A few photos of the two models made by Konami that featured in Gerry Anderson's TV series, Joe 90.
Professor McClaine's, Jet Air Car was the star vehicle of the show. It was designed by Derek Meddings, and quite unlike most of the usual sleek craft seen in other Anderson productions. Apparently, Gerry wasn't too impressed when he first saw it, but it's unique look is definitely part of it's charm.
The second Konami model is the Explosives Truck that featured in the Joe 90 episode, 'Colonel McClaine'. This was designed by Mike Trim and is considered the prototype for the Shado Mobile as seen in UFO. Three hero vehicles were made, plus a forth 'stunt' model. Joe 90 drove truck 61, while the character 'Sarge', drove truck 59. Truck 58 was driven by character, Private Johnson.
Unsurprisingly, the Explosive Truck did make re-appearances. One appears in the Joe 90 episode 'The Race', repainted in khaki, and another in the episode, 'Breakout', this time with a modified rear and painted red.
Truck 59, confusingly sporting the number 61, briefly appeared in the Secret Service episode, 'School for Spies', prior to being blown up.
More information about the Explosives Truck can be found here in an article written by David Sisson.
Gorgeous shots Scoop. Even so small these cool models come up great in photographs like yours. The U59 is a fave vehicle of mine which I only really became aware of doing the blog. It would have made a cool doe-cast toy as well not a million miles away from the mould of the SHADO 1. In 2009 I found a stack of cheap Chinese toy vehicles in a discount shop and I thought they were the U59 at first glance! Alas not but still great fun http://projectswordtoys.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/bloggiversary-farewell-bargain-joe-90.html
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the Imai version of the U59 looks like biult up? Any idea Scoop?
Thanks Woodsy, I've got pictures in my photo archive of some ads showing the U59 and the U87 kits made up. I'll post them.
ReplyDeleteLove the dioramas they show off the models to perfection I think Konami came up short with the models they made no samsung car cloudbase Zero X Skyship 1 Thunderbirds 6 and quite a few others
ReplyDeleteThanks, yeah, a Sam Loover's car would have been good and all those others you mention . I would have liked Konami to have done an Ed Strakers car too.
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