Twenty First Century Booster

 Here's the original Century 21 Toys Project SWORD Booster Rocket from 1967.

It was battery operated with mystery action.

The blue fuel tanks all detached. 

The large coffin box is illustrated with a rendition of Ed Valigursky's LIFE painting. The box included a paper SWORD manual and a plastic pin badge.

The rear red exhaust bell lit up and the silver exhaust rod detached.

The front miniature space plane was spring loaded and could be ejected, a very neat feature of this impressive toy, one of the larger ships on the SWORD toy fleet.

Do you have one?

Images courtesy of Sally Antiques.

Up in Smoke! The Topo Gigio Fireman:

 It's not often these days on eBay though see anything unusual from Century 21 Toys.

This though is.

The Topo Gigio Fireman Dress-Up Outfit, a lovely blister carded costume for the C21 Toys soft plastic Topo mouse doll figure.

I guess this range was aimed at girls but being a mouse it's hard to say. Topo may have had universal appeal.

There's a few carded Top costumes to go with the boxed figure, all uncommon now and really interesting to see. 

Have you any of these Topo items readers?

Do you like this costume?

Captain 21

 I've got these two snaps in my auction archive.

He's definitely Captain Scarlet.

Century 21 SPV? 

SPC?

*

Why didn't they make a big plastic toy MSV? ☹️

Dinner For One!

Hi Woodsy

I am afraid I do not know too much about this furry gentleman, who is about to tuck in to a pretty substantial looking fish dinner. Apart from the fact that it looks to be friction-powered, Made in Hong Kong, and was numbered No.417 on the underside.

There are two wheels under the red box, and a single wheel under the barrel. Bizarre, but cute.

Four photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

The rest of the Dining Cat photos. I have no idea what his real name is. Another toy I stumbled across while looking for something else.

Yours Sincerely,

Paul from NZ

Century 21 Toys Luna Len Model Number Anyone?

I'm trying to figure out the model number of this obscure Century 21 Toys toy, Luna Len.

In this battered box I saw online it appears to be A91 on the top flap.

Can anyone confirm that? 

Luna Len was released by many toy companies Including Mortoys, Mego and more.

Alphadrome has compiled a fabulous rogues gallery of them on their site.

 https://share.google/ktB8xqeTq29RLoB2h

Lady Trouble

 The trouble with the internet is it's full of interesting coincidences! 

This auctioned Air Stewardess caught my eye.

A souvenir from Monarch Airlines ( hope it's not Monarch from the Godzilla movies!)

She's a monochrome dead ringer for the similarly but pinky dressed Fairylite Lady Penelope doll from the Sixties (did Century 21 do one as well?).

 Both logos even have crowns! 

Image from the superb Bold Doll 

https://thebolddoll.com/f-a-b/

Have you any Lady Penelope toys or Air Stewardess dolls readers?

Topo Gigio Toy Camper Truck

 I saw this online and it reminded me of its appearance on the blog in its early years as it's an obscure Century 21 Toys toy:

The Topo Gigio Camper Truck issued circa 1967. 

Do you like it?

It's one of three different Topo vehicles they released.

Of interest to Project SWORD toy collectors, the box art Century 21 used for their Topo vehicles was the same as the space vehicle range.

CENTURY 21 TOYS CONTINUOUS ACTION TRAVELLER

Always of interest to Century 21 Toys fans like me and many of you, this is their unusual Continuous Action Traveller.

A sort of tumbler car, of which there are many versions, this particular one is illustrated on the box and collectors need to be sure its the right one. This auction from which I kept the images last year appears to be correct, box and vehicle.

The box art even includes a Dyna Soar!

The branding logo is AA I think. So it would appear that Century 21 Toys put an AA toy in one of their boxes for release.

Is it a toy you have?

Spanning the Years: Bridge Building Toy Tanks

Ace toy spotter Terry H sent me a link to an interesting US auction earlier this year for a seemingly rare vintage and boxed Puddle Jumper Mobile Armored Launcher by Multiple Toymakers. What a Christmas present it must have been!

 It's certainly a new one on me. 

See what you think. I wonder which is older?

This Multiple Toymakers tank recalls Century 21 Toys own version, which we've covered before on MC.

Here's a nice one I saw on auction years ago.

Have you got a bridge tank? 

Addendum:

Woodsy,

I was surprised to see this post regarding MPC's Puddle Jumper - aka Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridge (AVLB). 

These are the first photos I've seen of a complete one with an original box. I've had a couple over the years and still retain one in the collection. Mine is missing the gun barrel, but a repo barrel from one of MPC's tanks is a good 'nuff substitute. 

While this mobile bridge works great with MPC's 60mm tanks, Jeeps, personnel carriers, etc., it also came as part of a set which included an oversized tank and halftrack. 

Attached are some photos of my MPC Puddle Jumper as well as my much smaller Boley Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridge (AVLB).

From Vegas Battle Ground

Ed

TANKS A LOT TIMMY TOAD!

Reader Timmy Toad has come to the rescue! Actually, Timmy came to the rescue in 2021, the last time I got my Mobile Bridge tank out but I must have been asleep. Fortunately, three years later and my tank out again, I found Timmy's emails and pictures in my Gmail archive, which I will post here. So a big belated thank you Timmy!

"Woodsy,

the wheel goes on the front as shown in the following pics. As you turn it, the bridge lifts off the tank and onto the floor. I guess you put the tank into reverse to lay the bridge, then remove the rod holding bridge to tank. As you can see my rod is broken. I think its meant to be about twice as long with a stop and ball at one end. I've given the cogs a twirl to turn the motor, and checked continuity with a multimeter. Next job is to put 3V directly to the motor to see if it'll go

Yep that long rod with the ball on the end shown in one of the pics is for attaching the bridge to the tank. I've only got the bottom half of it (so only one side of the bridge is supported by the tank), so need to find something to replace it with (I shall be looking at plastic cocktail swizzle sticks, and other such stirring rods). Alternatively I could cut what I have in half and use a piece at each end (assuming its long enough to go thru both ends with a bit spare to pull back out).

I think once the bridge is in the vertical position you have to manually open it as you continue to turn the wheel to get it horizontal (I'll experiment with that once I get both sides held by the tank).

the wheel goes on the front as shòwn in the following pics. As you turn it, the bridge lifts off the tank and onto the floor. I guess you put the tank into reverse to lay the bridge, then remove the rod holding bridge to tank. As you can see my rod is broken. I think its meant to be about twice as long with a stop and ball at one end. I've given the cogs a twirl to turn the motor, and checked continuity with a multimeter. Next job is to put 3V directly to the motor to see if it'll go.

Regarding yours, you say the motors been taken out. Is that everything including the metal holding structure as well, leaving just the axles?

My fiddling around with the motor in mine has resulted in this short clip...enjoy! Timmy Toad"