Reconnaissance 2 Die-Cast

Found this little Chinese die-cast Spacex-Reconnaissance-2 lookalike at the last Donnington Toy Fair on Sunday. I liked it!

Original plastic Spacex R2 has appeared on the blog earlier here - from the Paul Vreede collection.

STUMPED BY CRICKET - FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN WOTAN

Now I'm back online here we have the first bloglet in the scoop tray....from our man WOTAN:

The first range of Spacex toys includes the distinctive, purple Base Patrol Cricket P1 - an armoured car with bubble canopy and cannon ( purple vehicle - middle picture). Second series Spacex revived the basic body as a quick addition to the line with the Apollo Tracker (and here). All of the initial run of the first vehicles are found to have been patented by Jack Rosenthal of JR21 toy fame as was discovered by Paul Vreede recently, apart from the Cricket, which does not appear to have been patented. The design of the 'car' first appears in the Remco Hamilton Invaders line in 1964, several years prior to the launch of Spacex, as the Mosquito Jeep (grey vehicle - top picture, also done as blue/red versions).

Remco used the same model for the Star Trek toy line (yellow 'astrocruiser' - top picture) and produced a white version for the Canadian market too (top). Mosquito and Cricket are obviously insectile references, so even overlooking the straight lift of the design, Tri-ang have blatantly plagiarised Remco. Several other army versions of the car have turned up by lesser manufacturers such as Codeg, featuring various styles of rocket launcher or cannon on the back ( four green vehicles above in pictures) and I have even found a modular, 'building block' style set with a red cricket and two other Spacex model bodies and an interchangeable motor base (middle picture).

One thing which always struck me about the cricket in all its variations was the similarity to Ed "Big Daddy" Roths 1963 Beatnik Bandit custom car. Harry Bradley adapted the basic real world design for the Mattel Hot Wheels Redline series and Ed Roth used a similar shape for his 'Orbitron' car and much later Bandit II (bottom pictures)

Might it be possible that there is a real design for a futuristic, atomic age, armoured car lying around somewhere ? Any gearheads care to comment ?

6

Earlier 'cricket' posts: 1 , 2

LOOK AND LEARN

Hi Paul, I've been through a run of Look & Learn recently and don't recall seeing any advertising for either Spacex or Project Sword. I'd certainly remember if I saw any of the latter, given its Gerry Anderson connections. If I do come across anything next time I trawl through some of the magazines, I'll let you know. Regards, Steve Holland

..... which is the reply to my original email: Paul Woods wrote: Hi, I am researching vintage space toys from the 1960's, specifically Spacex and Project Sword. Is it possible to find out which issues had any adverts for these toy lines and see pictures of them at all? Thanks ever so much, Love your site! Paul, UK

PS. I'm pretty sure that I've seen a reference to a Look and Learn Spacex advert. I'll have to dig further - Woodsy.

Back Online!

I'm back! PC Gremlins banished to the netherworld and my kung fu is strong again! Last Donington Toyfair yesterday. More to follow.

DONALD FAGEN'S THE NIGHTFLY

I love ex- Steely Dan's Donald Fagen's 1982 album The Nightfly - sleek sounds for an Atomic age. Like he says 'We've got to have some music on the new frontier'. Listen to a snippet here to the lyrics of the brilliant International Geophysical Year (IGY):

"Standing tough under stars and stripes
We can tell This dream's in sight You've got to admit it
At this point in time that it's clear
The future looks bright
On that train all graphite and glitter
Undersea by rail Ninety minutes from New York to Paris Well by seventy-six
we'll be A.O.K.
What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free
Get your ticket to that wheel in space
While there's time The fix is in You'll be a witness to that game of chance
in the sky
You know we've got to win Here at home we'll play in the city Powered by
the sun
Perfect weather for a streamlined world There'll be spandex jackets one for
everyone
What a beautiful world this will be What a glorious time to be free On that
train all graphite and glitter Undersea by rail
Ninety minutes from New York to Paris (More leisure time for artists
everywhere)
A just machine to make big decisions
Programmed by fellows with compassion and vision
We'll be clean when their work is doneWe'll be eternally free yes and
eternally young
What a beautiful world this will be
What a glorious time to be free"

SWORD DREAM FACTORY: WOTAN'S MOONBASE MODULE 2

From the WOTAN dream machine: I wasn't altogether happy with the rendition of the Moon base module toy I did the other day, so to while away another lunch hour, heres another go - this time with the Imai Scramble bug in, which I reckon was scaled just right. Whole toy would be about 7 inches high.

Gorgeous! Where do I get one! Woodsy

EMAIL GREMLIN

Apologies but articles and pictures that some blog readers - Ferryman, ZZROBOT, WOTAN et al - have sent me some time ago cannot be posted as I can't access my normal email account, were they are stored in a queue. As soon as I can get back in I'll post the material waiting there for a public airing.

HOVER REMOTE CONTROL PROBE FORCE 3 GALLERY

Don of starbase@starbase.plus.com has sent this fabulous and comprehensive gallery of the HOVER REMOTE CONTROL PROBE FORCE 3. Virtually identical to the Century 21 PF3, except it has that fantastic remote control, which places it in the illustrious company of the R/C big three - the Cape Kennedy set, Zero X and the Nuclear Ferry! A beautiful toy and box, into which a lot of thought has gone by Hover. From these excellent shots its clear that Hover didn't put a makers' mark on the toy itself, but the NASA spearhead decals are distinctive and can be seen on other unmarked toys like the orange Space Glider.

Nice one Don!

Woodsy