TARHEEL ROBOTS

I never knew that Tarheel also made Robots! I've never seen any in the 'flesh'. Here's a couple I've tracked down online.

The pink and blue one below was found here.

This green and red beauty below can be found here.

And finally, another Empire toy, this one a Bandai/Empire Johnny tarheel Rifle seen here.

Any more Tarheel anyone?

TARHEEL RESCUE HELICOPTER

Unlike Empire Toys, the earlier Tarheel toys don't crop up very often but I'm pleased to report that this boxed RESCUE HELICOPTER will be part of the Woodsy collection in the next couple of weeks. It will join my only other non-SWORD Tarheel I have, the awesome Nova Rockets 1,2 and 3. I can't see which Tarheel logo is on this box but I will post piccies when it's landed at Moonbase Central. Anyone got any other non-SWORD Tarheel toys?

EMPIRE TOYS AND PLASTICS: LOCKHEED AND MORE

Empire Toys / Empire Plastics, as I've blogged before, was the 1970's/80's incarnation of Tarheel of Tarboro. As the space race waned, they manufactured a whole range of plastics. My favourite find of late is the Empire Lockheed plane above - soon to be part of the Woodsy collection! Below are a few more examples of Empire's back catalogue.

1977 Fort Defiance

Halloween Bucket

1978 Spider-Man bike siren

1991 Tyre Swing

1972 Snap 'n Spin Basketball

All pictures courtesy of Ebay USA

MOON EXPLORER CAR, X60 ROCKET LAUNCHER AND THE SPACE GUARD PILOT

Probably the only other toy that looks anything like the PROJECT SWORD MOONBUS, besides the Spacex Mobile HQ of course, the MOON EXPLORER CAR is the companion of the Space Explorer rocket I featured the other day. Are there any other variations of this Moon Explorer?

We've had the X-60 Rocket Launcher on the blog before and looked then at the different makers, but this is such a great shot that I had to post it. I still think its one of the best colour schemes of any toy or box around. The front cab is very Fireball XL5 too.

Tenuous as it is, I do think there's sort of a resemblence between the future car pictured above and the Spacex Salvage Ship. I said it was tenuous!

And finally above is the SPACE GUARD PILOT, one of several variations on this theme. I particularly like this box art medley of Gerry Anderson and Mattel's Man in Space: Major Matt Mason-lookalikes zooming around on Steve Zodiac-esque space sleds, whilst being guarded by a deadringer for Thunderbird 5! Wonderful! several other versions of this can be seen on the really excellent Alphadrome Robot and Space Toy Database.

All pictures shown with kind permission from Joe Morabito of the superb MAIN STREET TOYS. Thanks Joe.

MEGO FLIP OVER MOON CAR

Continuing my search for more MEGO space toys, I came across this cool FLIP OVER MOON CAR on the excellent site of MAIN STREET TOYS in Minneapolis USA. More Jeep-like than most, this design, particularly the distinctive wheels, has popped-up under different brand names over the years. I remember finding one in an old toy shop in Greece on my hols in the early 1990's! MAIN STREET also have a similar FLIP OVER TANK. I'm sure there's something like this on your display shelf too?

LP SPACEMEN, STAR ADVENTURER AND THE SPACE EXPLORER

I've always loved the Space Explorer rocket since first coming across it on the amazing Gasoline Alley Antiques website in the mid-1990's. I've owned and parted with several since then. I've never really associated it with LP spacemen though. That's changed as I recently came across this fabulous and clearly well-made STAR ADVENTURER boxed version - new to me - complete with white and green astronauts. They look distinctly LP-like, although I can't see the base. This neat rocket is available on through, Joe Morabito, the very friendly proprietor of the superb MAIN STREET TOYS online store. Joe has kindly given me permission to use the picture here. I can't help wondering if there is a boxed version like this of the related moonbus-like MOON EXPLORER?

Similarly this more cheaply-made and coventional blister-carded SPACE EXPLORER also has a series of chromed spacemen with it. This is in the public domain on Ebay US here. The Argentinian seller states clearly that the astronauts are marked on the base as LP.

Park on the Moon

Park Plastics probably more well known for their water powered rocket toys, made this neat range of space toys in what I assume was the early sixties. So far iv'e been unable to track down any further info about them and have only ever seen one other model on ebay in the last ten years. Based on what I have, im assuming they are pretty early as the little NASA sticker on some of the toys is not even close to the real version - it is almost art nouveau in style with tall, spindly letters and a swirly background. Also the box from the Lunar Dump is very basic in some ways, yet has a very seventies feel to the style. Theres no date, patent info or anything useable on the toys or the packing, so this is all guesswork! Either way, they are a very distinctively styled toy, having that 'jet-age' streamline appearance and lots of chrome vents and greebly. The tracks are for decoration only and each vehicle (apart from the dumper bucket) has a pair of one piece solid axle/tyre wheels underneath. Made from rigid plastic, they haven't survived the rigours of the lunar landscape and the Moon Cat bulldoxer has fared worst, losing an arm from the bulldozer blade, its original canopy and worst of all the driver has lost his helmet, so that him off site for a start! Somebody call health and safety!

I originally got all four of the toys in one auction, including a loose Lunar Dump, but some time after I came upon the rather well preserved version still in its pvc wrapper - and unlike me, decided to keep it in its pristine state! The dumper bucket has large hard plastic balloon tyres very akin to the Prospector. The Tank has a firing cannon on the front and the crane has a small telescopic jib. All in all a very pleasing set, but if anyone can shed any light on their provenance, please do!

COMET HYDRO PLANE

I knew I'd seen the design for my little Icelandic speedboat (bottom pic) before! Here's my COMET HYDRO PLANE from the 1960's, which has been lurking my loft. I remember letting my original Comet zoom around the bath when I was a nipper. I wouldn't do that now with this one! Looking at it again it's very SWORDESQUE too and would look great alongside the T Hydrofoil and the JR21 Submarine Aircraft Carrier!

Comet Hydro Plane 1960's

Miniature Speedboats found in Iceland - possibley Combex?