to be a strange mix of Timpo-like fort-style or Nissan-hut type biulding, a piece of wall (or sandbags?), a sign of some sort, four small jets on circular sprues and fourteeen LP'esque astronauts. How very odd, a sort of Wild West Moonbase! And I love the boxart! The larger astronaut is in LP 'Travolta' dance-move mode and looks like he's just clipped his buddy on the back of the helmet! You can see the box side but I can't read the blurb. Anyone? And when did the 'CE' symbol appear on goods? Petalo have other soldier sets on Ebay too and they look modern. This set is expensive but I reckon if you wanted one it could be found cheaper than this.
The CE mark and the letter-type style (they didn't call them 'fonts' is those days!) are shouting mid-1980's to me, so relatively recent, possibly contemporary?
ReplyDeleteLove that the rocket took its own launch frame to the moon with it, and that Mars, Venus and Saturn seem to have moved into close Earth orbit!
The Nissan-hut is also a classic 80's addition to Hong Kong stuff, first used by Ri-Toys (Blue-Box/Rado Industries), while adding road signs is a 1990's practice?
Just looked at his other lots, apart from the fact that his prices are totally off the scale, he has several of these PETALO sets, most in brand new tubs or 'TOOB's, the robots are re-issues of the SOLPA ones I covered the other day, while the ninja's are contemporary Hing Fat mouldings, none worth more than 2.99 from the rack down at your local newsagents!
ReplyDeleteThose Greek sets are strangely eclectic, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the heads-up, Maverick.
As for Doctor Who, I was never a fan of Tennant or Eccleston to be honest, and certainly not this latest fellow. I like my Doctors to show a bit of seriousness when the earth is about to get destroyed!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite Doctor Who episodes were "The Seeds Of Death" with Troughton and the Iccccce Warriorzzzz...they scared the holy crap out of me!
My favourite Doctor though has to Jon Pertwee.
Iccccce Warriorzzzz ... nice one, eviled ^_^
ReplyDeleteI hated Tennant. The new one is too similar to him at the moment, but more likeable. As for those new Daleks ... what were they thinking? Rolykins with macho, Dalek voices ^_^ Puleeze!
Jon Pertwee was such a good Doctor. It's a close one for me, but I have to choose the very first Doctor as my favourite (the original, you might say!)