Big Red Rocket

Just the coolest TB3 statue in Blackpool, England. What a beautifil sky!

Photographed by the talented Canon Fodder, who kindly gave permission to share this.

There's a Space Glider in My Garage

I love this leftfield Space Glider picture by Japanese artist Takahiro Awatake. Borrowed from Fine Scale Modeller, where you can see Charlie 98210's amazing model recreation of this painting!

Eleventh Hour

The spaceways are busy, but the space between the planets is vast. The chances of an effective rescue if things go wrong can remote. Luckily for this Space Glider pilot help arrived in the nick of time. After his ship was punctured by micrometeoroids and lost power, the chances of being found were slim. A chance encounter with a supply shuttle for Moonbase alerted operatives and a rescue operation was swiftly mounted. After a brief EVA from his crippled ship, the pilot was returned safely to Farside Station and waiting medics. The deep cold of vacuum chilled his bones, but thanks to the responsive R6 crew, he'll live to fly again!

Well i'm Game

Well this is a long overdue post and unfortunately im saddled with a sub-standard camera and a tricky subject to capture. Space games are on the radar here at Mars Base and this beauty has been tucked away in the archives for some time, waiting to be dusted off.

Made by Lotts, some time in the sixties i think - Space Race is an unusual game in many ways. Besides being found complete on ebay - a rarity for a board game, its big. The box is about 3 feet x 2 and the game board folds out in three sections. Ive only played it once as it a little fragile and the instructions are a bit hard to follow. From what I recall, its a race to build and launch a segmented rocket into various destinations in space, with action cards impeding and improving progress at the throw of a die.

What I found most exciting about it were the playing pieces  - four section plastic rockets that you build up on the launch pad prior to blast off. Theres six included and a spare cone for each. The destination cards are bright and colourful and the board itself is a beauty. Shame the dame camera is useless. Ill get the SLR on it soon and shoot it properly, but thought it was a timely article for now!

You Heard it Through the Grape Vine

Totally off-topic, I've just cut my first bunch of grapes from our vine in the garden! We had the first frost this week and they're now sweet and plump. I'm always amazed how far north Grapes will grow in England out in the garden [not under glass!]. It's our best year with around 10 big bunches like this. The variety is Black Alicante! I'm not a super-keen gardener but I do love our vine! Mnnnmm! Anyone else got a vine?

Europa Moon Fleet Assembles

        

      The icey oceans of the Jovian Moon Europa

      await the SWORD Sea Fleet as they

      assemble on it's alien frozen beach.

[anyone want to take up the story? - sequel? prequel? - with or without pics - either would be cool!]

Put Your Foot Down

Just received in the Wotan archive is this snappy blue Stomper Quad Climber vehicle. A rare addition to the Stomper Megastar line, it has double articulated tracks and two gears for extra climbing traction. Schaper Stomper vehicles were big in the eighties as small, powerful electric motors became available and the line was immediately successful, including all manner of 4x4 trucks, cars and tanks. My personal favourites were the space themed megastar line which included a small 2 cm jointed figure in each vehicle.

 

The green crawler vehicle below always reminded me of the Spacex MEV and I had to add a couple of Diaclone rocket launchers to the side of it to pimp it up a bit as it became my favourite. The tiny green figure arrived in two of the four vehicles whilst the other two featured a small silver chap, not unlike the original (and contemporary Cylons).

 

Each vehicle had an action feature, like the grab, battering ram on the yellow one, laser cannon on the white or the removable drone robot on the camouflaged truck.

 

Before Megastar came Water Demons, a line of amphibious trucks on large float wheels. The lime green one had a rubber boat on the back and the army version has rotating missiles. Last but not least we have a Centurion Tank Stomper, one of the earliest models.

What's Your Favourite?

What's your favourite toy, game or plaything? Let's hear. Maybe one space and one general. Mine was the SWORD Moon Ranger and the Mod Monster Blushing Frankenstein. I loved them both and still do!