If you were a budding spaceman during the '70s, you may remember the desirable Dekker Space helmet with its aesthetically cool green retractable visor and NASA style sticker. The helmet was sometimes packaged as a set with a stylish junior space suit. The perfect attire for those daring lunar missions around the dark side of the neighbourhood.
As a nipper, I remember drooling over this classic piece of space plastic in our mail order catalogue. I vividly remember the page showing some wannabe junior spaceman, grinning alongside a trio of happy costumed '70s kids, sporting '70s hair styles. They were somewhere in the 4-8 age range wearing colourful and adventurous outfits, representing a cowboy, soldier, nurse and astronaut. If there'd been any justice in the universe, that catalogue kid in the space suit would've been me!
Despite my ambitions, the Dekker space set eluded me throughout childhood. But hey, that didn't keep me out of the space race. My impoverished yet imaginative space agency improvised equipment with cardboard boxes, felt tips or silver foil and sellotape. The kinda cobbled together creations that would've won an approving nod from Ed Wood.
The pictured example of the Dekker space helmet came by way of trade at a friend's vintage toy shop last year. The space suit's long gone and the plastic space mike from inside the helmet is missing. Not a problem, because the suit wouldn't fit me now and the space mike's unnecessary because in space no-one can hear you scream.
Tony K
UK
Very nice. I'm often tempted to make a space helmet, possibly Space 1999 or Star Cops. A Skydiver/Interceptor one would be nice too.
ReplyDeleteHope you do, Kevin. I'd love to see the end product!
DeleteIs this dekker space helmet for sale?
DeleteSorry, it's not.
DeleteOh I dearly recall those, think my nephew had a second hand one for a while - at least until his uncle tried to cram his oversized noggin into it in a fit of overzealous jealousy! Bill
ReplyDeleteI was very careful when I tried it on (purely on the orders of the inner child, Bill). It just about fits.
DeleteThat's one cool helmet Tony, and with a visor in my favourite colour!
ReplyDeleteI'd love too see that Ed Woodish space equipment you came up with as a nipper. There's nothing better than DIY as a child!
Thanks Arto. It's a lovely old space helmet, but the ones my dear old mum created were truly out of this world, from what I remember.
DeleteSweeeet!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ed and Bettina.
DeleteFab post about a real baby boomer treasure Tone, thanks for sharing this wonderful space toy.
ReplyDeleteA pleasure, Woodsy. I always enjoy everyone's posts. Thanks for including this :)
DeleteMy mum helped me make not one, but two papier mache space helmets because we couldn't afford this toy! She blew up a rubber baloon and we pasted squares of newspaper over it. Once they were dry, we popped the baloon and trimmed it to size.
ReplyDeleteIn later life, I used the same method to make 40 New Guinea style mud man masks for a TV commercial in short order!
Great memory, Lewis. Mum's could be so inventive. These thing they made for us were priceless.
ReplyDeleteI’m looking to buy a dekker space helmet. If anyone has one they’d like to sell, please email me at bomarkley@ gmail.com
ReplyDelete