Stig Tests a Flying Saucer

 I often wondered where Top Gear's The Stig got his looks from.

I reckon it was from the pilot in this old toy saucer! 

Waddaya reckon?

Are there any more pilots like this?

Dark Lego Knight

https://youtu.be/j5ha2VwHJCw?si=lR5w-uJdQWX_YUPc

I don't think you need to love lego to love the idea of this 😁

MJ

South Coast Base

What Time is it Oliver?

 Whilst on holiday this week in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and environs I saw a few things for sharing.

First up is this beautiful watch on display in Huntingdon. Now it may look modern but it is gobsmackingly from .......

 the 1600's and was the property of one Lord Protector of England, Oliver Cromwell!

It's over 400 years old! 

What do you think of it? How many other folk had watches then? Could anyone tell the time? 

Do you still wear a watch readers?

Next was this sensational model of the Campbell Bluebird, made of .......

Cutlery! 

Knives, forks, spoons all welded together! 

This set of books was one I get one Christmas as a kid. Fabulous reads, I still have two of them. I adored the line drawings of Kings and Queens in A Pageant of History. 

Do you remember them?

Lastly I really liked this poster of the phases of the moon. Really lovely artwork for any wall. Sadly, I didn't get it.

Do you like it? 

I did buy a bundle of old Action Man vehicles but forgot to take them home. They're still at our friend's house hundreds of miles away! Doh! 

Are you forgetful readers?

Dave's Christmas Greeting

Hello Woodsy,

I'm forwarding Holiday Greetings from Dave Windett the artist I work with creating Dan Dare comic strips for Spaceship Away magazine.

Terranova47

UK

*

"Wishing you a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.

Dave Windett"

As Seen on TV!

 Remember when practical gadgets were advertised on TV and only available in certain stores.

Usually a 'bargain' price.

These goods had As Advertised on TV on them. 

Stuff like a trouser press, a heated coat hanger, a lint remover, LP record compilations, the veg chopper and the de-fluffing brush.

K-Tel were the TV record kings: 24 Greatest Hits and the like.

Ronco were prolific too, for goods and records 

Here's a Ronco product I saw recently, using graphics I've seen on their LPs, a portable Sewing Machine. You know you want one!

Which TV goods do you remember readers?

The Rabbit in Beetle Car

 Being a huge fan of vintage Hong Kong plastic novelty toys I adore this car I've been aware of now for a good twenty years.

I don't own one but I've always admired it from afar online, the Rabbit in Beetle Car by CW toys. What a Christmas prezzie it must have been! 

It has a bobbing head and is part of the small no Circus Toy range.

At first I thought the car was partly cabbage leaves but the green veined top is the beetles wing case!

There's a passing similarity to the Comicars range by JR21, - I've got two of these - which also had moving heads.

Anyone got anything like these?

Do you like them?

Unreal Estate

 In an estate agents window in Huntingdon the Missus and me had to look twice at these! 

All price on application, check out these festive homes! 

Which would you want?

GIL GERARD R.I.P.

Sorry to read that actor, Gil Gerald, best known for playing William 'Buck' Rogers in the TV series,  Buck Rogers in the 25th Century has sadly passed away aged 82.

Our sincere condolences to his family and friends. 

A Tiny Bible Charm

 I had one of these as a kid.

A miniature plastic bible.

They appear to be still around, in various colours too!

They were very tiny.

This one's by Cosmo ( found online, not my hand!)

The secret was inside seen through a small peep hole.

The Lords Prayer no less!

It appears that the magnification was all possible via a miniature Stanhope lens.

Stanhopes got around.

Here's a metal Chrysler Building TV viewer.

And more metal charms.

I'd still settle for a little black plastic bible like I had as a kid.

Part of my stash of little stuff back then.

Did you have such a stash?

Did you have a tiny bible? 

Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow: Masquerade Comes Full Circle!

The Masquerade hare has sold at auction.

I'm still thinking about it being buried! The jeweled gold hare buried back in the the late Seventies by Kit Williams and Bamber Gascoine. 

I so remember Masquerade, the mystery art book by artist Kit Williams. It was like folk horror with a prize 

I was 18 in 1979 and it was an essential bit of late Seventies teen geek culture, like say Roger Dean's book Visions was. Grown adults were enthralled too.

Williams's Masquerade's art was mesmerizing, very eerie and the clues in them were certainly not something I could work out the answer to. 

People did though and the hare was found in in Bedfordshire in 1983, although with a whiff of nepotism, the find was marred by scandal. Williams hid away for a long while. I was disappointed it was ever found.

Do you remember Masquerade?

You can read about the Hare auction here:

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87ld115ndvo 

Dog Flight

 Being a huge fan of plastic Hong Kong novelties, here's another one I like for no other reason that it's cute and bonkers! 

The Cartoon Helicopter!

Basically a dog in a chopper, it's got everything going on. A stocking filler!

This auction example has tassel toppers missing I think.

Do you like it readers?

THE BLACK HOLE' PUZZLE BOOKS

 I recently picked up a Purnell 'The Black Hole' activity book. It's not in the best condition but  I do like the painted cover.

Here it is next to my Black Hole colouring book. Maximillian looks a tad bigger than I remember. 

The back covers.  The activity book has a selection of photos from the film, while the colouring book completes the wrap round cover painting.

The same books distributed in the U.S. by Whitman.

Whitman also released a sticker activity book, something I've still yet to find.

Merry Christmas from Woodsy

 

Merry Christmas Readers!

Thanks for all your views, comments, contributions and support on MoonBase this year.

Hope you have a fabtastic Xmas and a cosmic 2026!

All the very best,

Woodsy

CORGI CLUB SUPERIOR AMBULANCE

 

Another favourite of mine  from the Corgi Club - The Superior Ambulance on a Cadilllac  chassis. (437)

The Corgi Club has done a great job recreating this  familiar American streamlined vehicle.

 Corgi introduced the model in 1962, which featured  battery operated roof lights using their innovative 'Tran-O- Lite' system.

A red liveried version was produced until 1966, when after that the model was repainted  in pale blue and white.

This Corgi advert appeared in TV Century 21, August 22nd, 1966.

This TV21 front cover photo set up by Century 21 staff photographer, Doug Luke uses the earlier red version of the ambulance as set dressing.

Ghostbusters fans might  see similarities to the Ecto 1 which uses a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Sentinel Ambulance.

Dinky also produced a less -slick looking version  of the Superior Ambulance (number 267), but never the less desirable, which featured similar lighting, and also came with a separate stretchered patient in the opening back door .