More SWORD toys to celebrate Moonbase
Central’s eighth birthday, and it’s the turn of the Re-Entry Task Force fleet.
The three
Re-Entry Task Force craft according to the SWORD Official Manual:
…are experimental craft at the
present time, similar in concept to the Probe Force Series, but being smaller
are designed to be taken to the Moon aboard a larger craft, and used as
propulsion units for craft unable, at present to return under their own power.
Again the aim is to cut down on the vast wastage of machines and materials
which are necessary at this stage in space development.
Judging by
that I’m thinking these intriguingly designed craft were originally envisaged
as a kind of lunar ‘space tug’ type vehicle by the Century 21 publishing staff
when they were creating the Official Manual, although when they appeared in the
‘Solo’ comic Project SWORD strip, RTF 1 is SWORD Supremo ‘Sabre’s’ personal
craft, and RTF 2 is SWORD Astronaut,’ Rapier’s’ personal craft.
TF 3 is a
general purpose space patrol craft with a freight or medical stretcher hold.
(However,
the numbers of 2 and 3 do get mixed up in both Solo and TV21 comics for
some
reason)
Generally
speaking, this trio of pocket money 1/72 scale space toys featured fairly
heavily in the Solo comic strip, and included cutaway drawings of each craft. (note the number mix up)
One type of
Re-Entry Task Force craft did feature in the Project SWORD Annual. In the text
story, ‘Queen of Spades’, the elderly, weather –beaten Sergeant Sandy ’Mac’
Morris flies a suicide mission aboard a bomb laden RTF 1 attempting to close a
natural oil fissure that threatens to wipe out an African SWORD base.
In TV21, a
RTF 2 attacks a rogue Moon Bus in, A Question of Discipline’, and in ‘The Fire
Practice’, SWORD personal are caught napping by an attacking RTF 1.
The friction
drive toys themselves have no gimmicks, but do come with a SWORD Astronaut
badge and the Official Manual.
Well researched and well photographed, Scoop. You've done a cracking job with the lunar diorama. I really like it!
ReplyDeleteAgreed, magnificent.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous shots, Scoop, you go from strength to strength!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful diorama, and the atmosphere here is greatly enhanced with those little lights you built in. Stunning.
Best -- Paul
Memories...
ReplyDeleteThanks guys, I just try to make them interesting for you folks. : )
ReplyDeleteLovely post Mike and the dioramas are stunning. All in all with the toys, comics strips and 1.5.annuals its quite a body of work project SWORD. Not bad for an idea that had no TV presence whatsoever like its big cousins Thunderbirds et al. That's a fine looking trio of toys and boxes you have too. Did you have SWORD toys as a kid?
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