Incoming Birthday Transmission from Main Mission

 

So, the guys at Moonbase Central have asked me to make a contribution to the Blog.  The constant problem I have is so much to do and not enough time to do it in.  But I'm proud to be associated with them and therefore like my Radio Career and Century 21 collecting, this is a labour of love.

As a child I started collecting books...  I loved to read, and as time went on, I managed to assemble a complete collection of Gerry Anderson associated Annuals and many of the other publications such as early Doctor Who and as I've been working in the media for longer than I can remember, a significant archive of TV programmes.

And Toys...

Probably the oldest toy I have in my collection, an approx 1/144th Alvis Crash Tender bought in 1965.  This is part of a display of similar scale vehicles. – Yes, including the big die cast Aoshima Thunderbird Two.

The original plastic lettering was probably lost before the 60's ended, so a little while back I spoke with some friends at RAF St Athan, and managed to recreate the sign that one of the Airfield Tenders would have displayed.

For Christmas 1966, along with the first big format Thunderbirds Annual, I was also bought a Bagatelle.  This still works, and despite of my accident prone nature is still in good condition, and works; even though it was played with a lot and much loved.

The White Falcon, Thunderbird 4, and the Apollo LM are approximately 1/72nd.  Both Action Figures would be 1/6th scale.

Some more 1/72nd approx scale craft.  Note the Spitfire and Harrier, both Spectrum interceptors and the UFO Interceptor would have been quite small craft.  Doctor Who's TARDIS completes the picture.

Standing to attention the other side of the Bagatelle are these Bad Boys!

Dwarfing everything else around it the beautifully engineered Aoshima Thunderbird Two.  Again everything in shot is approximately to the same scale including the people.  Note the Avro-Lancaster and Eagle.

The second Eagle in my collection...  I'm still looking for a pod to go with it.  Since this photo was taken, I've also added a 1/144th Bell X-15.

Thunderbird Three, from the SHED kit; it took me a couple of weeks to complete.  Although if Aoshima produced a Die cast TB3 to the same scale as the first two Thunderbirds, I'd save my pennies and buy one!

 Some approximately 1/34th scale shots.

Both Cars have their charm, and Dave Carrington who presents ‘Squaring the Circle’ has a duplicate Cheetah, as he collects die casts too, in particular red Cars!

One of my ambitions since I was six years old was to own models of all the Thunderbird craft.  A couple of years ago I managed to assemble a smaller scale collection of pretty much the whole fleet.  Again, give or take a few notches the two photos below are an approximate 1/400th scale shot.

Combining some real life craft, an USAF F-104 Star-fighter, Concorde and an Avro-Vulcan. On Christmas Day 1967, I received the Project Sword Zero-X.  I played with it for many years, and like so many of my early toys, it was literally loved to bits.  Therefore back in 2007, I was absolutely over the moon to get my hands on this Timorous Beastie...  Fireball XL5 arrived in 2011 as a birthday present from my brother.

 Christmas Day 1966 [and some 21st Century Fx]

From Gordon Tracy to Ed Straker!  Bill in 2013. (he's not changed a bit!)

At some point I hope to take the plunge and buy the second Aoshima TB2 pod, with its three remote elevator cars and Recovery Vehicle, and definitely in the pipe is a 1/400th Soyuz launcher, probably for my 54th birthday next month, and I'm still looking for an old Eagle Pod to restore...

Happy Birthday Moonbase Central from Bill at Main Mission.