DURHAM SPACE GLIDER BY ARTO - NEW DISCOVERY

I recieved this amazing news from blog reader Arto today:

"One of the first Project SWORD knock-offs I bought years back is this green Space Glider (pictured below), which on closer scrutiny seems to be much more interesting than its worn looks: a hybrid between three separate brands that have all been connected with SWORD. Bearing N.A.S.A. stickers both on its nose (rectangular) and wings (swordesque arrow-shaped ones), it actually is a Durham toy with a "D globe" logo embossed underneath. The accompanying text says DURHAM INDUSTRIES INC NEW YORK N.Y. 10010 MADE IN HONG KONG No 5934.

However, the item number 5934 is to be found on a box of a wholly different avatar of the Space Glider - the Tarheel one. This grey version (pictured below) differs in many respects from its Durham cousin, which does not come with a nose antenna. The two holes on the nose are covered with coloured plastic polyhedrons (which would suggest that this is of a later design, designed to cover up the initial holes). The green / bright orange colour scheme of the Durham Glider is very striking in comparison with the Tarheel grey.

To complicate matters further, the Tarheel glider does NOT have the normal Tarheel series number 5934 nor the Tarheel logo on the toy but says instead "350 MADE IN HONG KONG". This number in turn would fit into the "T in a circle" series, even though the "T" logo is not present and also the Century 21 series itself, which is the most likely scenario. Note also that in the Tarheel box illustration, the Space Glider has the same kind of stickers as the Durham one - yet the Tarheel toy has none! Since this toy was bought boxed complete with inserts and an instruction sheet (pictured below), there is no reason to doubt that it would not be a Tarheel "original". Go figure!

Cheers Arto"

Fabulous stuff Arto, thanks for sharing. I've often wondered if Durham did any SWORD like Tarheel. You've solved that little mystery! We know that they had links as previously discussed on the blog. The double diamond nose lights are the same as my own NASA Glider, which we first saw an example of last May boxed and new to the blog as well. No sign of the Durham logo on it though. Where O where is the Durham box for your green glider Arto? North American readers please have a look at your Glider boxes for the Durham D and Globe logo! And whilst we're at it can anyone else confirm if they have a #5934 Tarheel Space Glider or a #350 Tarheel/C21 one (they must be in Tarheel boxes for this). That all make sense?

RECCONNAISANCE 2 ORBITS ROUND THE TWIN MOONS OF NEPTUNE

Cheated a bit and used some Blackbird clipart for this. Just couldn't 'fill' right up to the outline in 'Paint'.

DYNA SOAR CRASH DIVES ON TATOOINE

Something's missing from this Tatooine scene but what?

MOON V SUNSHINE?

Anyone got any views about the films Moon versus Sunshine? It's ages since I've seen Sunshine but I enjoyed Moon more. I found the story compelling and the actor was superb.

Nuclear Ferry in the Hanger with Thunderbird 2

But is the scale right?

HOLY BAT SWORD!

Holy Bat Swords! Is that ol' Batty astride a sleek and shiney Task Force 2? And it comes in both Gotham red and Arkham blue! ZAP! BLAM! Whatever next, a Joker Ferry! Hee hee. These fab rare Japanese vintage toys were spotted by the Harlemeister - thanks Terry!

Unlike Dinosaurs (the real ones, Thunder Lizards) and Man, who alas never met on the sandy plains of a Triassic Christmas morning, it is totally possible and most likely very probable that SWORD Dyna-Soars and Bat-Man met on many a needle-festooned Yuletide carpet. Unfortunately my parents didn't capture this titanic struggle on film so I ask fellow bloggers, have you got any Bat/SWORD Kodak moments? In fact any SWORD or Vintage toy family snaps would be cool to post if you want to! I'll dig out some old toy shots from my own Jurassic past to kick it off.

In the meantime here's a couple of close-up shots, which came out better than my usual efforts, of the delightful BATMAN SWOOPS DOWN game by Spears of England 1966, part of my Bats collection currently being auctioned on Obey. Sorry, Ebay. A beautiful synergy of plastic, colour and comic genius. - the game that is, not my photo's! Hee hee.

Bloglet composed whilst in the Moonbase Loft listening to the sweet tones of Boston's 'Don't Look Back'. Class!

THE ORIGIN OF PROJECT SWORD - SOLO ISSUE 19

Earlier this month I asked if any readers were prepared to share their SOLO #19 (cover above but PS isn't mentioned!) PROJECT SWORD comic strip, the VERY FIRST, with fellow bloggers. I have previously posted the toy ID charts courtesy of the Philosophic Toad but not the actual story. I'm pleased to say that blog reader John Croot has come to the rescue and sent in scans of the very beginning of PROJECT SWORD, it's origin in 3 short b/w pages, dated June 24th 1967. What a great year and summer that was, the same year that the Beatles released their Sgt. Peppers album! Big Thanks again to John for sharing. Enjoy!

