Sometime in the summer of 2005, I spent a week up in Yorkshire with my friend, Celtica Radio presenter and the stations Founding Director Dave (Cooky) Cook.
During that time, we visited Whitby, and there found a little shop off one of the narrow cobbled streets. The shop was an Aladdin's Cave of Product Enterprise die casts; Eagles, XL5s, Stingrays, SPVs and SHADO equipment which were all in abundance. There was also a beautiful SHADO Interceptor and UFO for sale at £29.99. Stupidly, I thought it was too much to pay, so I passed up on it.
I've been kicking myself ever since.
Cooky and I have often talked about this time, and that I should have just bought the blessed thing. But with the prices such precision models now command, its not something I'd never, ever have suggested a treasured friend to get for me as a gift.
A few days ago, a signed-for package arrived via Royal Mail. So, expecting something else I'd ordered on Ebay turning up (which we'll hear about in a later posting), my first thought was "This is a bigger box than I expected."
I carefully opened it only to find it was this…
Inside, was this beautiful pristine Konami 1/144, or 1/200th scale UFO. Mint, in a mint box, in the sealed plastic bag. And a personal message from Cooky and his wife Angela. I know how much these things fetch on Ebay so I rang them up to say thank you and also to tell them off about spending that amount of money on me.
I honestly can't put into words how perfect the build of this model is. Konami are known for their television accurate models, (I have more than a few of the others in my collection) and this is no exception. Using the 1971 UFO Annual as reference, this is perfect.
In fact, because its been made with modern materials and production methods, the UFO is better finished than the actual models used in that TV show itself. For the team of craftsman who created this model, it must have been a labour of love. The lines are clean and super accurate, and even the veins and inner section spins with the clear dome and base staying static.
Certainly, if some production company wanted to make a new series of the UFO TV show, and Xerox the look of the UFOs. They could scan these beautiful models for CGI distance shots, and possibly close-ups too.
Here are a couple of shots next to a few other famous craft that I have which are roughly in scale...
Of course I'm very grateful to their kindness and for thinking of me like this. So thank you Cooky and Angela you have of course not only added to my valued collection, with a piece that was missing. But its nowhere near as valued as your friendship means to me.
Bill Ev
UK
What lovely friends. The Konami UFO is superb isn't it? Better than the Product Enterprise/Sixteen 12 version IMHO, even if it is smaller.
ReplyDeleteThe "UFO" from UFO is the last great Anderson design, sigh, so sublime...
ReplyDeleteIts a lovely UFO Bill and a nice gift from Cookie. You have some great looking toys in your displays. I like how the UFO lifts up above the two Eagles!
ReplyDelete