Autumn Sweep Up: A Checklists Update

[Ebay 2010]

I have spent some time updating most of the brand checklists like T in a Circle, Tarheel, Hoover etc. All can be found on the menu in the right hand side-bar. Ommissions/ corrections/ variations ALWAYS welcome.

There's some new finds like the T in a Circle [Tai Hing! Can't get used to it!] Beatles Guitar, new views of the T in a Circle Amphibious Car paperwork and box-sides [pictured above] and the Tarheel Supersonic Plane. Have a gander!

The next big job is to clean up the JR21/Century 21 Checklist, add photographs and incorporate the X-series list to it. Not much then!

Agent 21 Mystery 6: Elegance Charm and Deadly Danger

Agent 21 here. Special Agent Steve over at Vintage Thunderbird Toys has sent me an urgent telegram, which I've eaten before reading! I've kept the picture as you can see and what I remember of the text is that he's discovered something about Lady Penelope and Parker and said its "A bit like that Rhubarb & Custard Probe Force 3, a bolt from the blue!". That's it. All agents can read the full file on the 21 intranet - hurry, it will self-destruct at midnight: PENELOPE AND PARKER TOP SECRET FYEO. 21 out!

Sword in SOLO Comic Issues 19 & 20 June July 1967: Better Quality Images





With hefty thanks to the Philosophic Toad

for his generosity in scanning SOLO for us all to enjoy.

Loft Property

Space Lines - well, what can I say! A 3D plastic multi-level game of naughts and crosses might just describe it's wonderment. I loved it circa 1969. The last word in futuristic play. Simple and spaced-up all in one move. Well maybe two! Three people could play at once! I had two bigger brothers so I never tasted the sweet pleasure of winning!

Later on, on my own,  I would savour the unique solitary experience that were Detecto Puzzles! Here's one I found in my attic - Murder Mountain from 1974. Read the story and solve the mystery by doing the puzzle. Work and play all in one box. Moral fibre. Puts hairs on your chest!

Classic Lion Annual Covers from Andy B

Reader Andy B has sent in these fab 1950's Lion Annual Covers. I think you'll agree they are simply cool. There's shades of TB3, Scalecraft's Aerocar and a Star Wars AT-AT in here way before their time!

Cheers Andy!

Agent 21 Mystery 5: JR21 Stingray Water Pistol?

Agent 21 here. Just been trying on my new trenchcoat when the Big Boss stormed in and shouted '21, another mystery's come in, get to it'. After a quick 'Yessir' I opened the file. It explains that a Yellow Stingray Water Pistol was recently described as JR21 on a well-known online auction site. Hmmm. JR21 eh? These two photo's were enclosed including a poor shot of the logo.

Having sent out an APB to operatives working undercover in civvy street I have just recieved the following telex:

this is not a JR21 pistol. stop. It's not even from the 60s. stop. original pictured. stop. they were blue with a black stopper & without the direction finder on the bow. stop. made by fairylite. stop. the moulds must still exist as these and the XL5 fairylite water pistol surfaced in the late 80s and early 90s. stop. the original XL5 pistols were white with Fireball xl5 in text down the grip. The repros came in various colours & without the text. stop. similar situation with the repro Stingray pistol - various colours. stop. out. steve. vintage thunderbird toys.

picture courtesy of Gordon O'Byrne's

Stingray Memorabilia Museum

Agent Jim and His Pedigree Captain Scarlet Doll

This little guy was something of an obsession for me for the best part of 20 years! I saw one displayed like this in a local toy shop window in 1968. I was immediately drawn to him as I had recently had an ACTION MAN bought for me and was part of the first generation of UK boys to have had a 'doll' bought for them. I was of course mental for CAPTAIN SCARLET too so had to have one as I was avidly watching his adventures every week on telly.

Of course as four year old kid I was unaware of any stigma attached to the concept of dolls for boys and readily accepted all of my TV, comic and film heroes in miniature form. I never got one as a boy and had to wait until 1987. He was worth the wait! The accuracy of the Pedigree doll is very good. The only fault that can perhaps be levelled is that the body suit should be a dark grey as opposed to blue. , oddly enough the same blue was used by Century 21 for the trousers of their child sized 'SCARLET' playsuit. The tunic, belt, holster and gun are all very close representations of the on screen counterpart. The easily damaged drop down microphone on the cap again shows the attention to detail given to toys which were likely in pieces within days of the lucky kid getting it.

As the dolls for boys thing was still pretty new the volume in which this guy was produced was low in comparison to say the Dinky Toys or plastic vehicles so boxed examples in nice condition is rare although they do crop up. For me this is one of the jewels of my collection and I guess if I were to have to grab one item in an emergency it would be this fella!

Jim Lewis

Stingray Memorabilia Museum Lives Again

Well I can't believe it Swordheads, it's the end of the blog's second anniversary, time takes a spin and I'm staring at the pioneering Stingray Memorabilia Museum once again! Those clever boys, TerraForm1 and PaulCarson, over at the Space 1999 Eagle Forum have found it on the WayBack Machine, a sort of online graveyard!

I used to love the Stingray Museum - created by one Gordon O'Byrne, an enthusiasts' enthusiast before online collections were cool, certainly here in the UK. I'd sit open-mouthed at the breadth of Gordon's collection, knowledge and eye for a fabulous photograph. I emailed Gordon in the early days of my virtual life and he was kind enough to send an encouraging reply. His presence on the web is sorely missed [I hope he's happy and healthy wherever he is] but I'm glad his old Stingray site isn't lost forever. The Net is an astonishing thing.