Traffic Scam

One of my favourite ever Anderson knockoffs.

The Traffic Patrol helicopter, a gorgeous rip-off of a Spectrum chopper.

I first saw a black and white pic of this in Dennis Nicholson's superlative Anderson Merchandise Guide circa 1996.

The first time I saw it in colour was when Scarlet super collector Terry H posted one here in the late 2000's.

What a beauty. 

Anyone got one? 

Colours of the Spectrum

The passion for Gerry Anderson's TV shows in Japan is so evident in their countless toys bearing his trademark vehicles.

This is just one example of a Anderson Kaiju mash-up in what is almost a lucky bag. There's so much in there and I for one would have adored it as a kid. Just the card art would have been enough!

I don't know the monster but the beautifully coloured chopper is a Spectrum Helicopter from Captain Scarlet.

There's even a little plastic snap-fit model of it in the bag!

Anyone ever made one up?

Spectrum is Blue

Ever since I first saw the Traffic Patrol Spectrum knock-off chopper I've been hooked. 

First contact was a black and white picture in Dennis Nicholson's Andersonalia Bible in 1996.

A true blog legend, about 13 years later we got to see it in the colourful flesh when blog friend and Scarlet collector Terry H sent in pics of the real thing in his big collection. 

It's a gorgeous thing and could easily be mistaken for a proper Bandai toy. 

Do you like it? Do you have one? 

C'EST SIMPLE! IT'S A SPECTRUM HELICOPTER!

Hi Woodsie, I'm not even sure if I should be mentioning this in mixed company, but the wonderful world of Google can lead you down some very murky alleyways! 

 I discovered these 70s and 80s Italian and French Adult comics, they are pretty sleazy and also the king of rip offs! I think the artists must have been desperate to slap anything down to make a deadline, so shameless borrowing was the order of the day.

I saw one which was a horror story about an oil rig and humanoids from the deep, but look at the helicopter they are using...

Looey

OZ

Captain scarlet spectrum helicopter kit by imai

Courtesy of You Tube.

Anyone got this Japanese kit?

HAS ANYONE GOT AN IMAI CAPTAIN GREY AND SPECTRUM HELICOPTER ASSEMBLED SPARE?

This came in this month's emailbag. Can anyone help Thomas? Let me know. Thanks. Woodsy

Hello Woodsy

I have just visited you blog and found the "IMAI CAPTAIN GREY AND SPECTRUM HELICOPTER ASSEMBLED" shown in your blog.

I wanna to buy this model for a long time, so is it possible to trade with you ? I live in Hong Kong and I have paypal also.

Please please , I'm very sincere to get this model. Please kind to let me know the price, I will reply you immediately, Thank you so much !! 

Best Wishes

Thomas Tam

GODZILLA VERSES CAPTAIN SCARLET

Here's yet another unusual SPECTRUM Helijet toy from Japan courtesy of supercollector Terry Harle. This shooting game appears to be a knockoff mash-up of the helijet, a pistol and some dinosaurs or Kaiju. Is that Godzilla [or Baragon?] and the Captain Scarlet's helijet on the header art, which has to be unique or have they met anywhere else?

THE ROTORS ARE STOPPING.....

..... so here's everything you need for some relaxing RnR Japanese-style!

Erasers and Viewers

Napkins

Model Plane

That's it folks! Hope you enjoyed the spotlight on the Helijet. Pictures of your Spectrum choppers are always welcomed!

SPECTRUM SEA COPTER KNOCKOFF

A recent discovery is this Japanese carded sea-plane model based on our Spectrum friend! Cool or what!

SPECTRUM WATERING CAN

Reader and Captain Scarlet collector Terry has sent me this picture of his own personal Holy Grail, a vintage Spectrum Helicopter Japanese Watering Can. Has anyone ever seen one?

BLOG LEGEND: THE TRAFFIC PATROL JET HELICOPTER

Over the next year we will no doubt feature some amazing knockoff toys from the worlds of Gerry Anderson and beyond. All of them will be blog legends.

OK, so here's the first one and it's story starts in 1996 when I was bitten by the collecting bug. I got hold of a copy of Dennis Nicholson's brilliant Anderson Memorabilia Guide, which I've savoured ever since.

