HOT WHEELS JPL SOJOURNER MARS ROVER

While going through some old boxes, I found this Hot Wheels set from my early days as a die-cast collector. 

In the 1990s Hot Wheels had a series called Action Packs, each containing either two vehicles, figures, and accessories; or three vehicles. 

Each was housed inside a long plastic bubble, mounted on a large backing card. Other sets within the range were shown on the back of the card.

Most of the sets were normal road vehicles, with one or two TV tie-ins. This one was devoted to the JPL Sojourner Mars Rover mission. 

This was the first NASA mission to land a wheeled rover vehicle on another planet. It was launched on 4th December 1996, and landed on Mars on 4th July 1997.

The Hot Wheels set, number 16145, has a copyright date on the back of the card of 1996. Notes about the mission say that the landing is due in 1997. The front of the card shows the Rover on the surface of Mars, with the Lander in the background

There are three models in the set.

Lander - silver-grey with a white centre section. There are three fold-down petals, one of which carries a mini Sojourner Rover. Printed paper solar panel details.

Sojourner Mars Rover - six-wheeled vehicle. Silver-grey wheels and suspension, gold body, and metallic blue solar panels on top.

Mars Pathfinder - the white flying saucer-shaped spacecraft that carried the Lander to Mars. Removable top section. With silver-grey and gold detailing, and metallic blue solar panels on top.

Markings on the various models include the NASA insignia, red JPL lettering, and the US flag.

My example cost $9.99 at The Warehouse chain.

The Action Pack series also included a John Glenn set, which I do not recall ever seeing. 

Probably they were all snapped up by American collectors. This contained a Mercury capsule, Space Shuttle, and three figures of Glenn from different periods.

Have you got any of these?

Paul Adams from New Zealand