There are many things that I find fascinating about this initial SWORD story. The Earth Base is in Australia ( is it explained why later on?) and we see Moon Base in a very similar picture to the one in the Official Manual - they were obviously planning the toy from the off but what happened to it? The Booster Rocket is called the ATOMIC BOOSTER (not to be confused with Atomic Rooster!) and it's front jet the DEEP SPACE PROBE sent off on a mission to Pluto. In fact the whole tone is Star Trekkish, to boldly go... and no mention of the mining element brought in later stories. I talked about the military might of the PROBE FORCE craft earlier this month and lo and behold, they are the 'protectors' of the fleet from the start, something which I never really grasped when I had them as a kid as toys. And Re-Entry Crafts 1 and 3 are personal spaceships - Company cars! - of the SWORD commanders, Sabre and Rapier (Swords, get it! Is there a Foil and Cutlass?)

I love how page 2 gives us some scale - the Nuclear Ferry and Booster are HUGE and the Probes are tiny! And just what is the 'scabbard'? Finally and discussed previously on the blog, the ID chart is hugely interesting - the Booster Rocket toy's fuel tanks look white ( the C21 toy's are blue) and the Re-entry craft look like mock-ups and not actual toys (had they not manufactured them yet?). Only the Probe Force Flights look like the real deal although the black stripe on the PF3 is a bit odd. There is no mention of these vehicles being available as toys in this story. Is there anywhere else in issue #19 or does that happen in a later issue? I wonder when in 1967 the very first toys were in the shops - an area to boldly go into I think. Well I've enjoyed reading this first SWORD story immensely. Thanks again John! Well, I have to ask, has anyone got the next 'exciting episode'?

For further in-depth reading about this issue and all the SWORD comic strips in SOLO and TV21 then go to the definitive website, the Gerry Anderson Complete Comics History (GACCH) by Shaqui Le Vesconte and Kim Stevens.

ON STANDBY

CHILDHOOD'S END AND ZEP

Reading a little more about Arthur C. Clarke's CHILDHOOD'S END I was fascinated to discover that the ending of the story inspired the cover art for Led Zepellin's 1970's album THE HOUSES OF THE HOLY! It  clearly entered popular awareness to have influenced music and film. Led Zep were an aquifer of left field literature and in particular Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, which sat well with the hippy view of the world and my own. Zep songs which spring to mind include Misty Mountain Hop, The Battle of Evermore and Ramble On. Another Zep tune steeped in the magic of the countryside, although not specifically Tolkien's, is BRON YR AUR STOMP named after a cottage where the band stayed and played near Machynlleth in North Wales. In the late 80's we once stayed with a close friend at Ynis Hir, a Bird Reserve near Machynlleth and although I didn't come across the cottage I was amazed to see sheep with RP daubed on them allegedly belonging to one Robert Plant! Just checking the spelling of Bron Yr Aur I am intrigued to find that the Zep's old cottage in the song is the subject of pilgrimage by fans from all over the world! Still, its a line from their opus Stairway to Heaven that I like the most 'If there's a bustle in your hedgerow don't be alarmed now, it's just a springclean for the may queen'. I love all that green man mythos, which seemed to be everywhere in the 70's. The 80's did a good job of wiping it away for a couple of decades but I reckon it survived in the shadows and like Gandalf the Grey will return one day soon.

T IN A CIRCLE NEW FLYING SAUCER AND THE TARHEEL ANIMATED CIRCUS TRAIN SET: NEW TO THE BLOG

Here is the first of two additions I can add to the checklists (in the side-bar) of known toys made by Tarheel and T in a Circle courtesy of Ebay.This is the T IN A CIRCLE NEW FLYING SAUCER with US flag. The T in a Circle logo is, for the first time for the blog, clearly visible on the box along with the model number, 356. You will be familiar with other makes of the same Saucer: JR21 (with Union Jack) and Brohm (German and flagless) and cross-boxing/moulding of probably all three.

The second addition is the TARHEEL ANIMATED CIRCUS TRAIN (sorry, I'm a completist WOTAN!) in all its plastic glory. It came in a long window box with the now familiar Tarheel 'red star' battery operated sticker. The toy had 3 cars and loco, with forward and reverse action, moving doors and animals. It was made in Hong Kong. No model number is visible in the pictures. I am beginning to see a pattern in the colour palette that Tarheel used for their toys as the same bright colours can be seen in virtually all thier range e.g. the NOVA rockets.

Pictures courtesy of Ebay.