tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post3900348566020998323..comments2024-03-29T00:46:34.146+00:00Comments on MOONBASE CENTRAL: MATCHBOX STINGRAYWOODSYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13456645970983569001noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-79470206428794624122020-09-13T20:24:26.894+01:002020-09-13T20:24:26.894+01:00It would have been a tight squeeze for my Fairylit...It would have been a tight squeeze for my Fairylite Stingray to fit underneath.;DSCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-63829721242949182582020-09-13T20:08:37.736+01:002020-09-13T20:08:37.736+01:00That Marineville Base Play Set would have brought ...That Marineville Base Play Set would have brought tears to my eyes had it been released during Stingray's initial run.ZigguratSF2000https://www.blogger.com/profile/04507561597742917717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-54265354256103710402020-09-13T13:47:22.641+01:002020-09-13T13:47:22.641+01:00Hi Kid, yes, I've got the small Mattel Stingra...Hi Kid, yes, I've got the small Mattel Stingray,still sealed in its blister pack.SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-10990045560902014842020-09-13T13:23:50.161+01:002020-09-13T13:23:50.161+01:00I'm glad to be able to say that I've got a...I'm glad to be able to say that I've got all the Matchbox Stingray toys and that my big Stingray and Marineville haven't colour faded. I think that the fading in these two particular toys may be down to exposure to sunlight, whereas with the Vivid Imaginations 'wind-up' Stingray, it just does the blue-to-green switch through age. I bought two of them at the time and one's been kept in its blister pack in a cupboard for years, but has still changed colour, same as the one I opened and put on display. Incidentally, the Mattel Stingray, which is roughly the same size as the small Matchbox one, is far superior in detailing and finishing. Well worth having.Kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07224781868125924337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-67314174012344042332020-09-13T10:26:38.455+01:002020-09-13T10:26:38.455+01:00Hi Yorkie, yes, you're quite right, it was Viv...Hi Yorkie, yes, you're quite right, it was Vivid Imaginations. I remember going to a Memorabilia fair at the NEC around 2000, and seeing a stall covered in them. I really should have picked one up then, but there's still plenty about so I don't think I'll have a problem.<br />As you, again quite rightly point out, Vivid was formed by ex-Matchbox directors just in time to take up the Anderson baton when it came to Captain Scarlet and Joe 90 toys didn't they. I liked some of their earlier Captain Scarlet figures and vehicles. I must admit when it came to their Joe 90 range, apart from the Jet-Air Car I wasn't that fussed. <br />SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-31729247067647896772020-09-13T10:04:26.448+01:002020-09-13T10:04:26.448+01:00Hi Gordon, yes, odd that only one side lettered, I...Hi Gordon, yes, odd that only one side lettered, I suppose it could be down to production costs or something. <br />Your memory of your elastic powered version sounds like the vintage Lone Star toy. I never had one myself, but I did have a Lone Star clockwork one, which I really wish I still had. Both had lovely packaging as I recall. I mean to pick up the Vivid wind-up one at some point. SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-48003511759305892102020-09-13T09:54:18.279+01:002020-09-13T09:54:18.279+01:00Thanks Paul. Glad to hear that the Matchbox toys m...Thanks Paul. Glad to hear that the Matchbox toys made it to NZ. As I mentioned previously, I bought most of the nineties Stingray toys for my son, who was about six at the time, not that I needed an excuse. ;)SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-55378411481172412672020-09-13T09:47:34.692+01:002020-09-13T09:47:34.692+01:00I'm thinking you mean the flattened areas behi...I'm thinking you mean the flattened areas behind the rear intakes. Andy? I imagine it would be a fiddly job, for you. <br /> SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-28665325062833748402020-09-13T09:39:13.045+01:002020-09-13T09:39:13.045+01:00I remember the bath toy version too. Wasn't th...I remember the bath toy version too. Wasn't that by Vivid Imaginations in the early 200Os during another run of Gerry's shows on the BBC? Vivid were ex-Matchbox staff. Sadly the shape was wrong again. But it's amazing that toys and models from Gerry's shows kept coming back so many years after they were originally made. Classic shows, great designs. Yorkienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-56973530707692397192020-09-13T09:25:36.175+01:002020-09-13T09:25:36.175+01:00I notice from the second photo down that your mode...I notice from the second photo down that your model doesn't say STINGRAY on the starboard side. Nor does mine - I thought this was a production fault, but were they all like that? I wonder why...