THE FINDING OUT BOOK OF BATTLES

Like many Sixties kids books were just as important as toys at Christmas [only Selection Boxes seemed more important but only for a few delicious minutes!]. Only one of my original books survived the ravages of adolescence, Jason and the Golden Fleece, which my Mum bought at Zodiac Toys [covered previously ont' blog here and here]. Fortunately many of my Sixties tomes are still possible to find in Charity Shops and Boot Sales, something I've been doing for many years as it's such a blast looking through them again [sad, I know]. One of my favourite re-acquisitions is The Finding Out Book of Battles published by Purnell in the 1960's. The descriptions of the events are enthralling but the real treasures are Ron Embleton's instantly recognisable illustrations, which I just love. There's just something about the symmetry he achieves overall and a mastery of painting legs, boots and shoes! For me Embleton and soldiers are inextricably connected together and his art gave me a childhood passion for military medals, insignia and ranks fuelled by musings as to whether a Field Marshall was senior to a First Sea Lord or if a Five Star General outranked a Rear Admiral!

As a postscript to this bloglet, it's wonderful to see that Ron Embleton's art is actually available to purchase online. Now where's my Credit Card!

UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE

These are some shots of UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE magazine from the 1960's. From my friend's attic. Very technical and unrelentingly scientific!

Nice artwork though especially the snowcat!

[excuse my slippers!]

2001 SPACE GLIDER: WHITE VERSION 'SPIRIT OF AMERICA' - NEW TO THE BLOG

Several weeks ago this very unusual white and blue 'Spirit of America' version of the 2001 Space Glider appeared on Ebay and is new to the blog. It does have many similarities with the more usual red version - both are remote controlled, have NASA motifs, both are the same shape, both have silver exhausts and both are similarly boxed with a polystyrene inner tray as you can see below [top box].

and below [middle glider]

The red 'Spirit of America' version shown on the side of the box in the picture at the very top is also new to the blog. I expect it to surface at some point now that the white one has. Has anyone got either of the 'Spirit of Americas'?

STOP PRESS: CIVIL WAR NEWS!

Here's another of my favourite gum card sets, Topps/ABC CIVIL WAR NEWS. My older brothers had these in the Sixties during the Wild West/Army craze so I remember them lying around the house. It's a big set and mine's in a nice ABC album (above). In the same gruesome stable as Mars Attacks (and BATTLE maybe?), Civil War News really packed a punch. The most memorable one for me has always been 'TRAPPED' pictured last but one. Excruciatingly bloody! The set also came with a neat bundle of Confederate money bills - third picture from the bottom. BAZOOKA! Anybody else got some or BATTLE, which |I've never seen!

YIKES! IT'S DROP MY PANTSENSTEIN!

Here's one for EvilEd, the Nomura MOD MONSTER from the 1960's in all his blushing glory! Wait for the surprise ending!

and I saw this and couldn't resist posting it, it's a howl!

Both courtesy of YouTube!

LOOK OUT! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES PUNY EARTHLINGS! MARS ATTACKS!

Continuing raids into my 'loft in space' ( yeah, sorry!) have produced further booty. Here's my set of MARS ATTACKS gum cards for your delectation. Alas they are but professional copies made by Renato Gelasso, which I bought at the NEC years ago to replace my real set. Yes, I had a proper real set but only as an adult. I was too young to have collected them in the late 50's and they were pulled from shops after parents complained about the gore. Amazing that a set of cards can inspire an entire film. I think about my proper set probably once a day. You see I found them wrapped in a rubber band amongst a pile of old toys and stuff at a car boot sale in Barnsley (this was Carlsberg's WOTE!) back in the early 1990's. I couldn't believe my eyes and with bulging irises I asked how much they were. I heard the 'F' of the word 'Fifty' and I had paid and run off before the old chap had finished saying 'pence'! For at least 2 years they were the number one item in my growing space/sci fi collection. Alas my family hit hard times and I was forced to sell them for £50 in 1993 to a gum card dealer whom I knew. We were both happy at the time but I have regretted it ever since. The Renato Gelasso copies are really nice replicas but can never replace the real thing. Anyone else had or still have MARS ATTACKS or got similar tales of heartbreaking selling woe?

KRAZY KREATURES FROM OUTER SPACE 1970

Here's one for the Toad - KRAZY KREATURES FROM OUTER SPACE. I knew I had a set in the loft somewhere, I got these at a car boot sale about 10 years ago for £3 - still says so on the placcy bag along with a date of 1970! I know them as CHIX but these say PRIMROSE CONFECTIONARY? In fact having handled them again I'm inclined to think that they are colour photocopies as the 'card' is so thin as to be paper really and the margins seem erratic! So much for Carlsberg Car Boots! Anybody else got a set? Are they stiff cards? Were they just in the UK?

PS. The Philosophic Toad has found this cool KRAZY KREATURE album of close-ups online here.