MOONBASE CENTRAL: SPACEX II NUCLEAR FREIGHTER MOCK BACKING CARD

Sunday, 30 August 2015

SPACEX II NUCLEAR FREIGHTER MOCK BACKING CARD

This is a mock up of a theoretical card back for the as yet unseen SpaceX II Nuclear Freighter.

14 comments:

Anonymous8/30/2015 10:42 am
Interesting. And it begs the question whether there's supposed to be two spacecraft on that card, or just one (the yellow craft) that combines the roles of freighting and salvage. I've always felt it would be just the yellow craft, the red one in the illustration just there as a partially shown prop to illustrate the salvage activity. Absolutely no proof that would be the case, though!

Best -- Paul
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WOTAN8/30/2015 4:26 pm
This was a fun piece we did a few years ago, for Woodsys freighter mock up. For me, the toy would definitely be a twin pack, the large yellow vehicle being the Salvage Craft and the smaller red piece, the freighter. I would anticipate the freighter to be a much smaller craft, probably about the size of the silver space plane on Interplanetary 1. Otherwise, why show two craft and duplicate a role already made in the series, the NFII?
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WOODSY8/30/2015 4:59 pm
I agree Paul, it is a fascinating idea. One of the last SpaceX mysteries! I've always loved the fact that the SpaceX artwork for the Salvage Craft and Nuclear Freighter is identical in composition to Eric Eden's original Fireball XL5 GK-10 comic strip artwork. Looking at it I suppose the emphasis was on the Salvage aspect of the duo and not the role of the Nuclear freighter as you say Bill.
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WOODSY8/30/2015 6:28 pm
Looking at that picture of the LT10 again, it looks like the Nova Rocket on its side with fins taken off and wheels added on. Are they the same toy? I don't have the LT10.
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Anonymous8/30/2015 11:06 pm
re original thread:
Well, if there'd be two craft, and following the Eden illustration, then I think they'd be roughly similar in size but probably a bit smaller and/or simpler than the other craft in the series to be able to sell them at the same price as the others. And there -is- that annoying ampersand in the name listed on cardbacks (instead of a forward slash as in NASA Glider/Lifting Body). So it's anybody's guess really. Wish one would turn up to settle it!

re: LT10:
no, completely different things altogether! I'll send you a pic.

Best -- Paul
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WOODSY8/31/2015 9:46 am
I see what you mean about the Ampersand Paul.Having seen that my money's on them being carded together - or could it be a box set like the Nuclear Pulse! Yes, its one that needs settling and soon!
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WOTAN8/31/2015 9:51 am
The later craft did tend to favour twin packs and expanded models, so Im thinking two models!
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Anonymous8/31/2015 10:51 am
The more models the better, so hope you're right!

But as far as boxes are concerned, I'd be inclined to say there's only three for Pippin Spacex, being the three latecomers advertised in Toys and Games magazine - LEM Apollo, Soyuz 6 & 7 (another ampersand!) and the (Photonic) Space Station. That would then provide each of the three themes they had at the time with a larger boxed toy, similar to Stage 1. LEM Apollo in blue box for Moon Base, Space Station in silver box for Space Exploration and I would guess the Soyuz pair in an orange box for Earth Launch (the rationale being that the Soyuzes never went further than Earth orbit).

Best -- Paul
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WOODSY8/31/2015 11:36 am
Sounds great Paul. You do know your SpaceX! I hadn't realised that the Soyuz 6 and 7 were big enough to need a box.
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WOTAN8/31/2015 11:52 am
Hmm. The Soyuz arent that big though and when you look at the carded ATS, I might be inclined to say Soyuz were carded and Earth Base box would be Rocket Transporter.
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WOTAN8/31/2015 12:00 pm
The Hotspur ads all show a 'Major' vehicke front and centre too - lem, pulse, station and transporter, so as the Transporter is on the Earth Base ad, I think we're looking for a model about seven inches long, with Cricket or Forklift wheels, probably orange with a yellow gantry on the back. Right, my crystal ball is clouding over now...
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Anonymous8/31/2015 3:26 pm
The Soyuz pair would easily fit a card (the wider Spacex II kind). My guess is simply based on boxed specials being added later to the carded toys, as per Stage 1.

The Transporter I believe might have smaller wheels like the LT10. Which have spokes moulded in which also seem to be visible in the illustrations of the Transporter. And that would allow the thing to be somewhat longer (and quite a bit wider) than a LT10 but still fit on a card I think. It would then be a bit smaller than a MLPlatform, so the advert illustration would still be roughly right in the comparative sizes it shows. Whaddayasay Bill? :)

Best -- Paul
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WOTAN8/31/2015 4:32 pm
Hmm. Still unconvinced! I assumed the Lt10 had Cricket wheels at first and was disappointed when it appeared! My money is still on a boxed transporter model though, as that gantry arrangement would stand quite proud in a card and if it had to be accomodated along with a larger boxy vehicle, I think it might be a bit crowded. Money is still on carded Soyuz, Crash Tender (with Lt10 wheels) and Salvage craft pair. Im hoping tnis disturbance in the force will bring them all out of the woodwork now!
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