Moonship Flags

 This is the American Ahi Super Rocket Plane.

A sleek blue cigar-shaped lunar liner, it sports the USA's stars and stripes.

As you might expect the white British original from Century 21 Toys, the Moonship, sports the Union Jack in the middle or on its rear end.

Have you got either? 

Operation Box Top: More Moonshipping

 Our joint box project, now in the cutting department, has moved forward another step or two.

From Arto's cool originals and Wotan Bill's ace graphics I've made a second Century 21 Toys Moonship box. This one is sturdier than the earlier test run.

To model it Ive used the blue American Ahi version, as my other C21 toy is in storage.

The sturdier box is safer for the contents but I've used a window film less transparent than I realised, giving it a murky look.

At some point I'll have a go at a third box and try to improve on the last.

I also had a bash at an American Ahi window box from Bill's graphics.

Whether the Ahi had a window box or a all-card box is a mystery. Only one small photo is known - in a book - and it's of a flattened top.

The Ahi will get a standard non-window box too this Spring, for which Bill's graphics were really designed.

To improve the look of this I have since added it's name to the front.

Next up is the Chinese box.

AHI SUPER ROCKET PLANE MOVIE

 Azrak-Hamway's American moonship in orbit. Whoosh!

Ed's Azrak-Hamway #6371 Star Trek Phaser Water Pistol

Woodsy,

Here's a little sumthin' I picked up recently that you might like. Normally, I don't collect Star Trek stuff, but I got this for a reasonable price so what the heck!

Anyone else got an Ahi Phaser like this?

From Vegas Base

Ed

Going Ape! The Custom Ahi Planet of the Apes Stunt Cycle Completed

 With Bill's wonderful graphics I've been able to box up my custom Planet of the Apes Stunt Cycle.

Unusually the backing card had a 3D footer, which Bill recreated perfectly so I could construct it as it was in the late 1960's.

Toy kings Ahi went to town on this box and besides the 3D footing, it had instructions on the back for turning the card into a stunt ramp! 

The plastic blister came courtesy of my Missus's old plastic case of blank business cards. It did the business alright.

The bike is an old Matchbox model, the rider an old tractor driver with an ape's head glued on and for a final garnish, a Playmobil rifle.

Our monkey business done. Hope you like this latest team effort.

My Custom Ahi Planet of the Apes Stunt Cycle

 Being a big fan of vintage Planet of the Apes rack toys I thought I'd have a bash at making my version of the Ahi Stunt Cycle.

See what you think.

Monkey Business

 Whilst relaxing among the mountains of Cumbria I got to thinking about my latest bit of messing with toys back home.

I was reminded of it by a gorilla. A small plastic one I bagged for 59p in a toyshop. I had to get it even though yesterday whilst at Moonbase I ordered two apes on eBay. These were dearer, around £4.

Ah well, I'll have three to choose from for my ape motorbike rider. I only need the head.

The old toy I'm emulating is this rare Ahi Planet of the Apes stunt cycle.

I've got my bike and my rider ready. The saw will remove the bike's fork rigging and the riders head.

I'll carry on aping around when I'm back home.

ARTO'S BATCOPTER!

 Arto recently got himself a cool carded Batcopter.

At first glance it looked like the Ahi - Azrak Hamway - version, seen below, but Arto's has a globe maker's mark! You can see it bottom left above. Is that a C wrapped round one side too? Anyone recognise it? It's from 1977.

The card art reminds me of Mego Comic Action Heroes or similar.

Anyways, here's the Ahi carded original from 1974.

and Ahi's later 1977 card

However, Arto's version has the same backing card as the 1979 UK version of the toy by Jotastar, seen here third from the left listed on an old Heritage Auctions auction.

Here's a closer look at the 1979 Jotastar.

The Jotastar Batcopter was available in 1978 as seen in this comic ad. It cost £1.15p!

There is at least one more version of this toy, this time adhering to Ahi's backing - the LHT or Len Hunter Trading toy seen below.

Len Hunter Trading is an Australian company and also re-issued the magnificent Ahi Batmobile and Batboat. Their address appears clearly on the side of its box.

In France it was Pin Pin Toys who got the Batcoptere in the shops.

