The Name's Martin, Aston Martin

Following Woodsy’s spy thread and looking forward to seeing SKYFALL, I thought I’d dig out my meagre James Bond offerings which pretty much amount to some die cast DB5’s and the odd book.

Although I was fond of James Bond as a kid I think it was more to do with the image than the content and at Christmas in 1965 I got a James Bond case which I’d seen in TV21 a month or so before. The case itself was actually folded card board. It contained a working camera, two plastic grenades, a plastic knife, passport and Lone Star cap firing P38 pistol with silencer. It also had a Winchester rifle in two halves which was fun to have but even at the time I reckoned it would have been more at home in a Bonanza set.

 

Later on in the new year my brother and I both each received the smash hit toy of 1966 -the Corgi James Bond Aston Martin DB5. A smashing die cast complete with it’s own display stand and secret messages, not to mention the ejection seat, guns and bullet proof shield.

 

For me, like a lot of people , the DB5 is one of the things that gives Bond his heritage and provides links to his past exploits. Although the Aston made it’s debut in the third Bond film ’Goldfinger’ it set the standard for what would follow. Other cars have tried to take the crown - the Toyota 2000GT from ’You only Live Twice’ was another die cast released by Corgi hoping to mirror the phenomenal success of it‘s DB5, and the Lotus Esprit from ’The Spy Who Loved Me’ - a sports car and a submarine - classic Bond!

These days, every time a new Bond film is imminent a new range of cars are released.

Corgi released a new set of Bond cars in 2002, presumably to coincide with the release of Die Another Day. I got the DB5 included in the set which was taken from Thunderball. The model’s only gimmick was a spring loaded bullet proof shield.

 

 

In 2006, Bond underwent a make over with Daniel Craig taking over as 007 .

A magazine published by Fabbri was released celebrating the James Bond car collection. Each edition came with a model from each of the films. I got the first issue which had a beautifully detailed die cast DB5 from Goldfinger.

 

 

 

 

With the release of Skyfall and the heralded appearance of the iconic Aston I’m already checking the Corgi website - I want to buy, Mr Bond!