Saw this STARFLEET Space Glider a while back on the cyberbay. I'm not at all familiar with the TV series or the toys. Were there many toys and collectables brought out?
PS. I love that Laverne and Shirley stationary rack toy!
Starfleet makes me think of Star Trek, which this toy doesn't seem to be related to; but it does have certain features that resemble a Cylon Raider from BattleStar Galactica...fascinating.
This is nothing to do with the 1980s Starfleet puppet TV series (original title X-Bomber in Japan). The Japanese did bring out lots of toys and model kits as usual. I think the only merchandise in the UK was an annual and the comic strip in Look-In. The DVD came out a couple of years ago. There's a whole site dedicated to the show here - http://www.sfxb.co.uk/
I've watched the entire series, and there is nothing at all like this in it that I recall.
As CS observes, it appears to have more in common with Cylon Raiders than anything the Imperial Emperor utilised.
That Laverne and Shirley toy is fascinating. Don't believe I've seen it before. Is that a calculator we can see? Cos that seems a little anachronistic - weren't Shirley and Laverne in the late 1950s - 1960s? I didn't think pocket electronic calculators came out until the 1970s. Or am I getting confused again?
Do you know if there were any other Shirley and Laverne sets?
I would concur with Yorkie & Toad, my first thought on seeing this was 'Cylon Raider!'. And it would seem that the 'Starfleet' branding was an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the series but I couldn't help but also think that the lettering also resembles the style of Space 1999's logo don't you think? As for the laverne and Shirley set, I've seen it covered at the 'Plaidstallions' blog which does a lot of stuff on rack toys (in fact the the site is publishing a book on rack toys!)if you haven't been do go-it's a real fun site with lots to interest Moonbasers.
Yes, I remember him ... I know he's supposed to be the hero, but I didn't much like him (the character) ... he was incredibly selfish in many ways. But then again, he was also heroic at times, I suppose.
And (laughs) it was the dates internal to the show I was referring to, not when it was produced. I meant, when it was set. Which was why I felt the calculator might be anachronistic. (But it might not, for all I know).
The spaceship is a re-issue of the Cylon Raider toy from Laramie. Laramie made dozens of toys linked to Battlestar Galactica at the time of the original series, but these were mostly themselves reissues of earlier toys - yo-yos, kaleidoscopes, etc.
Starfleet makes me think of Star Trek, which this toy doesn't seem to be related to; but it does have certain features that resemble a Cylon Raider from BattleStar Galactica...fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThis is nothing to do with the 1980s Starfleet puppet TV series (original title X-Bomber in Japan). The Japanese did bring out lots of toys and model kits as usual. I think the only merchandise in the UK was an annual and the comic strip in Look-In. The DVD came out a couple of years ago. There's a whole site dedicated to the show here - http://www.sfxb.co.uk/
ReplyDeleteI second what Yorkie wrote.
ReplyDeleteI've watched the entire series, and there is nothing at all like this in it that I recall.
As CS observes, it appears to have more in common with Cylon Raiders than anything the Imperial Emperor utilised.
That Laverne and Shirley toy is fascinating. Don't believe I've seen it before. Is that a calculator we can see? Cos that seems a little anachronistic - weren't Shirley and Laverne in the late 1950s - 1960s? I didn't think pocket electronic calculators came out until the 1970s. Or am I getting confused again?
Do you know if there were any other Shirley and Laverne sets?
I would concur with Yorkie & Toad, my first thought on seeing this was 'Cylon Raider!'. And it would seem that the 'Starfleet' branding was an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the series but I couldn't help but also think that the lettering also resembles the style of Space 1999's logo don't you think? As for the laverne and Shirley set, I've seen it covered at the 'Plaidstallions' blog which does a lot of stuff on rack toys (in fact the the site is publishing a book on rack toys!)if you haven't been do go-it's a real fun site with lots to interest Moonbasers.
ReplyDeleteLaverne and Shirley was 70s. A spin off from Happy Days. Both shows were set in the 50s though. Remember the Fonz?
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember him ... I know he's supposed to be the hero, but I didn't much like him (the character) ... he was incredibly selfish in many ways. But then again, he was also heroic at times, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteAnd (laughs) it was the dates internal to the show I was referring to, not when it was produced. I meant, when it was set. Which was why I felt the calculator might be anachronistic. (But it might not, for all I know).
The spaceship is a re-issue of the Cylon Raider toy from Laramie. Laramie made dozens of toys linked to Battlestar Galactica at the time of the original series, but these were mostly themselves reissues of earlier toys - yo-yos, kaleidoscopes, etc.
ReplyDelete