Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Hoover's Spaceships: Swallows and Rockets

Hoover released two Swallows.

Recently I saw this one on auction. It's Hoover's militarized F-111 version of the pair.

Five guns, red colouring and a tailfin were added for combat readiness.


This is its civilian counterpart in pearl white. I prefer this one as it's spacier.

The same box was used for both.


Similar to the Swallow, some time ago I got hold of a Rocket Car by Hoover.

I was looking for toys, which may have cast some light on Hoover's Project SWORD knockoffs.

Not to be confused with the similarly named HOVER, Hoover toys were marked with a geometric arrow and an Art. No. My rocket car is numbered 302 but is sadly unboxed.

This boxed version of my rocket car appeared later. There was no mention of Hoover in the listing and the box says 'Empire Made'. It could be the original, which Hoover knocked off. Does anyone know?


Hoover also made this Rocket XL9 Spaceship.

Packaged in a red striped box similar to that of the Swallow Rocket. The model number is 304.


This is a stripped-down Probe Force 3 and is also a knockoff.

The source of the toy can be traced accurately to the JR21 original, which has the same name, box and even the same model number, 304!


Anymore HOOVER or HOVER rockets or rocket cars out there readers?

*

Breaking News! New Rockets coming to MC! 

Tuesday, 24 June 2025

Driving Terranova47 Quackers

Hello Woodsy

Do I have any duck toys?

Yes this duck on a tractor is about 3.25" high, unpowered but with a hitch to tow something.

Yellow and black plastic it has no markings which to me indicates it is an unlicensed Disney's Donald Duck.

I own it because I like it's overall look.

Terranova47
USA

X-20 Space Car: what a Beauty!



Whenever I see the X-20 online I think, yes, that's one gorgeous space car! 

 Almost art deco, it's atomic chops shout golden age designs like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers.

With model number 226 and it's friction drive with siren you'd be forgiven for thinking it's an X-series JR21 toy.

I'm of a similar mind too. The X-20 and #226 numbering fits the X-series of toys.

It's intriguing.

Does anyone own one?

Monday, 23 June 2025

Thunderbird Racer

 I like this I saw on auction.

It appears to be a Japanese blow moulded rocket car.

There's a definite Thunderbird 1 influence would you say?

What do you think?

Ed's Trash To Treasure Flagstop Station

Woodsy,

It was great reading the recent series of posts about turning scraps from the parts bins into something useful. 

While my mind doesn't work well enough to come up with ideas for a spaceship or spy toy or action figure, it wants to focus more on what I might be able to do for my train layout. 

A few years back I wanted a really small flagstop station (I believe they're referred to as 'request stops' in the UK) for my Edge of Town micro-layout. 

Plasticville makes a small passenger platform that looks good, and I used one for a while, but I wanted something smaller still.

 Inspiration came from the Internet when viewing photos of rural milk platforms and flagstops.


 I ended up cutting down an old Plasticville platform that was a bit beat-up, added supports, a new wooden deck, and a passenger shelter made from a Plasticville 2-stall outhouse with the doors and inner dividing wall removed, and a bench added. 

I gave the whole construct a disheveled, 'I need maintenance now' look and am quite satisfied with the results.

From Request Stop Vegas!
Ed


MOEBIUS 2001 ROCKET MOONBUS

 Some photos of the Moebius Rocket Moonbus, which is a re-issue of the old Aurora kit. and based on the model seen in 2001: A Space Odyssey'

In the film the Rocket Moonbus is used to ferry astronauts from Clavius Moonbase to the Tycho site.

This is one of the pre-built versions, Moebius released.





Ed's Red Pyro Sighting

Woodsy,

These photos were culled from fleaBay many years ago and show yet another Pyro space toy.

From Vegas Base
Ed




Sunday, 22 June 2025

Kali Lives!

 

It's years since I've seen actual Kali. But here it is! Standing tall next to it's pal American Cream Soda in a Hornsea sweet shop.

I adored a small bag of Kali as a kid, a more subtle taste than tarter Sherbet. 

For some reason I didn't get any, perhaps fearful of ruining my sweet memories.

Did you liked Kali readers?

SMALL SEAVIEW

 A couple of old photos of the smaller Moebius Seaview model.



Kevin's AMT Klingon and Romulan Ships Biuld

Bought this recently just to give myself something to do for a few days! It is the old amt kit of the Enterprise, Klingon and Romulan ships from proper Star Trek. This is the reissue and that was in 1989!

Anyway, here it is, small, inaccurate but cute!

Cheers,
Kevin

Saturday, 21 June 2025

The Dry Salvages

In the summer heat we visited a cool salvage yard in Hornsea last week.

There were cars.


Boxed toys and games.


Mr. Muscle is new to me!


It's those big dolls again! 


A FROG buccaneer


We also visited this beach .... And survived! 


And then a stop in Beverley, is that Caroline Munro on the LP cover?

Three big ships in dry dock.

Anything of interest readers?