Old toys are by nature fragile. Its a wonder any survive at all!
Here's a boxed Project SWORD Booster Rocket on auction that has lost some parts on its long journey to the present.
Although it has all its cylindrical fuel tanks, the rear exhaust canopy and the exhaust, as well as the front probe are missing in action. The box has picked up some grime too.
Here's a Booster that's seen far less action over the years. Its remained complete and the box looks great too.
Have you got damaged and much better versions of the same toy readers?
Anyone got anything totally mint and boxed?
Well, if we use totally mint and boxed, I'd say my Spacex Mobile Launching Pad qualifies. If we change to mint on card then I've a few Golden Astronaut cards that are about as mint as budget carded toys from the 70s can get (slight backer warp)
ReplyDeleteThey sound lovely Lance. Are Spacex and Golden Astronaut a passion of yours?
DeleteA bit of a passion. Never had any Project Sword toys or even knew of them as a kid. I had some of the 6" Marx Apollo astronauts and the carded Spacex/GA toys. I had the Moon Explorer/Prospector which eventually had lost one of the balance wheels and most of the chrome rails broke off. It went away with a boxed moon base set I sold off. My Nova Rocket (orange/purple) came apart over the years as the glue dried out and I think a couple of the chrome side rockets are hiding in a parts box I have. My Recon 1 had a wing bent and gear broken off when I stepped on it. It lost the missles and the launcher's insides over time. My Hawk lost the landing gear shortly after moving to Texas as the sidewalks here are very rough while the ones in Michigan were very smooth. Eventually the teeth on the wings broke from plastic fatigue and I was unable to repair them with model glues of that time. The remains of it I still have. I had a Lift Loader (blue) that I haven't seen in 40 years but found it as I was cleaning out the home as I move back in. It lost the driver and the steering wheel at some point but is in good shape. I'll send pics of my boxed/carded ones soon.
DeleteMe again. Looking at those 2 examples of the Booster Rocket, they aren't the same. What I mean is they have some differences instead of being "identical".
ReplyDeleteThe incomplete one (top) has the front piece showing the eject button to the starboard side. But IIRC it is just a separate piece that you push onto the main body when out of the box which would explain the angle the button is shown at yet other examples of this show no button or a different angle.
The top one has a different rear. While the red part/engine appears to be the same as the complete version, there is a black band right behind the button where the red shroud normally rests. While the diameter is right, none of the other examples I can find online show a black ring there, it is always the one red shroud/cone piece and nothing but white showing through it. It makes me think this was a well done repair at some point in its life.
I do not own one of these nor have ever seen one in person so this is just all my conjecture/opinion.
The toy comes in pieces in the box. The fuselage fits onto a tube, which is probably the black band you can see
ReplyDeleteThe conical nose section screws on, it could therefore be at different positions.
I loved how the whole thing came apart as a kid Kev and the fuel cells slid off little rills. Yes, it could be put back together at different twists until the whole slotted together perfectly Lance.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that booster rocket
ReplyDeleteI have a LOT of MPC playsets and far too often the plastic has gone brittle on the pieces. It's very disheartening to have a nice cannon, or figure, or whatever crumble in your hands! :-(
ReplyDeleteYes, a great shame how they degrade Ed. I recall my Action Man rubber gripping hands going hard and crumbling!
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