Schuco Amphibious Cars

 Schuco of Germany made some fabulous amphibious toy vehicles. Here's a few I've seen online.

Piccolo Schwimmwagen, open top

Piccolo, closed top

Blue Electric Amphibio, copied by uber-cloners T in a Circle (Tai Hing). The dinghy is a mystery.

And the Electric Amphibio in red and boxed.

Whilst googling I saw this too, a lovely sleek red toy car by King, who are new to me. I don't think it's amphibious but it looks grand! 

Anyone got any of these?

Ed's US Army GPA Amphibious Jeeps

While I don't have any civilian Aquacar's of the type recently posted, here's a couple of similar ones I do have.

The Ideal GPA in light blue SP has been in my collection for many years now.

The Marx GPA in hard plastic was added to the collection just this past week and has a story to it. I recently learned of the Marx version while perusing back issues of Playset Magazine.

 It mentioned that the Marx Amphibious Jeep was quite rare. Then, while randomly searching for things on fleaBay I came across three separate sales that would make a complete GPA! The body was on auction which I won for a whopping 5$. 

However, it had issues: there's a chunk missing out of one side and the axle supports had been removed (what the 'you-know-what'! Who would do that?) Then a set of five vintage Marx wheel sets came up (always useful having extra sets on hand) and I snatched those up. 

Lastest, but not leastest, was the repo cannon - correct for this vehicle. The repos were made of resin back in the '90s so it too is now a vintage piece.

 For the moment - and just to show what a complete vehicle would look like - I took the photos with the wheel sets simply inserted into the bottom of the hull. 

From the right angles, it still looks good.

From Camp Las Vegas

Ed

MYSTERY AMPHIBIOUS TRUCK

 This mystery vehicle is in my photo archive. I've no idea what it is.

Have you readers?

Moon Rescue

 Whilst browsing Todocolleccion I saw these neat space toys.

This is some sort of 8 wheeled space crane. 

The crane folds up at the rear. Something maybe missing on top.

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ADDENDUM FROM WILL O.

Hi Woodsy, Is this moon explorer a cousin of the crane posted here on the blog? The base looks similar.

Will O, UK

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This Spanish Rescate Lunar is very swish. A moon rescue craft. But which moon?

It's clearly some sort of futuristic pedalo.

There could be some this missing on top.

Do you like them?

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Postscript:

Extra shot of the Lunar Rescate by Bobby's/ Vansa

Courtesy of THE MILLION blog [reader Antionio Saz]

This shows the top radar, side rockets and the box inner tray. Anyone got the box?

and another toy branded Bobby's, which appears to be a brand of the company Vansa.

BLOG HORN: INVESTIGATING GERRY ANDERSON'S AMPHIBIOUS CAR

I've always liked Gerry Anderson's Investigator boat. 

                                                                                                                    Sylvia and Gerry Anderson

I didn't have it as a kid but have grown to admire its design as I've grown up. Fortunately you can often pick up one the Dinky rendition of this vehicle at toy fairs and car boot sales.

Below is the actual show's prop and what a glorious craft it is. There's just something about it that I love.

 

                                                                                                                                                   Vectis

The prop, sold by auction in 2018 first by Sworders and then in 2019 by Vectis, here's the Vectis description, which gives lots of great info about this iconic but less well-known Gerry Anderson vehicle.

Gerry Anderson The Investigator speed boat original film prop, 1973, would have been towed for the live action sequences, used in a twenty-three minute pilot episode of a new project that did not continue to further production; designed by Reg Hill, who had made many of the props for Gerry Anderson's other productions, including Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet. 

This boat, along with the Investigator car, lot 4539, were manufactured by Space Models of Feltham, boat has storage damage and missing some parts, would benefit from sympathetic restoration, 98.5"/250cm long. 

NB: The Investigator was to be the final Supermarionation production. Three Thunderbirds voices were used- Peter Dyneley (Jeff Tracy) as The Investigator, Shane Rimmer (Scott Tracy) as John and Sylvia Anderson (Lady Penelope) as Julie.

You can see close-ups of the cockpit on the great Downthetubes blog.

Earlier in the year I got hold of a very cheap Dinky Coastguard toy and after some restoration it turned out quite well and ready for investigating our glass table.

Ten years ago both Scoop and I were lucky enough to get hold, with different boxes, of large-scale plastic clones of the Dinky Coastguard car. A truly obscure but amazing toy, it came remote-controlled and looks awesome with the boxes.

For more info, there are tons of sites covering the Investigator's two vehicles including the Sylvia Anderson page. 

I wonder if the two Dinky toys were available across Europe and the States?

Anyone got any Investigator toys or merchandise readers?

Is That The Coastguard?

 With a home-made mast and a white pen touch-up my Car Boot Gerry Anderson Dinky Amphibious Coastguard is now on duty patrolling the MoonBase moat.

Pilotless, the only figure I could find of the right size was a Napoleon Solo donated by Bill B.

He's on tenterhooks, it's a bad case of THRUSH! 

Have you got one?

Call the Coastguard

 I picked up these two for three squid on Sunday's sale.

The Dinky Amphibious Coastguard is in great nick, just missing it's mast and the missiles and pilot. 

I've finagled a new mast from the bits box and have left the glue to dry before a coat of paint.

Hmmm, which pilot to use?

ATLAS ATV

I mean c'mon, I want one! You?

https://youtu.be/vQPxa372kKk?feature=shared

SAFE LANDINGS

Woodsy,

Here's some landing craft in my collection. They're quite popular among the Little Green Army Men collector group.

From Vegas Beach Head

Ed

USA

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Eldon No.1010 USMC LCT with Marx Tank 1

Marx Navarone Landing Craft 12

Payton Landing Craft w-star 16

T.Cohn Landing Craft w-SPG

THE FJORD: IT'S TRES BIEN!

This is pretty neat, the Fjord by France's Joustra.

Its an amphibious truck with a remote control. These two are from auction sites.

Reminds me of a white amphibious car I had as a kid that appeared in Thunderbirds.

Here's the original French ad. Looks like Fjord got the job done!

Like it?

UNIDENTIFIED FLOATING OBJECT

This RC amphibious truck by You Tube's RC Modders is just fabulous and very UFO! What do you think?

COAST GUARD SHADO 2

I just love this photo I saw on flickr of a US Coastguard vehicle in Sturgeon Bay by Garrit Speckhard.

I'm not entirely sure of its a boat or a land vehicle or both but its got Gerry Anderson chops in spades!

It would have looked great on Thunderbirds!

There's a real SHADO vibe to the front especially when you think of Mike Trim's original concept.

What do you think?

KEV'S AQUACAR

Hi,

Inspired by Scoop's shots of his Aquacar toy making its way across the desolate sandy wastes that are Southport beach, I thought I really must get one and turn it into the version seen in Thunderbirds. Here are the results.

Life's a beach.

Kevin

UK