One of my earliest ‘space/army toys’ is the Crescent Rocket Transporter. A heavy die cast model about 10 inches long. I remember getting this when I was about 6 or 7 and playing with it on the floor of a shop in the high street. The rocket is a polythene body with a heavy diecast warhead, with a loose striker. Fitted with a paper cap, the strong spring would shoot the rocket about 3 feet and if it hit a hard surface, detonate the cap with a satisfying bang. The original rocket for my model has been lost during various house moves over the last half century, but the lorry and tractor remained safe with my army toys. Just this week I found a loose rocket, in the original white (earlier versions had yellowbodies). The rocket had two of the fins missing, so I had to make new ones from plasticard. The paint from the nose had long gone, so in lieu of red enamel, I used a redmarker, just so I could photograph it.
Earlier models cane in civilian livery, with the US Army camo arriving later.
It was always interesting that there was a civilian version of a rocket launcher. One wonders what it's uses?
ReplyDeleteI found this site with more information on the Crescent rocket launcher, and lots of good photos.
ReplyDeleteTalk Model Toys: Mobile Space Rocket - no.1268
Crescent model 1268 was released as a Mobile Space Rocket, with a red tractor, green trailer, and yellow missile. One of the ads shown says 'Get to the Moon first with the Crescent rocket !' Price 8/6, or 42 1/2 New Pence in modern money. The Army version was the 1267 Corporal Type Rocket & Lorry, in dull army green with a white rocket. So it was sold as a space toy, even though it was actually an Army weapon.
Polythene is always a pain to paint. I used to use steel wool and a marker pen as a primer layer, but the ink tended to bleed through any subsequent paint.
ReplyDeleteNowadays I use spray auto upholstery vinyl fabric paint, but the colour range isn't huge...
Luckily, I don’t need to paint the polythene. I just used a dog food tray in white plastic and superglued on a couple of fins. I can’t fire it, as the fins will snap off, but sits well on the shelf. Ill get a auto paint touch up pen in red for the tip, as im not a fan of Humbrol pots.
DeleteI've moved on to acrylics from enamel paint. They work out much cheaper and actually seem to look the same, plus you can wash the brushes out in water. I still occasionally use Humbrol, but less and less as time is going on. I also tend to use rattle cans as well, especially for large areas. They work out cheap and work well on most surfaces with the appropriate undercoat.
DeleteI had a Russian version of this or similar at least in the 90's. It was hollow, green and very clunky. It was boxed I think. As per usual with me it got sold. I think a friend brought it back from a road trip, from England to Russia!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Rocket launcher trucks are a great toy genre. I had several versions of the U.S. "Honest John" rocket launcher, both as a toy and as a model kit (from Adams, I believe).
ReplyDeleteYou used to see rockets being transported along motorways decades ago. Not seen one since the Seventies I don't think. Maybe we don't have any missiles in the UK anymore?
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, this comment jogged a weird memory, not exactly related. In early Spring 1979, I was driving down Interstate 95 in Connecticut on my way home from a friend's house, and at some point a big convoy passed by me, heading South. Cop cars, with lights flashing, in the front and back, and a giant transporter in the middle, carrying an immense, metallic, cylindrical container or cannister. What I found intriguing was the extra security around this vehicle, plus the "Danger: Radioactive Hazard" signs posted on the side of the cannister.
DeleteShortly afterwards, I turned on the radio, and heard the first reports about the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania. I never was able to confirm this one way or another, but my guess was that this container was being shipped from our own nuke plant, Connecticut Yankee, to TMI in nearby Pennsylvania, to store contaminated debris. A weird slice of ancient history!