A LOOK AT SPACE PATROL

 I've been re-watching Roberta Leigh's almost forgotten Space Patrol  puppet TV series which is now being shown, after an eternity on Talking Pictures TV here in the UK.

Although I did have copies of the  Space Patrol Super 8 cine films on video, and later, the complete series on DVD I do like to watch the odd episode live, as it were.

As a point of interest, I understand that Roberta Leigh had 16mm film copies of the series stored in her garage for years, and it was these that Network DVD remastered and released ,first on VHS and following that on DVD with extras, and later, without extras, on Blu-ray.

The show was produced by Leigh, and Arthur Provis, Gerry Anderson's ex-partner from A.P.FILMS, and was aired on British TV from April, 1963..

The series was known as Planet Patrol in the US to avoid confusion with an existing 1950's live action American series of the same name.

The series is set in 2100, and concerns the missions carried out by the United Galactic Organization, made up of representatives from Earth, Mars and Venus. The action is centred on Captain Larry Dart, Husky  the Martian, and Slim the Venusian  who crew  Galasphere space craft 347 or occasionally 024.

Comedy writer, Dick Vosburgh voiced Dart,  while actor and  revue artist , Ronnie Stevens, comedy actress, Libby Morris , her husband, Murrray Kash, and Ysanne Churchman, known  to classic  Doctor Who fans as the voice of Alpha Centuri  in the Peladon stories, complete the voice artist line up.

When it came to spin off merchandise, Space Patrol appeared mainly in print, although I believe there was a 'Space Patrol Frizzbie produced.

Gold Token books  AKA Super Mag produced  two comics. Both featured fairly simple plots and artwork .

In 1965 TV Comic carried  52 full colour centre page strips  written by Roberta Leigh and drawn by Bill Melvin.

The 1966 TV Comic annual featured two comic strips, and two colour photos on the end papers, apparently the only colour  photos known to exist from the series.

The Beezer comic, not generally known for Television tie-ins featured 26 2 page colour episodes. Sadly I don't have any decent examples of these in my collection, so apologies for the poor scans.

World Distributers published a television story book in 1965 titled Space Patrol and The Secret Weapon.. 

The book featured two text stories written Roberta Leigh, with illustrations by cover artist, R.W. Smethurst..

 Primrose Confectionery produced Space Patrol sweet cigarettes which featured a set of painted generic space race picture cards to collect. 

OPERATION BLUES AND ROYALS

 Getting hold of big black plastic horses has sent me right back to my childhood.

I recall having the Action Man Lifeguard uniform for the horse-rider, which I adored, but I never had this beautiful Blues and Royals, which I really wanted too.

iamge:Worthpoint

And so to 2024 .....

My initial idea was to get hold of the blue version of this small Dolls of the World, but why stop there. Let's get busy!

Being an adopted Yorkshireman with a pair of scissors I don't want to spend much money, so here goes Operation Blues and Royals for an Action Man, DIY style over the summer!

Using an old red Lifeguard jacket as a template and raiding the Missus's material drawer my scissors got going.

They kept going, cutting up red wool for the trim. OK, there's some dried super glue showing but I'm impatient!

Next I ransacked the ribbon and beads jars. A bit rough and ready but ...

et voila!

After struggling with the big-handed modern Action Man, the tunic slipped onto a slightly smaller action doll easily. Peter Andre looked on enviously!

Next up, white trousers!

What do you think so far?

A LOOK AT THE LONE STAR ELASTIC BAND POWERED STINGRAY

 Some photos of the plastic Lone Star elastic-band powered Stingray bath toy which I imagine would have first appeared in 1964 or early 1965.

It’s around inches long (180mm), and for a simple toy, a reasonable representation of the super sub.

The underside has a large propeller attached to an elastic band which you obviously twist and watch the toy shoot across the water.

My example has a small propeller attached by a plastic support below the moulded rate-master. Later versions have a larger propeller attached the back of the rear hydroplanes.

For the completists, there’s also two distinct variations in colouring, one being a sort of sky blue, with simple sprayed silver and gold embellishments like mine, while the other is turquoise with silver embellishments.

I particularly like the box design and colouring. Mine is a fine replica box from Graeme Walker of the Big Red Toy box website. It even has an expertly cut fold out top piece just like it would have been back in the day.

TV Century 21 offered one as a competition prize in issue dated June 26^th, 1965.

Lone Star also used the same mould for their wheeled clockwork version.

Lone Star clockwork Stingray

A STABLE RELATIONSHIP

 Sometimes Lady Luck stops by.

On Friday I said I wished I'd bought a Sindy horse last year in a Wetherby charity shop.

Well, going back to Wetherby yesterday I was stunned to see another Sindy horse.

A white articulated one with a big red Sindy coat up on a shelf.

Not quite believing it I glanced down to the floor and lo and behold! two more horses and these were the big tall ones.

I wuz amazed, bought the lot for six sugar lumps and took them home as Lady Luck rode off waving!

ED'S PAYTON TANK HAULER

Woodsy and Fellow Moonbaser's,

My next three transporter e-mails will all be military related. Here's one that's quite hard to find and a bit of an oddity. Payton made an iconic set of 45mm Little Green Army Men along with their associated vehicles like tanks, truck, Jeeps, etc.

 However, this truck is w-a-y too big for any of those and is more suitable for larger vehicles like those made by MPC (of which the MPC Weasel is pictured loaded onto the trailer).

From Camp Vegas

Ed

USA

TOMY'S TREE HOUSE

 Years ago I posted a gallery of plastic Tree Houses like the Kenner/ Palitoy Ewoks one.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2018/08/im-playing-with-all-tree-houses-mum.html?sc=1719610515376#c6665009643985986514

Here's another one someone has mentioned to me, the Tomy Koedachan House from 1977 onwards. This is a 1983 version I saw online.

Have you got a tree house?

oh, and here's the Gummi Bear House someone else mentioned. No idea of the maker. You? This was on Pinterest.

We Were Talking about Pencil Cases .....

Hi Woodsy, 

here are some of my Giant robot/Anime pencil cases, mostly bought in the late 70's, to mid 80's. I have a few more, but this will give you the idea...

The ones on the left are very cheap construction, being made from vacuum formed styrene trays with a cardboard cover, heat sealed inside vinyl sheeting. They are almost all held shut with magnetic latches.

The more luxurious double layer versions boast two opening covers. These feature cover art with Bootleg Gundam, Southern Cross aka Robotech Masters and Arrivederci Space Cruiser Yamato.

The two edge on examples aren't Sci Fi, but both have much more complex locking systems. The lower has a toggle clasp and the upper a weird radio tuner style that requires the user to twiddle the knobs until the needles in the dial match up!

The Crown jewel of this small collection is this transforming Daitarn 3 robot which features a number of easily lost components!

See what you think.

Looey

Oz Base