Ahi themselves recycled their copter for many other Super heroes such as the Hulk and Spidey, seen below.

They also issued a different card and handle,

Not to be confused with their Batscout!

Have you any Copters readers?

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[images courtesy of Ebay, Hakes, Heritage Auctions, Plaidstallions and Arto]

FURRED TEETH: THE AHI DENTIST BEAR

It appears that dentistry is a popular profession with Teddy Bears! 

This is the Battery Operated Dentist Bear with Drilling Hand Piece and Crying Baby Bear, No.6484. By AHI of Japan. Share A Joy With AHI Toys. The front of the box also says S & E, in a diamond, just above MADE IN JAPAN.

It is made of printed tinplate, with fur and fabric for the Teddys and their clothing. There is a letter D on the back of the Dentist Bear's smock. The battery compartment is in the base. The tip of the drill lights up.

There are a few of these around. It is 10 inches high, and seems to date from the 1950s.

Two photographs from Worthpoint.

You got one of these?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

AHI PENGUIN MOTORBIKE

Here's a Batman related toy I've not seen before, the Azrak Hamway [AHI] penguin bike. I will try to find a carded example online.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-batmans-comic-action-figure-3103779259

CENTURY 21 TOYS MOONSHIP: SLIDESHOW

Here's an interesting slide show from an old Dutch seller's boxed Century 21 Toys Moonship.

It's white with red side trims and nacelles. It also got the UK Union Jack flag.

Have you got anything like this toy?

https://vintagespacetoys.com/products/hk-moonship/

SUPER ROCKET PLANE ON ALPHADROME

Joe K's great post about the AHI Super Rocket Plane aka the Century 21 Moonship

http://danefield.com/alpha/forums/topic/19374-1969-super-rocket-plane-by-ahi/

plastic supersonic

I love supersonic plane toys.

Sanchis of Spain made some brilliant planes and here's their remote controlled Concorde.

What a sleek gem it looks!

Drooling over it I also couldn't help noticing the similar sleekness and red-blue colour scheme of my ahi Super Rocket Plane aka Moonship.

Have you got any sleek plastic toy planes?

american shipping news: moonship catalogue entries

Courtesy of the amazing Alphadrome its interesting to place together the two known catalogue entries for American Moonships.

Here's the "Super Rocket Plane" from the AHI 1969 catalogue

Here's the "Moonship" from the 1969-1970 M.W. Kasch catalogue.

I've discussed both of these entries separately before [Super Rocket Plane and Moonship] but never together like this I don't think.

What's interesting is that both these catalogues were American and yet two different brands are shown. The super Rocket Plane is the AHI name for the toy and Moonship is Century 21 Toys' name.

As I've said recently though, I think the Super Rocket Plane shown is actually a Century 21 Toys Moonship.

These two toys looks the same to me!

What do you think?

It would appear that there were quite a few Century 21 Moonships in America in 1969. Looks like AHI had access to them too!

Have you a Super Rocket Plane, a Moonship, either box or any pictures from catalogues, comics and books?

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[pictures: Alphadrome/Toy Memories]

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For interest here's the original release note for the Century 21 Toys Moonship from Toys International the summer of 1969. Read the article headed with "It's not so unfamiliar ....."

moonship and super rocket plane: a case of mistaken identity?

This image appears in the 1969 AHI Catalogue as featured on the brilliant Alphadrome.

It is the AHI Super Rocket Plane in what appears to be black and white.

A question was raised on Alphadrome [by Joe K] as to whether this was a AHI or a Century 21 version?

I was interested to see if a colour picture of this AHI toy would look the same when rendered black and white too.

Here's a colour shot from the book Future Toys along with the back panel of the window box.

Here's the above colour image turned a dark form of monochrome on my laptop.

and here's the same in a lighter tone.

What do youi think readers? Is the top AHI catalogue photo the same?

I'm not so sure.

For the sake of completeness here is the Century 21 version called the Moonship.

In colour

and black and white

Here's the AHI Catalogue image again

Apart from the Union Jack sticker they look the same to me.

I think Joe K was right. AHI photographed a white Century 21 toy rather than the correct blue AHI version for their 1969 catalogue.

But why?