FLOWER POWER

The flower motif on this vintage plastic Beach Buggy [Ebay] appeared on a number of Sixties toys including the rear of the Day-f-ran SPACE GLIDER shown below. Anyone know of any more? Where is the motif from? Sixties' Hippydom?

Day-f-ran Glider second from left.

PROJECT SWORD FUTURE DREAMSHOP: THE TITAN LANDER

STAR FEATURES [click]

• SOUNDS OF TITAN
• INTERACTIVE DVD
• Wii CONSOLE

 

Having a bit of a laugh Bank Holiday Monday. Here's another gem from the Moonbase Dreamshop of Custom SWORD: the TITAN LANDER. Bringing SWORD bang up to date and beyond, this toy is a replica of the proposed 21st Century NASA landing craft which will descend and float on the methane seas of Saturn's liquid moon, TITAN. The box would be bristling with touch-screen 'star features': mp3 of titanic winds, on-box video of flight and methane voyage, Wii/Video game links and actual real-time webcam link to NASA lander. The toy will feature mystery floating action, working floodlight, mini-lab and revolving web-scope. Inside the box will be a TITANAUT badge. Date of manufacture 2067 (model number TV21).

References: NASA, ESA, Kidsastronomy

MARS 500: THE REAL ZOOM CLUB!

The MARS 500 experiment to simulate flying to and living on Mars has entered it's final and longest stage. According to ESA 'Mars500 is a 520-day simulated mission to Mars. The sealed mockup includes an interplanetary spaceship, a Mars lander and a martian landscape. Housed in Russia’s Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) in Moscow, the modules provide 550 m³ of living space'.For such an exciting event there has been very little in the media I feel. I thought there may have been a web cam set up but I can't find one. The simulation modules shown above [wikipedia] are somewhat dissapointing visually unless the real thing is completely different. For some reason I thought it was in a located in a desert? I much prefer the Valigursky vision of modular living, admitted;ly lunar and not martian, seen below from the wonderful 1960's LIFE Man and Space book. Anybody clued up on Mars 500?

 

ZOOM CLUB

This Bank Holiday become a member of the illustrious ZOOM CLUB by simply listening to it. From the ground-shaking 70's  album IN FOR THE KILL by the one and only Welsh rock-gods BUDGIE, at nearly 10 minutes Zoom Club is one of the best hard rock tracks ever put on vinyl and a feast for your heavy-lovin' ears. Play it loud!

MOONBASE DREAMSHOP: TARHEEL NUCLEAR FERRY STARSHIP CUSTOM

Mrs. Moonbase is engrossed in the Eurovision Song Contest on TV so I'm listening to Budgie on headphones and messing about as usual, although the Norwegian Eurovision effort included an awesome global dance routine, which I had to watch - genius! Reader Graeme Walker's fabulously restored Tarheel Probe Force 3 box art recently posted got me thinking: what if Tarheel had done the rest of the SWORD range especially the big guns like the Nuke Ferry and the Apollo Saturn or even the demure but mighty Scouts! At the Moonbase Dreamshop we have the technology - see what you think. I give you the TARHEEL PROJECT SWORD NUCLEAR FERRY STARSHIP [CUSTOM] pictured above. Doesn't look half bad with the rest of the fleet below either! I need another bottle of  Becks beer before I attempt another box! Or is that a Box Beer to do another becks!

Which are the two odd ones out in this collection?

[original collection courtesy of reader Darth posted previously in 2008 as 'American Sword']

SEARS ROCKET BASE BOX ART

From the outer rim of the SWORD galaxy comes the wonderful box art of the 1964 SEARS EXCLUSIVE 3-STAGE ROCKET courtesy of reader Darth. It really is awesome. It's earlier and better than the Century 21 APOLLO SATURN box art I think [who painted it?]. Waddaya reckon, like it?

Above's the nameplate below the picture. Interestingly it's called ROCKET BASE yet collectors and contemporary Sears ads call it the 3-STAGE ROCKET. And the words 'Turnpike Line' are odd. What do they mean? Anyone know?

MOONBASE DREAMSHOP: PROSPECTOR IMPACT PLATE

I've long been fascinated by what is in the literature described as an IMPACT ABSORBER [Godwin. R] shown alongside the MOON PROSPECTOR in early illustrations. Star-shaped, the Impact Absorber was docked to the base of the Prospector or other units in order to create a 'soft landing' on the lunar surface. You can see the absorber behind the vehicle on the 1961 Newsweek cover below [bottom] and even clearer on the black and white illustration from the Swift Space Flight book of the same year [top].

