Its satisfying when a project comes together and even better when the parts appear unexpectedly. Having recently won the Apollo Moon Exploring Radar Console on ebay, I was a step closer to completing my miniature Cape Canaveral Rocket Base, most of which was copied from its larger cousin by Blue Box toys. Then after Woodsy spotted the missing piece in an antique shop nearby, I saw a chance to finish the set. Following a mercy dash by Woodsy before the lockdown was enforced and a good rummage round in various boxes in the shop, he miraculously managed to find all three rockets and the tiny silver radar from the Rocket Transporter Truck. Along with the truck he also bought the red helicopter - copied from Tri-ang Hornby and again made by Blue Box, which added to the set.
So, after many years searching, I finally have a full (expanded) set of models from Blue Box, which copied the Topper Cape Canaveral set.
The lorry had been really haphazardly painted, so it needed a little touching up with silver on the deck and the spare wheel had come off. One of the rockets had lost its chequered collar, so I replaced those with simple printouts.
Toppers Cape Canaveral set is a big polythene based toy, with launching rockets and missiles and came with waterslide transfers to decorate your rockets, all named after mythological beings such as Nike, Jupiter, Thor and Atlas.
The strange rocket with the ball like attachment on the top has been copied by Multiple Toymakers for a rack toy space set and is larger in scale than the Blue Box Atlas rocket.
Some time ago I got some spare parts for the Topper set and made a simple version of the Apex Radar Console with plant pot holders!
Both the Topper and the Blue Box toys are great designs and well worth tracking down. Just don't launch the Topper rocket anywhere near the tree at xmas..
Oh wow! I'm droolin' here LOL Great work in completeing this set-up Wotan. Now, the question is, are you going to do some kind of diorama (temporary or otherwise)?
ReplyDeleteGreat- like the small version even more than the large Topper one! Never knew they did the main launch pad until now.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Bill on such a complex & satisfying achievement. Look fabulous! Like Ed said a diorama setting would be an icing on the cake!
ReplyDeleteWell with luck, ill have a ManCave TM - so a bit of space to have some toys out for longer than an hour and not be confined to shooting in the kitchen. Ive got so many toys crying out for dioramas, but this could be numero uno!
ReplyDeleteYay! :-)
ReplyDeleteThe helicopter is based on the Bell 47J, which was a variant with an enclosed fuselage - most versions of the Bell 47 had an open skeletal fuselage and large bubble canopy. The British Tri-ang Battle Space series was based on a range by the American company Lionel. Both ranges included a Helicopter Launching Car or Operating Helicopter Car.
ReplyDeleteI especially love the radar dishes made from pot plant holders - perfect.
Wonderful stuff Bill, and congratulations on getting it complete.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant work by Woodsy in playing such an essential part in this happy achievement - first reporting a chance discovery and then rapidly chancing a recovery. Loose toys rescued and brought back to where they belong! They ought to make a film about that. :)
Best -- Paul
Best -- Paul
Thanks Paul! ha ha. It was a pre-Lockdown dash! Lady Luck was instrumental! Suddenly there are loads of vintage toys in our nearest town! can't get at any of them now till December!
DeleteIt's a little scary looking back, how as kids we were fascinated and entertained by these terrifying toys of mass destruction!
ReplyDeleteWe had quite a militarised childhood what with Action Man/ GI Joe and Johnny Seven and the like Charlie but their wasn't much extreme violence on telly and we didn't have computer games like Fortnite.
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