The Noble Scout

Wotan's and Scoop Mike's comments today about the origin of Scout 1 reminded me that we've blogged about this before. Here are two posts combined from 2010 and 2011.

From December 2010: Dear Paul, re. your query about good Swordish boats, still think you can't beat Mike Noble's designs, one form TV21 Fireball XL5 strip above. Andy B.

 

 

Andy, that's a wonderful image and one I've not seen before. I'm excited as ironically I personally think you've stumbled upon the inspiration for SWORD's Scout 1, the origin of which up to now has eluded all efforts to pin down!

As well as the overall shape and thrust of the two boats, it's smaller details of similarity, which draw me in such as the stripes on the engine nacelles and the passenger and bridge windows particularly visible on the box art. But most compelling for me is the similarity of the engine nacelles with their pointed turbines and the ribbed tubular covers at the sides of the engine fore planes in close-up below.

I would dearly love to see more examples of Mike Noble's 'Seabug' and hear your views on the feasibility of it being a possible origin. Do the dates fit for a start?

 

 

I'd like to thank Andy B for sharing this little treasure!

 

January 2011: Toadster sent in these cool comic strip illustrations that look darn similar to our friend the SWORD Scout 1 [pictured beneath]:

"Woodsy,

Above are the pics mentioned. They are from the Dan Dare story "The Man from Nowhere" (May - November 1955). It looks less like the Scout than does Mike Noble's [via Andy B - Ed] : the "sponsons" are further forward; the stern isn't blunt; upper deck is all different. But it is those sponsons/ engines/whatever ... Wonder if this had an influence on the Scout directly, or on the artwork which led to the Scout (if any)? (is there anything in the real world like this?) Another interesting point is that this is a submarine ... ie, it can be sealed off from the atmosphere, just as can the Scout.I wonder if Frank Hampson used any reference? Cos, didn't he tend to draw from models? The story "Man From Nowhere" was illustrated by Frank Hampson and Don Harley, but I don't know who did what.

Toad"