 

The Impact Absorber seems like one of those accessories, which should have simply been available with the toy Moon Prospector. So, not wanting to pass up another opportunity to 'mess around' with Century 21 box art I set about planning a SWORD IMPACT PLATE, which I envisaged being available seperately in it's own box. The basic star-shape reminded me of retro sunburst clocks and I was pleaseantly surprised to find that cheap versions are available online. Rather than spending any money I decided to simply use the image of such a clock at this stage. Creating the box art was harder as I am somewhat unrefined in my methods and hampered by my basic 'paint' programme. Nevertheless, you can see my efforts below. To actually go ahead and make a 'toy' would require said clock and it's box if anyone wants to have a go!

 

As a footnote it's worth bearing in mind just how big the MOON PROSPECTOR and as such the IMPACT PLATE were meant to be. Certainly in SWORD-terms the vehicle was much bigger than a person - even the tyres were! This is best shown illustratively in this fabulous drawing from the SWORD comic strip [GACCH]. It would have made quite an impact on the moon!

AMERICAN WORLD'S FAIRS - THE FUTURE LOOKED BRIGHT

 Can't believe this is 1939!

              Poignant! Anyone been?

SUMMER OF SWORD

The SUMMER of SWORD is nigh! To celebrate the start of the very first SWORD comic strip on June 24th 1967 (and thus where it all began) we will be having a blog party for a month from the 24th June. There'll be special features, articles, freebies and competitions. And naturally, there'll be lots of PROJECT SWORD! Set your calenders for June 24th and join the party!

CONQUEST OF SPACE 1954

I've never seen George Pal's vision of space exploration but I just love the film's spacemen, ships and fabulous lighting. Like many of my favourite Sci-Fi movies, this looks like phrophetic 1950's film-making.

What are your favourites?

TOY SHOP FEBRUARY 2007

Anybody got this old US magazine from February 2007? Apparently there's an article about Century 21 toys in there and other's inspired by C21 designer Mike Trim.

Mike Trim Century 21 Original Art Auction!

Wow! Look at this! Anyone going to be there? Mike Trim Art: Mike Trim Century 21 Original Art Auction!

Here's the link to the Bonham's site - Entertainment Memorabilia. Maybe I'll win the Lottery before then!

PER ARDUA AD ASTRA

It's a strange time in the UK. A new coalition Government cutting public services. The spectre of recession stalking the streets once more. Strikes. Feral Youth. A nation at War. Noble visions seem hidden. It's hard to make sense of it all or to imagine great things happening. Directionless. It calls to mind the final lines of Thom Gunn's 'On The Move' written in the 1950's:

"At worse, one is in motion; and at best,

Reaching no absolute, in which to rest,

One is always nearer by not keeping still."

Looking at my space toys now, sleek and dream-like, I see them in a different light and despite being flotsam from the past they seem to represent something bigger, something very hard to reach, almost forgotten but all the grander for seeking it.

I look forward to us getting nearer again and looking to the stars.....soon.

HOW AND WHY? WHO CARES, THEY WERE JUST FAB BOOKS!

A staple of my young library were the fab HOW AND WHY books. Above is the unforgettable back cover. My favourites were Dinosaurs, Prehistoric Mammals and Primitive Man [I wanted to be a paleontologist!]. Wish I'd had Rockets and Missiles and Planets and Interplanetary Space Flight!

What were your favourites?

SPACEX FALCON 9

As Atlantis parks up in the NASA hanger for the last time, a new era of deeper space exploration dawns: Asteroids, the Moon and most exciting of all, Mars. Currently ready for NASA launch is FALCON 9 by the commercial space trevellers SPACEX. It's amazing to see the US President stood next to a real rocket with 'SPACEX' livery! Wonder if they'll make any merchandise or better still toys!

EARTH AND WATER SONG BY HUMBLE PIE 1970

Filling out job applications [dragsville!] and cheered up no end by the sweet tones and languid riffs of one Peter Frampton on my favourite song on my fave Pie album. Master Frampton wrote this when he was 17. Inspired! Enjoy!

Tell Tales

Whats your favourite sci-fi novel ? I love a good read and sci-fi is my weapon of choice. I like a story that is well researched and thought provoking as well as being a gripping and enthralling tale. My favourite author is William Gibson, followed closely by Gene Wolfe and Alan Dean Foster. Straying into the realm of fantasy, I read Clive Barker but I much prefer the technical minutiae of hard sci-fi.

My top tales would include: 'Idoru' by William Gibson, 'Book of the New Sun' by Gene Wolfe, 'Sentenced to Prism' by Alan Dean Foster and the glorious 'Imajica' and 'Abarat' books by Clive Barker - especially the latter as they are full of beautiful painted illustrations to feed the eye.

Whats yours ?....