<br />As for the bath toy, I had an elastic-powered one which worked really well as long as you didn't overwind the propeller. Still, if the elastic band snapped it was easily replaced!GordonDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13042369456484397838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-9257025896649272172020-09-12T22:50:17.409+01:002020-09-12T22:50:17.409+01:00That was a really wonderful article. Stingray is t...That was a really wonderful article. Stingray is the first Gerry Anderson show I can remember, so it was likely the first to be shown in NZ. We did not have a TV set at the time, and I am sure I actually watched this, and other programmes at the flat of a neighbour. I do recall seeing these toys in the shops, but did not get any at the time, as this was before I got into die-cast collecting, and I was still mainly interested in plastic kits of aircraft and military vehicles. I love the Marineville set.Paul Adams from New Zealandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-77866756548211510762020-09-12T20:37:47.394+01:002020-09-12T20:37:47.394+01:00Always a Stingray fan. There are a few inaccuracie...Always a Stingray fan. There are a few inaccuracies towards the rear of the hull of the small Stingray, and I have wondered about trying to abrade the hull to the correct shape and repainting the silver area, but so far I'm too lazy!Andy Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-89398636265469618852020-09-12T17:19:38.615+01:002020-09-12T17:19:38.615+01:00Yes, it does look fairly accurate, Yorkie, but lik...Yes, it does look fairly accurate, Yorkie, but like you say a little too small. I think you're right about all the curves Stingray has. It must be difficult for any manufacturer to reproduce. Also, as there were several different scales of the original prop, they probably all looked a bit different themselves.SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-70280352785822026812020-09-12T17:13:51.041+01:002020-09-12T17:13:51.041+01:00Thanks portland. I don't have one myself, but ...Thanks portland. I don't have one myself, but I think the bath toy was made by Vivid.SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-73007771960224865982020-09-12T17:12:40.289+01:002020-09-12T17:12:40.289+01:00Still got the diecast set too. I think the small M...Still got the diecast set too. I think the small Matchbox Stingray is one of the most accurate ever made. Even the Product Enterprise Stingray gets it wrong. Maybe it's the curves that manufacturers just can't get right. Sad as Stingray is IMHO the most beautiful of all the Gerry Anderson vehicles. Shame the Matchbox toys is so small though. If only they'd made it a little larger - say 6 inches like their Thunderbird 2. Yorkienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-62208794156691892482020-09-12T17:09:25.160+01:002020-09-12T17:09:25.160+01:00Nice photos as usual! Where's the clockwork ba...Nice photos as usual! Where's the clockwork bath toy?portland182https://www.blogger.com/profile/11115336219716639688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-45583198322153113702020-09-12T17:07:17.913+01:002020-09-12T17:07:17.913+01:00Thanks Kevin. Yes, they were a nice release. Both ...Thanks Kevin. Yes, they were a nice release. Both Stingray and the Mechanical Fish in my 'undersea'photos were originally bought for my son, Danny, who played with them as youngster. SCOOPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481423869059986451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2156181044707591026.post-9900857521567323112020-09-12T16:49:44.391+01:002020-09-12T16:49:44.391+01:00Great photos. I like the matchbox diecast Stingray...Great photos. I like the matchbox diecast Stingray and Terror fish, they are pretty good likenesses. I still have one of each.KevinDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17156420273824134900noreply@blogger.com