One of my favourite sections were the unlicensed toys, so when I started the blog 12 years later I featured some of them very early on. One of my favourites was a gorgeous Spectrum Helicopter knockoff, the Traffic Patrol Jet Helicopter, made in Taiwan in 1986, which I've only ever seen pictured in black and white in Dennis's book.

Well, we no longer need to be content with black and white picture. Here's a colour shot of the real thing courtesy of Captain Scarlet collector Terry Harle. Here it is in all its colourful glory complete with Traffic Patrol decal and the rear fin insignia! What a fabulous unlicensed toy!

Terry's red four-piece rotor doesn't appear to be the right one but he has kindly supplied me with a picture of fellow collector Danny D's, which has a chrome rear rotor and white main rotor with lights in.

This toy does seem to have the right rotors. Looking at this older snap of the same toy from the blog, showing it from the side, the Traffic Patrol decal appears to be missing and a round Spectrum emblem is in its place. This maybe a different toy altogether and might even be another fine Spectrum helicopter knockoff in its own right.

THE ROTOR SHOW

Spectrum Helicopters a go go! These are the Century 21 licensed Bandai originals, which I've stored in my photo archive from various auctions. There are three different blister packs I've come across on Ebay but their could be more.

As in any Spectrum search there have been many interesting cul-de-sacs and false landings. Here are a few of them.

Processed Plastics

Sanchis of Spain

Sky Tour [make unknown]

Like many of the mythical toys that we featured in the first six months of the blog in 2008, when we posed the question 'does it actually exist', the answer only revealed itself years later. Fortunately this particular myth turned to reality and to my astonishment the Traffic Patrol spectrum helicopter actually surfaced.

Coloured blue, here it is with its rotors and white/ red torpedoes [top left, T.Harle] and below we have the toy close up in all its glory [A.Cook]. Despite missing it's rotor blades it's a great looking helicopter and far better looking than I expected. the black and white picture I first saw in 1994 doesn't do it justice. Myth busted and more to follow!

KEV'S KONAMI COPTER

Hi,

Here is a picture of my Konami Spectrum helicopter if it's any use. Take care,

Kevin

SPECTRUM IS YELLOW!

Imai Yellow Kit

CUSTOM COPTER JR21 BOX BY FERRYMAN

Imai kit in custom JR21 box by collector and graphic designer Ferryman.

IMAI'S SPECTRUM HELICOPTORS

Woodsy,

These are individual photos of each kit all but the last final IMAI release are mentioned in Dennis Nicholson's Gerry Anderson Memorabilia Guide although somewhat brief and very few photos.

Terry

The last incarnation issued by IMAI 

Carlton Aoshima modern re- issue

The original early issue as the box has JPM printed on it as all the early ones did and it has the C21 foil sticker

The 'SS' kit still a mini kit but no clip on clockwork motor. 

The 'Thunderbirds' series issue moulded in yellow with red rotor and accessories. 

The silver set twinned with the Angel Interceptor. These are first issue mini models that had a clip on clockwork motor.

Paramount kit released in Canada which is a clone of the IMAI Kit.

Resin kit

[not in chronological order]

IMAI'S RED AND YELLOW HELICOPTERS

2 colours,

2 sizes.

JAPANESE KIDS ACTIVITY SET

Mystery Japanese rainy day activity set including Spectrum Helicopter picture.

IMAI CAPTAIN GREY AND SPECTRUM HELICOPTER ASSEMBLED

Woodsy

Here's the assembled Imai Captain Grey Kit not yet painted or having decals applied. The box artwork is the Helicopter but the model kit is of Captain Grey with a mini mini helicopter at his feet. This was the second series of eight figure kits. When they were released later in the 1980s there were only six figures as Captain Grey and Lieutenant Green were dropped from the range.

Terry

IMAI CAPTAIN GREY AND SPECTRUM HELICOPTER KIT

Hi Woodsy

This is the box for the second release of the eight IMAI Captain Scarlet figures and the helicopter goes with Captain Grey. So in the box is an 80mm tall kit of Captain Grey with a base that has a spring loaded small helicopter. To my knowledge this was the last release of Captain Grey and also Lieutenant Green. When the figure kits were released later in the 1980s there were only six from the original eight.

This is the spring loaded very small Spectrum Helicopter that is on the base of the Captain Grey figure kit. The box is shown behind and this is the second and final issue. The figure is around 80mm high so the helicopter is about 30mm long. 

Terry