BOOK OF SPACE ADVENTURES 3

One for the Toad! One of twenty or so frogmeisters residing in our wild pond. Just sat next to it watching this little fella watching me! Think he's a Tull fan as I'm listening to STAND UP!

Below are some pages from THE BOOK OF SPACE ADVENTURES 3  courtesy of today's boot sale. It's undated but looks early 1960's. There are no colour pictures except for ACE JORDON comic strips done in a rough crayony style. There's the ITHACUS we've seen before via WOTAN and a cool SST painting signed by one R.McQuarrie (a la Ralph) later of Star Wars fame. There's at least 3 SPACEX designs in these snaps. Answers on an e-card please [well, a comment will do]!

book published by ATLAS, Bride Lane, London

Anyone got book 1 and 2?

LOOK INTO THE SUN BY JETHRO TULL

From the classic 70's Tull album STAND UP. Enjoy!

THE CAR BOOT SUMMER HAS BEGUN

Above are the spoils of my latests forays into Charity shops, Nostell Priory Car boot Sale and Huddersfield Second Hand Market: popeye jigsaws, matchbox cars, a robot, a truck, Book of Space, games and more. There was more I could get like a box full of 1980's He-Man figures but at 50p a figure it was too dear even with discount. A War of the Daleks game by Denys Fisher caught my eye but £15 was too steep for my embattled wallet. Will I regret that? A particularly interesting item is the 1962 John Glen Astronaut book - started reading it already! My favourite find though is the completely mint card paddling pool pump [at the rear - still with the Woollies price tag on of 20p!], which above all else reminds me of long hot summers past in the Sixties sploshing about in inflated pools and runnung through the lawn sprinkler, a plastic perforated 'doughnut' attached to the end of the hose! Bliss! A good idea for today as it's scorching hot!

A LOAD OF 'TAT'!

Just missed out on this interesting lot of HK plastic on t'Ebay this week. I was prinicipally interested in the Ice Cream Van and the Blue Van to the left. This is the lot description [just names]:

1.Minix No 5 Austin a60
2.Wiking ford Capri

3.DKW Junior Yellow and a red car--2 items
4.Small yelow car -unmarked

5.Mercedes Van-modern

6.Colourful Friction Bike -handebars broken No402 on the side

7.Blue van is modern

8.Green and Blue motorbikes -Hong Kong

9.A large green Ice Cream Van - Has TAT Hong Kong Made for Telsalda [Vendor -arm missing]

THE MF-105: SON OF THE SHANGHIA MOONSHIP?

You'll remember the tinplate MOONSHIP made in China shown above with it's box. Below you can see it's front landing gear, basically a tin wheel.

Now here's an MF-105 tinplate jet plane, which looks similar: the cigar shape, the red nose-cone and the landing gear [missing the wheel - bottom picture]. Do you agree it's related to the Moonship?

The above MF-105 is pictured and for sale at Gasoline Alley Antiques

And below, thanks to Paul V's suggestion, for comparison is a tinplate F-104A Star Fighter I found online. Of unknown Japanese manufacture. The landing gear do look similar to the above two toys.

 

 

Liveauctioneers.

ANIGRAND DYNA SOAR

There's an ANIGRAND DYNA-SOAR KIT for sale on Ebay USA here. I've never had one but I bet it's a good substitute for the Century 21 toy. Anyone got the ANIGRAND or any other Dyna-Soar kits?

JR21 UPDATE: COMICARS, THE X-90 AND THE X-60 BUMPERS

 

As mentioned already this cute COMICARS car joined the Moonbase fleet last month. I spotted it on Ebay USA and immediately recognised the washed-out colouring and the JR diamond monogram of J. Rosenthal Toys (later to be JR21). You can also see the HS combination we've come across before on the blog [but what does it stand for?]. This little piggy is model no.313, putting paid to my theory that my plastic VW Pick-Up [also 313] is JR21. You can see that two more COMICARS have model numbers 314 and 315. There is also a REGD. APPROVED no. 914612. The rear artwork showing a turning-head motion seems OTT for such a meagre feature! Still I do love this watercolouresque artwork, which we have seen before on the JR21 X- series of plastic space toys by J.Rosenthal.

This brings me neatly to the next Rosenthal update: a few more pics of the fabulous and only-recently seen X-90 FLYING SAUCER CAR, model no. 241, sold to a lucky buyer on Ebay last month. Although far more sophisticated you can see on the box side a similar palette of colour washes to that of the Comicars above.

Another point of reference is what I will now refer to as the X-bumper, which you can see on the noses of both the X-90 above and X-60 below [the bumper is an ejecting button]. Has anybody come across any more X-bumpers?