NASA GLIDER ORIGIN BY PAUL VREEDE

Here's a first and really excellent Timeline contribution from Spacex enthusiast, Paul Vreede:

Hi Paul, (As mentioned to you before) I'm thoroughly amazed and delighted with the deluge of TV21 art on your blog, illustrating where Spacex toys found their inspiration. I truly admire the dedication of Mr Philosophic Toad in what must've been a huge effort in research. One of the delights on show is the Eagle comic showing the inspiration for the Spacex Nasa Glider/Lifting Body, for it provides the missing link between the toy and a real-life spacecraft.

Here's a picture of the Northrop M2-F2 Lifting Body, which first flew in March 1966, two months before the publication of the comic strip (public domain picture from NASA). I think the similarity is obvious, in general shape and particularly the nose detail.If I compare it with my Spacex Lifting Body then that has a third fin that looks quite a lot like the one on that model from the NY World Fair shown on your blog awhile back.

So perhaps the people behind Spacex did want to have something a bit more generic, especially since designs competing with the M2-F2 had a third fin.And M2-F2 would gain one later in life as well (though in mid-1970, when I think the Spacex toy was probably already made) to help with stability problems. Sadly M2-F2 crashed, injuring its pilot. The crash was filmed, and eventually used in the opening titles of the Six Billion Dollar Man TV series. M2-F2 proved repairable though, and re- emerged months later and a fin richer as M2-F3, visible in the other NASA photograph with two of its contemporaries.

Best--Paul

More fabulous research from Paul to come. Nice one Paul! (PS. some Lifting Bodies YouTube footage at the bottom of the blog)

SCOUTING FOR INFO BY WOTAN

WOTAN has written to the blog and sorted another Timeline point:

Trawling through my archives for info for the blog, i came across
an article found by my good friend Kim (philosophic toad) - a page from Tv21 ( 21 January 1967) showing a range of early 'space glider' Lifting Body concepts from NASA. Fabulous in itself as it shows some of the early ideas and skunkworks proposals A) for re-entry vehicles such as the
X-24 variants D) and the british MUSTARD (doesnt look that hot to
me) ships B, i suddenly noticed the three shot picture on panel C). Apparently a 'space ferry' concept, the design is almost identical to
the Project Sword Scout 2, even down to the small integral tail fins
and variable geometry wings!! Another design source nailed! (Scout 2 via
ebay) (TV21 courtesy K. Stevens)

PLEASURE CRUISER CONCEPT ART

Hello Paul, here's another entry for the Timeline. Something very like the
Spacex Pleasure Cruiser appeared in a comic strip in the Boys' World Annual
1968. Bear in mind that annuals were usually prepared in the first quarter
of the year, sometime before the annual would appear in shops.

The Philosophic Toad.

Concept Art for Spacex Moonbase and Space Glider/ Lifting Body

The Moon Town article from TV Century 21, dated October 30 2065 (1965) - clearly the basis of the later Spacex Moonbase. Courtesy of the Philosophic Toad.

From Eagle, dated 2nd July 1966 - early artwork of what was to become the century 21 Space Glider and the Spacex NASA Glider/Lifting Body. Courtesy of the Philosophic Toad.

NOVA CONCEPT 1962

The Philosophic Toad has added this Nova concept to the timeline too - from the 1962 book "Space Flight" by Maurice Allward, from the "Do You Know about?" series.

SUPER JANUARY CLOSES WITH MORE EBAY SWORD AND SIMILAR

P3 HELICOPTER 1966 PRE-SPACEX DRAWINGS IN TV21

Continuing the Philosophic Toad's brilliant entries for the Timeline, courtesy of Shaqui Le Vesconte, here are 4 pages of Special Agent 21 from the May 1966 TV21 showing early drawings of the P3 Helicopter, which later became the SPACEX toy. Excellent!

There's currently a carded one - above - on Ebay plus lots more from the same Italian seller.

A FERRY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL (WOTAN)!

PAINT THE TOWN RED!

WOODSY