Looking at SWORD in SOLO is always a blast. Here are two interesting bits from August 19th 1967. First, regarding that old chestnut of scale, we see that one of the smallest SWORD toys, the silver jet on the nose of the Booster Rocket, is actually HUGE and easily holds a Moon Bus! Interestingly, and as we've discussed before, the 'silver jet' is actually a deep space probe. It gives us some idea of just how big the Booster Rocket was!
Second up are some cool rotating canons on the side of the Moon Bus! Now that would have made such a great 'star feature' on the toy and combined with mystery action it would have been awesome! What do you reckon Swordies?
The scale aspect is one I like to puzzle over too. So, yes, I like that one. But I am less happy about the lock-and-load Moonbus. It's just not how I "picture" it in my mind.
ReplyDeleteColour me peaceful i guess.
Still, I suppose it could be a modified Moonbus ... yes, I can feel good about that.
Artistic licence eh? Thunderbird 2 was another one of seemingly varying size. eg in Trapped in the Sky there is no way the pod could hold 4 Elevator cars - look at the size of them as they exit the pod. 3 at a push but the 4th replacement one?
ReplyDeleteIn the Zero-X comic strip the MEV appears just larger than Fireball Jnr, but in the movie the MEV is taller and about half the length of TB2 (from the picture where TB2 flies underneath it).
http://lester.demon.nl/superm/tbirds/tbag/novel/page10.html
Pardon my good-natured joshing, Woodsy, but I like the idea of "rotating canons" as an action feature - what SWORD chaplains thought about this idea, i don't know - unless of course you mean "cannons"! ;-)
ReplyDeleteGrif
(laughs) Grif!
ReplyDeleteOhh, you know what? I've don't think I've ever realised that before, Yorkie. But what does get me about those Elevator Cars is ... why were they radio-controlled anyway? I mean, yes, good idea if all the bros are busy. But in this first rescue why couldn't Jeff send Alan and Gordon along to drive them? Or am I misremembering and they were passengers on Fireflash?
rotating canons! hee hee! SWORD is full of innovation and the chapel is no exception.Further examples are the Conveyor belt Confessional and Homily on the Hoof!
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