TRANS-OCEANIC SWORD VESSEL

Here's one of my favourite Unsung Heroes of the SWORD fleet, never making it to the toy factory, the awesome Trans- Oceanic Sword Vessel, which graces page 89, part of the Survey Vehicle strip in the 1969 SWORD Annual. Skippered by Captain Moretenson, the Vessel must transport DIVER 1 to the Australian seas to recover a stricken nuclear reactor. Also known as the Jet Ship and the Mother Ship in the strip. Compare it with the original painting by genius Eric Eden in the TV21 Summer Extra, where it's called the Transatlantic Day Ferry and in black and white, the Atlantic Ferry. I've never seen any toy that looks like it but I'd love to be told otherwise!

7

For more detailed info about the comic strips in the SWORD Annual consult the fabulous Gerry Anderson Complete Comics History.

TASK FORCE 3 BY SL - MORE INFO FROM DISCARDARAMA

Hi Paul, Thanks for the swift reply. I'm attaching a couple of pics of the SL logo and Empire Made text from the box and a shot of the underneath of the rocket where "Made in Hong Kong" appears. Having scoured both box and rocket, I can't see anything with a date, but hope the No. 121 C under the SL logo will help you there.As far as using pics goes, please go ahead. As far as credit goes, I'd be grateful if you would use the name Discardarama.

7

If you want more pics, info, I'm more than happy to help. I can tell you that it is in working condition, with a slight tendency to turn left. The figure inside is still fixed in place and nothing seems loose or missing. The stickers look fine but there are some signs of age elsewhere. The blue cockpit canopy has traces of yellowed glue in places, and there is more on a tail fin and underneath on the friction motor fitting. The wheels are the least well moulded part of the thing, with the smaller front wheel in silver, the rear main wheels being black and silver. The whole thing seems to be kept in place by the 2 screws underneath, so there is a slight gap on one side where the top and bottom don't fit flush. It doesn't appear to have ever been taken apart as there is still glue on the head of the rear screw.

FANDERSON

After years of dithering, I've joined FANDERSON! Wahey! Can't wait for my membership pack! I'm 10 again!

MLP DIORAMA BY MIKE BURROWS

Mike's latest MLP diorama is awesome! The colours are great. Gerry Anderson should give him a job! Mike's also kindly sent a copy of the MLP paper instructions for you to copy and keep. Cheers Mike!

PS. Just noticed that in those paper instructions the little silver jet at the top is called the 'Command Module'. Never knew that! Fascinating! (think I'm turning into Spock!)

BEETLE BY WOTAN

I love the Beetle and am surprised it never made it into model form. Originally shown in Eric Edens artwork for Tv21 Summer Extra along with the Sand Flea (Survey Vehicle), you can easily imagine it trundling across the carpet, let alone the artic tundra! Futuristic design always fascinates me and the Beetle reminds me of the Road Train and Antartic Snow Cruiser - although these did actually make the real world, the Snow Cruiser unfortunately proved less than successful off the drawing board! See www.joeld.net/snowcruiser/snowbibl.html for some great info! WOTAN.

Nice one Beetle Bailey! Eric Eden was a genius!

COMIC ONLY MACHINERY: BEETLE

Unlike DIVER 1 this vehicle made it - the Beetle gets 2 cracks at its own toys - the Century 21 'Snow Train' Cut-Out model Book and the Imai Thunderbird 7 R/C kit - but it's worth having a closer look as it appears in several guises and can be confusing.

6

Here it is as brilliantly illustrated on page 12 of the 1969 SWORD Annual in its 'heat shield' mode, a caterpillar-like mole-ship, which can 'fly' through rock, lava and magma. If you've seen the modern film The Core then its the same idea only much earlier! This is the format captured in the Imai Thunderbird 7 kit, although this model can also open up to launch a small Booster Rocket (can't do this in the Annual strip, not sure if this is based on the TV21/ SOLO comic strip?). I think that Imai simply made up the name Thunderbird 7. There's no such thing in the show or?

6

It's 'Snow Train' guise, without the curved heat -shields, looks more like a Polar CAT with tracked carraiges and is the star vehicle of one of the 1969 Century 21 Cut-Out Model Books. Wonder if anyone has actually ever taken the plunge, thrown caution to the wind and made up the card model (and ruining their book in the process!) ?

GOLDEN ASTRONAUT LAUNCH SITE SPACE SET

This great condition set by Multiple Toymakers recently appeared on Ebay. I've posted the pics for posterity as they include the best picture I've seen of the chromed jet on the top of the rocket. Anyone got a scan of this set's paper instructions for the blog?

SCRAMBLE BUG DOME BASE

Dunno, that Plan It Coin Bank ( Mark Bergin Toys) doesn't half remind me of the Scramble Bug dome base. I suppose there's a bit of the Moon Prospector in there too, which is itself reminiscent of JR21's Thunderbird 5!

TASK FORCE 3 BY SL - NEW DISCOVERY FROM DISCARDARAMA

Even though we were spoilt rotten in January with the awesome Nuclear Ferry, every now and then a new SWORD toy comes to light to thrill us. This week blog reader Discardarama got in touch with pictures of his fabulous Task Force 3. We've seen the vehicle before on the blog but the box and maufacturer, SL, are completely new.

6

The box art is reminiscent of the illustrated boxes of the T SWORD toys, the Prospector and the Moonbus. The TASK FORCE lettering is the same as that on the carded Tarheel Task Force 2. Is there a link here between SL, T or Tarheel or is SL the originator or simply a plagiarist?
6
All in all Discardarama's Task Force 3 is fabulous and I am still amazed that new SWORD toys are still turning up. I would like to thank Discardarama for sending me his brilliant pictures.

9

PS. SL also made this 1960's Racing Car (currently on Ebay UK)

COMIC ONLY MACHINERY : DIVER 1

Starting an occasional series of posts on SWORD vehicles, which appear in the 1969 Century 21 PROJECT SWORD Annual but which never made it as a toy or model (like the cut-out books) of any kind. SWORD Has-Beens All but this is their second chance, a SWORD come-back!

7

First up is the submarine DIVER 1 as pictured on page 90 of the Survey Vehicle story. It reminds me a lot of the later Action Man Sea Wolf toy. It lacks the distinctive futurism of the real SWORD fleet but would have made a great little toy nevertheless. Or?