Carded Tarheel Task Force 3: New to the Blog

These fabulous pictures come courtesy of reader and SWORD super fan Arto. His carded American Tarheel Task Force 3 is a first for the blog! We have seen it before but only ever loose. This one is carded and sealed safely under the bubble for posterity. The two shots below the top one are detailing on the card - the model number 5917 [the same for all three Tarheel Task Forces] and the Tarheel 'T' with kids logo. Interestingly beneath the logo it says 'Tarheel Industries INC. Made in Hong Kong'. I'd always assumed that Tarheel made these toys at their plastics plant in Tarboro, North Carolina, USA and not Hong Kong. Was it common for US toys to be made in HK?

On the left is Arto's beautifully carded yellow Tarheel Task Force 3. Both toy rockets have a 'racing trim' line along the nose [missing on my own loose TF2!] and the backing cards are finished with what is probably the most appealing feature for me, a fabulously day-glo bow-wave beneath each toy, which scream the Nineteen Seventies! The different colour blends are very bright and attractive. Tarheel really were masters at using brightly coloured plastic and packaging.

As we've never seen a packaged version of the third toy in this Tarheel range, the Task Force 1, I can only assume that it's also similarly carded with an equally colourful bow wave. So to bring this bloglet to a hopeful close and remind us what it looks like here are pictures of the Tarheel Task Force 1 in both red and the rarer blue forms from reader and super collector Astronit.

Anyone got a carded one?

Catch a Moon Bus to The Red Planet

I love this old Pan paperback 1960 cover of the Red Planet. The story is by Charles Chilton and the cover, complete with Moon Bus and Task Force 2 - like vehicles, is by Glenn Stewart. Cool! This, Journey Into Space or Jet Morgan isn't a BBC series/character that I know but there's a modern graphical version of it online with the header shown below. Spot the blue Stingray lookalike and another Moon Busish vehicle! Anyone know the series? Is it radio?

Picture credit: BBC

Thunderbirds Are a Go Go

Speaking of Rock Snakes ..... here's reader Darth's classic Spanish Thunderbirds are Go movie poster. Great artwork. Anyone know who the artists was?

Is anyone out there.. ?

 

Being stuck out at Mars Base can get a little lonely at times so in order to stay in touch with everyone in the outer colonies iv'e added a Twitter link to the blog. Me, Woodstock and the Toad are all there and busily tweeting away. So if youve something to flag up, talk about or show - go Twitter!

My Good Eye

My ROVing Eye

I've  posted these models before, but seeing Woodstocks Europa posts, i've come over all unneccessary again as its a concept that fascinates me too.

Arthur C Clarkes novel 2010 explored the idea of life on Europa (literally), in a prescient concept whereby what appeared to be a chinese space station suddenly left orbit with a unique hydrogen cell engine powered by water and headed for Jupiter. This theme is left out of the film, although the russian probe does meet a certain something on the floor of a Europan crevasse, it isnt the ambient seaweed from the novel.

I made these little ROV's (remote operated vehicles) a while ago after watching Camerons Abyss. ROVs and remotely operated aircraft are being used more often lately and the concept is becoming much more advanced. Besides probing the depths of the seas and exploring remote asteroids and comets, remotes are finding their way into public surveillance and military usage.

Not far in the future flying saucers will be an everyday reality...

My Destiny by Jim Lewis

Sold as a companion to the similarly produced Captain Scarlet figure Pedigree's Destiny Angel 'bendy' is a well known piece for collectors of Anderson merchandise. Announced to the trade in 1967 many were perhaps expecting a 'Barbie' or 'Sindy' type figure and given the earlier THUNDERBIRDS dolls by Fairylite I am sure young girls would have enjoyed owning a 12 Inch clothed and articulated figure of Destiny or indeed any of the Angel Flight. However they would have to make do with a more diminutive embodiment of Destiny the beautiful French lead pilot. Despite its stature the figure offers some nice detailing. Most examples today lack the gold effect paint which will have turned green on even mint and boxed examples as seen here. Spectrum roundels are at either wrist and also on the very nicely made flight helmet.

It is this level of detailing which again set an Anderson toy apart from others of the period or indeed even of today. Rooted hair and a very reasonable likeness to the puppet go a long way in making what could have been just an average toy desirable to enthusiasts. As with almost all vintage collectibles the packaging really does showcase, perhaps more than it deserves, a nice little toy. Stunning artwork also seen on the 12 Inch 'SCARLET' figure appears on the reverse of the window packaging which would later be mimicked by Pedigree themselves for their JOE 90 figure. Although not the most rare, and certainly not the best, of the 'SCARLET' collectibles Destiny Angel is part of many fan's collections and will remain as one many Anderson followers look upon with some fondness.

Jim Lewis

Hello from Mars Base

Just taken Scout 3 out for a flyby to pass a long Martian afternoon in between blogging..