Occasionally I do find myself buying the odd item that is really quite superfluous to my toy or model collections, but, nevertheless still has a strong nostalgic pull.
One such item is this bagged set of 1960’s Stingray Arm Fins from Morlaine ltd.
Now, they’re not something I’m planning to use anytime soon, but I remember them being advertised in TV Century 21, back in 1965, so I thought I’d take a punt!
The red plastic fins are supposed to help you swim faster ‘like Troy and Marina’, and are designed with ‘supersonic speed holes’ to’ help you speed along’ in the water!
Obviously these swimming aids are highly unlikely to enhance your swimming speed to Mach 1, but back in 1965 I can imagine a young Stingray fan bobbing about in the local swimming baths who might have felt there was a definite improvement to his, or her swimming technique while testing the things!
The Fins came with a free ‘WASP underwater agent’ badge, automatically making the wearer a Stingray swimming ace. Mine is plastic covered tin, although some sets apparently came with just a cardboard version.
Another plus point for me is artwork on the header card which was done by artist, Rab Hamilton.
Rab was also
the artist who drew the comic strip adverts promoting the Stingray Arm Fins,
featuring the Stingray crew using the Arm Fins to get them out of underwater
trouble.
When it comes to the artist, I can’t say I know much about Rab Hamilton, : A web search revealed his real name was Alex Hamilton, and occasionally used the name Robert or Bob Hamilton.
As to Rab’s contributions to Gerry & Sylvia Anderson’s TV series spin off publications in the early sixties, I know Rab is credited as one of the artists in the 1965 Fireball XL5 annual, and he worked on several of the TV Century 21 specials and annuals. He is probably best known to TV Century 21 readers for his work on the Agent 21 strip. He did work on some other Stingray related publications during the sixties too, including illustrating the Marina comic strip in Lady Penelope comic, and working on both of the sixties Stingray annuals and the 1965 TV Century 21Stingray story book.
So, anyone
else have aquatic adventures wearing a set of Stingray Arm Fins?
I really enjoyed reading this in depth article, Scoop. The fins and header card art are fab and and a great addition to anyone's collection.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tony. A reader on another platform has vague memories of this toy being withdrawn from sale at some point because it was discovered that if the wearer fitted them the wrong way up they would struggle to stay on the surface!
DeleteThat was Titan's plan all along!
DeleteHa,ha! Excellent X two -zero!
DeleteGreat post Scoop. I didn't have them as a kid but I remember thinking of buying some when I first got the collecting bug in 1990. There was often a set in Andy Foley's TV Toy Zone and the late Jim Stevenson's vintage toy ads in Model Mart magazine. I was sorely tempted!
ReplyDeleteThanks Woodsy. Yes, there is something about these vintage items that tug the nostalgia strings. Like you, I never had them as a kid but I tend to imagine they would have been on sale at one of those typical seaside shops that had toys you generally didn't see anywhere else.
Delete17/6 in 1965? Blimey they were pricey. That would have got you a full set of Project Sword Task Forces in 1967 and left change for plenty of sweeties.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, nearly a quid! The Fairylite Stingray toy was only 9/11!
DeleteSurely you mean nearly a 'squid' Scoop!
ReplyDeleteHa,ha! Don't give up the day job Mish! ;D
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