modmart's captain scarlet missiles

After a first step out into the big wide world yesterday afternoon for a few hours I was happy to breathe fresh air and be among family and friends.

By early evening I wuz bushwacked, back on my sick bay sofa watching You Tube. By the way, thanks for all the hot tips about films to watch guys. All noted for the cinema of the settee for the week ahead!

Late last night I decided to watch some old short videos made by fellow collector and all-round Gerry Anderson expert Modmart.

My recent acquisition of what are probably Century 21/ JR21 Toys SPC missiles and a suitcase got me researching which other Century 21 Toys vehicles had missiles.

Having watched Modmart's excellent footage of his comprehensive collection it would appear that besides the three Project SWORD Scouts, which I have [picture: Ferryman] .......

.... the only other C21/ JR21 toys with similar white red-tipped missiles are the three Captain Scarlet vehicles issued by the company.

These are the Spectrum Patrol Car, Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle and the Angel Aircraft, shown below from Modmart's film and none of which I actually own. 

As far as I know these Captain Scarlet toys were all available worldwide in the late Sixties.

You can watch Modmart talk about these three vehicles yourself and its well worth a look:

It still seems odd that C21/JR21 bothered to produce two different sizes and shapes for what were essentially the same missile. 

The Project SWORD Scouts had the longer ones with the longer bottom plug [below left] whilst the the Captain Scarlet vehicles had the shorter one with the shorter bottom plug [picture: Arto].

Having tried both types of missile in my SWORD Scouts successfully I am still perplexed as to why the two types were manufactured.

Any ideas?