Go Go Motor! Asahi!

I recently clocked this beauty in Buyee Japan, a 1960s Asahi Toys pull-back Moon Rocket. It's 24 inches long too! 

What a beauty with a box to cry over! It's reminiscent of other toys like the SWORD Cape Kennedy rocket.

You like? 

Apollo Force Japan

 From an old auction, this plastic rocket appears to be a relative of one I have.

Except, among other things,  this one lights up! It may even move?

The battery unit is at the rear.

A really neat design, it's made in Japan.

My own relative is the Apollo Rocket seen here on the far right in 2013 next to my Probe Force 2 and pink Tarheel Nova.

Have you anything like this?

PS.

The three Tarheel Novas in their window boxes.  For more click the Novas label below.

Apollo X: Square Box

 I saw this online a while back.

It's the Apollo X rocket we've seen a lot on MC. It's the one that can stand up on its own. 

This particular box is unusual.

It's square. 

Every other one I've seen has been wedged-shaped.

Have you got an Apollo X?

Vegas Base in Space

Courtesy of Ed

USA

BLOGGIVERSARY SWORD NEWS: NOMURA PROBE FORCE 2 LOOKALIKE

These days its not often I see a new Project SWORD relative.

However, there is something of some interest to SWORDies like myself in the 1969 Nomura catalogue featured on the brilliant Alphadrome website.

http://alphadrome.net/forums/topic/18792-nomura-catalog-1969/

There are many fine and fascinating toys in this old catalogue. For fans of Tai Hing/T in a Circle toys you will see Japanese examples of the Moon Trek rocket and the Apollo -X drive-and-stand rocket.

It's on page 3 that my interest was really piqued. Mid left is the Astro Series Space Rocket. It appears to be one of four in this Astro Series, all appearing there on the page, some of which we have seen before. The size is a mystery [image is the property of Alphadrome]

Personally I've never seen the 'Space Rocket' before though. It looks like the Apollo Rocket I posted ten years ago  . The Astro Series rocket could well be a smaller version of the Apollo Rocket, which is pictured below on the right.

For SWORDies the Astro Series Rocket also has a passing resemblance to the Project SWORD Probe Force 2, especially the thicker rear end. 

I would love to see the Nomura Astro Series Space Rocket and maybe its box should you have one readers!

WILL'S TOY ROCKETS AND PLANES

Hi. Some pictures of rockets and planes. The Gemini capsule is the same as the Clifford toys one which recently appeared on the blog, but this is a WES toys one.

The Marx toys stratojet is obviously a TSR2, in a lovely lurid yellow. The X 15 is a much nicer model. Also, I’ve got a dizzy bugs game somewhere in the games archive, if I can find it I’ll send a picture.

Best wishes and keep well. Will O.

CHECK THE ENGINES SCOTTY

The vintage toy to the right is the Apollo Rocket.

Its side nacelles remind me of the iconic rods on the original USS Enterprise.

The engines' astrodomes are similar too.

You can read much more about the Apollo Rocket and related toys on Bill's post  The Sum of its Parts.

Here's the SpaceX R6 Rescue Craft. Its red engine is the wrong way round.

This and moie are explained in detail by Bill in his posts Exhaustive Spacex Research and Rescue Me.

I couldn't help noticing the R6's similarity to a bayonet lightbulb with a silver collar!

Another toy which has an exhaust tube is this 3D printed Dyna Soar by Shapeways. Its tube is topped with engines the right way up!

More toy connections to come!

ROTATING TOY APOLLO ROCKET IN FORMATION

This Apollo 12 toy orbiting rocket caught my eye online. It's typical of its type - it suspends from a nylon string attached to the ceiling and rotates - and there are several different versions like the T in a Circle one and a carded Moon Trek.

The interesting feature is on the instructions on the back of the box.

It shows the rocket and a jet flying together on the rotating string. It says 'You can fly your toys in formation'. I think that's so cool. Have any of you ever tried this readers?

Looking at it made me think of my own version and in particular the red rocket nose cone and the two fins just below.

I can't help thinking that there's a similarity between this and my other rockets shown below, from left to right, Tarheel Nova, SWORD Probe Force 2 and Apollo Rocket.

and maybe most strongly with the nose of the SWORD Probe Force 1 pictured below.

What do you think readers?