Tender and Transporter: Two Missing SpaceX Toys' Custom Images and Models

Hi Woodsy,

The very first thing I did with AI when it became available was try and have it generate realistic images of the Spacex Crash Tender and Rocket Transporter. With utterly useless results!

Seeing Bill Everatt's images (on MC) prompted me to have another go. Fed some images and info into chatGPT2 and here's what I got.

First a straight translation of the cardback images used as examples and then a higher-up view that shows some errors.

 

Though they look too large to be Spacex toys, they do look convincing (which is why I decided to put some stamps on).

What do you think?

Paul V

*

To add to Paul's fab renditions of 'lost' SpaceX, here's my own efforts from 2019 at making a home-made model of each of these fabled SpaceX toy vehicles, two of the 'missing' four.

Hope you like them.

If only the real things would turn up! 

Simon Snorkel Rides Again!

 A couple of Sundays ago I picked up this incomplete Simon Snorkel fire engine, Superkings 1978 for 50p at Wetherby.

I've had a pop at fixing it up a bit: 

new extension ladder end, new cage, new side ladders, new turning dial, new hose and nozzle and a general paint touch-up. Twas tender fun.

Here's the revamped version.

Hope you like it.

Is it a toy you had? I was too old at 17 in 1978. I'm not too old now at 64! 

Gosh! It's an Oshkosh!

One of my recent car boot finds was this Hot Wheels yellow fire tender. A pound well spent. 

I recognized it from my old Hot Wheels book, one of the early Eighties Flying Colors range: Airport Rescue 1981.

Thanks go to Paul from Auckland for identifying the original real life vehicle, the USAF Oshkosh P-15 8x8 airport crash tender as pictured on Wikipedia.

Has anyone driven one of these amazing vehicles? It's like something straight out of Thunderbirds! 

ED'S ELDON JUNIOR FIRE CHIEF SET

Woodsy,

Here's a short follow-up to Bill Ev's snorkel post. I know this isn't a snorkel but as a kid this Eldon Junior Chief set with its hook-&-ladder truck and pumper were among my most awesome toys. The set picture was culled off of fleaBay. The pumper photos are mine.

The pumper photos are old as I sold it off years ago. Trying to get one of these Junior Chief sets with all the bits-&-pieces was just more than I really wanted to pursue, and my truck was missing parts anyway. However, the set still remains as a very fond childhood memory.

From Vegas Fire Station

Ed

THE REAL DINKY SNORKEL: BILL EV'S 1965 FIRE ENGINE

Hi Woodsy

Here's a photo of a 1965 (I think) Dinky from my collection. My godmother bought my first one in 1968, but this was played with literally to bits.

A couple of years ago I managed to track this identical one down, complete with mint box and leaflet.

We even had a real.one of these at our main fire station. It was absolutely huge!

Bill Ev

UK

PS. Yours looks like the American version.

Gone Snorkeling!

 Picked up this lovely die-cast Simon Snorkel fire engine at a boot sale today. One pound. A Yorkshire bargain!

Just a little grime and dust to clean off.

And presto! 

I had a snorkel as a kid in the Sixties.

This one's in such good shape I'm wondering if it's a re-issue?

I remember all the super detailing on this toy as if it was yesterday. The fantastic long shape always stuck in my mind.

I always loved how the cab detached and the trailer was made level with the pull-out stabilisers.

And those cool firemen wearing the big raincoats and blue helmets. How great are they! 

A bit of fun, here's a shocking pink sheen using the cyberpunk filter!

I also picked up a Corvette Hot Wheels. It says 1975 underneath. In my desperation for an old Hottie I didn't see the 2012 until I got home! Ah well, it only cost 40p.

Did you have a Simon Snorkel fire tender as a kid? 

Who was Simon Snorkel?

SPACEX II CUSTOM: THE MOCK CRASH TENDER

I've done this before in the past so I couldn't resist placing the Imai model tender with a mock-up SpaceX card to give us a Mock Crash Tender. It would make a lovely Easter prezzy!

It could be done a lot better I know, maybe with the blister showing and maybe even a SpaceX II backing card but it'll do for starters. 

If anyone wants to improve on it then feel free and send us a snap.

In the meantime, what do you think of this CUSTOM job?

IMAI CRASH TENDER

 Based on Frank Bellamy's fab Thunderbirds F1 and F2 tenders the fabled and as yet unseen Spacex II Crash Tender, bottom left, is justifiably a blog legend.

All we have is this illustration of the toy.

So when I saw this little Aoshima/ Imai Thunderbirds 2 Container 4 fire tender on Britmodeller I thought, Wow! That's about as close as we're going to get to the Crash Tender until the real toy turns up.

What do you think? Similar? Not?

Do you own this little tender?

Here it is with its wheels next to some other pod pals.

TENDER BEGINNINGS

When I saw this Neca 52 Fire Rail Car by Lionel on Ebay I immediately thought of the deign of something else.

It reminded completely of an old Frank Bellamy's futuristic TV21 F1 tender, the inspiration behind the as yet unseen SpaceX II F7 Crash Tender.

What do you think?

FACEMASK FIGURES

Here's the little bushel of plastic I got from today's facemasked car boot sale rummage box. 5p each!

I recognise the Action Jack style figure by Biewan Barter, missing hat and pistol, but the rest are a grey area. Ideas welcomed.

We also picked up this assortment of classics for Moonbase Junior including Beethoven the movie about the big drooling pooch.

The big red magnet is just brilliant. I think its a modern version of a really old American toy. Did you have one?

I also noticed this John Deere decal on the back of a pick-up in the car park. The right-hand vehicle reminded me so much of the TV21 SpaceX Crash Tender! What do you think?

TAI HING, TELSALDA OR SCHUCO? THE AMPHIBIOUS MYSTERY

I saw this on You Tube.

Its clearly a T in a Circle / Tai Hing box.

But what make is the toy car?

It doesn't look like my Tai Hing/ T in a Circle toy car.

Is it the famous Schuco amphibious car that was used in Thunderbirds as a fire tender?

Is it something else?

NORMAN'S FRANK TENDERS

Woodsy

Above is TV21 #53 with what I thought was like a Simon Snorkel fire engine of the time just in case you'd forgotten it.  

When I think of fire in the Thunderbird TV series I always think of this little doo-hickey - borrowed from https://www.model-space.com/gb/thunderbird-2-full-kit.html

Have a look at TV21 #104 below and the cargo transporter at the bottom of the page. 

Similar to F1 and F2? The knob on top and sweeping window at front? 

The two 'arms' on the tender's engines in TV21 #108 are used all over the place by Frank Bellamy. 

[pic: Ebay/ added by Woodsy]

Cheers
Norman

Frank Bellamy Checklist
Frank Bellamy Blog
Frank Bellamy Facebook page
and my other interest
Raymond Sheppard

KEVIN'S TENDER

Hi,

Here is my matchbox crash tender keeping an eye on my Zombite fighter.

Kevin

MY SCRATCHBUILT TRI-ANG SPACEX CRASH TENDER: FINISHED!

My latest scratch model is done!

Here's my interpretation of the SpaceX II Crash Tender.

Its been emotional!