Originally posted in 2013 - I thought this might be of interest to Billy Blastoff fans!
I used to collect robots voraciously. Just prior to the Transformers era, japanese imported toys began to appear in discount stores all over and model shops began to stock the first few Amerang imports of Imai and Bandai kits with wild and wonderful Macross and Mospeada designs, which were like manna from heaven for me. Anything remotely robotic got snapped up, even the early transforming knock offs. It wasn't until Hasbro let loose with the first real transformer range, that I realised I couldn't cope and let go. Since then, I still appreciate a good robot, but very rarely buy one. I love Zeroids for example, but the prohibitive price tags mean I wont be adding them to the Wotan Archive anytime soon.
But now and again, I come across a toy which I can't resist. Such a toy appeared recently on ebay, in such a forlorn state, it got my full attention.
The little Eldon Robbie Robot was an addition to the Billy Blastoff line and came with a Radiation Truck. He was missing the rear of the battery case, both arms and a motivator from his leg, meaning that although his lights and motor worked, he couldn't walk.
I had a Billy figure a few years ago, which I bought for two of the vehicles, but found the fat kid in a spacesuit unappealing and sold him on. I wish i'd kept it now, as I could have used the back pack! As it was, the biggest issue with Robbie were his arms. Repro parts weren't an option, so I went for the next best thing and raided my stock of robot kits!
So very soon, he had new arms and a temporary backpack and a new motivator in his leg. But it seems that at some point a small flange of plastic has sheared off the back of the body, holding the faulty leg in place. So he's not walking yet, but at least he can wave!
The white rocket is a Billy Blastoff one and part of the set I picked up on ebay. At the base of Robbies backpack is a connector to the rear gear allowing him (or Billy) to drive the vehicle directly.
The Radiation Truck is a bit lacklustre, having a tipper on the back, but little else, but the Rocket is nice and has a look of TB1 about it.
Oh Wotan! What a wonderful story. I never had a Billy because at the time, a kid in an Apollo space suit never appealed to me. But Robbie did, and I still have him (in good condition) in with my Major Matt stuff! I had trouble with the hip latch breaking too, but I managed to mend it as kid.
ReplyDeleteI love how you've used Macross VF arms as a replacement, very resourceful!
Unlike you, my robot collecting went on until I ran out of space to display them!
That's really great! I've been obsessed with this particular robot for about a year and have been buying and repairing them. Make some parts too. If you need a piece for that hip latch I can send you one. The fix I do is a plastic piece with piano wire pressed in for strength so you'd need to file the stub then use a micro drill to make a couple of holes then press the new piece in.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny: I bought a basket case one myself a lot like yours that was missing arms and with one foot broken off. Did this whole scratch built foot with exposed mechanism but never got around to the arms. Those ones on yours look great. He looks like a total brute!