Dan Dare's Anastasia Scratch-biult by Mike B

Hi Paul, was looking at the Pathe News reel on Frank Hampson (super stuff) and thought you and the readers might like to see a scratch built Dan Dare ‘Anastasia’ spaceship I built for the 1990 Eagle Exhibition in Southport. It’s based on the ‘Red Moon Mystery’ version of the craft which was the only reference I had at the time. The main body and wings are moulded from hardwood and the living quarters and blisters are vac – formed acetate. The model is around 13” long with a 14” wingspan.

Cheers
Mike B

Character Age Magazine 5 from Japan

Now this looks like one cool read, Character Age magazine issue 5 from Japan with it's Zero-X cover! There's an article by the looks of it called Ultimate Gerry Anderson Mechanics! 

I have an earlier issue and it's stuffed full of great pictures. Alas the text is all in Japanese [unless of course you can read Japanese]. You used to be able to pick these up on Ebay US but it seems that Amazon Japan is the only international outlet now [let us know if there's more, thanks]. It's far too pricey to get sent to me here in Blighty but it may work out for someone. Let us know if there's any SWORD or similar in there if you do get one! Have a butchers on Amazon JP.

Kresge Space Construction Truck Series

Here's a space line I've never seen before, the rather boringly-titled Space Construction Truck Series. This example is currently on Ebay US. It appears to be a dump truck with the skip/dumpster on a telescoping arm. The other two appear to be a form of Grabber and a Bulldozer. The price tag is for Kresge's. Although they're an odd shape there is something appealing about the series, including the attractive box and box art. Anyone got any?

Gama Clammer

The Britsh Pathe site is an aladdin's cave of vintage toys, a real window into a toyshop from yesteryear. Here's a black and white clip from a 1969 German toy fair showing a cool submarine, a brilliant jet race track, a lunar track toy, some Major Matt Mason stuff and at the end a Gama lunar rover flipping over [still pictured above]. Anyone have any of these goodies?

Play it Again Sam

Hi Woodsy, I have recently restored a Century 21 Sam Loover's Car and thought it might be of interest for blogging. When I got hold of it it had no bonnet or rear wing and there were a few melt marks in the bodywork.

I scratch built an opening hinged bonnet and a new pivoting wing. The melt marks were sanded and polished out. The bonnet and wing were made from scrap plastic and sprayed up to match the body colour. Mixing the paint to the right colour was the biggest challenge!

Ferryman

Don't Wanna Be Jerked Around Anymore

I had a chuckle when I saw these two sorry chaps over on the Vectis site. Of all the problems that can befall a beautiful relationship the item description came up with a wholly new one, 'Strings badly tangled otherwise good!'. Can anyone come up with a decent and especially humorous title for this post? Hee hee.

PS. Reader's title chosen - one of Toad's many - it made me laugh out loud! Thanks to Wote too for getting into the spirit of it! They were all great. Thanks!

Pencil Pusher

I had to laugh when my saved Ebay search for 'Moon Prospector' threw up this one today: JR MOON PROSPECTOR PENCILS! What? Moon Prospector Pencils by JR! I thought , Wow! It can't be! It wasn't. But they do say Prospector on them! Have a gander!

SWORDASBORG

The interweb always has something new to savour. I recently came across this nifty Spanish MONTA PLEX space set. I love the graphics. Anyone know this company?

And this Super 8 film box art reminded me that the idea of a crust-drilling magma-swimming sub is a staple of the Sci Fi genre. From the Mole, the Mogura, the SWORD Beetle to this the Iron Mole of Edgar Rice Burrough's novel brought to the big screen in 1976. We saw similar rock-melting fun again in the naughties with the Core [are ther more?].

I'm a sucker for a good pulp cover and here's a brilliant Task Force 2 - like rocket from December 1958 by our friend Alex Schomberg, who brought is the MOLAB in Rocket Stories in 1953.

Every now and then up pops a toy I'd forgotten about completely and above [courtesy of Vectis] is just such a one - the Reconnaissance Tank top right. Yes, I know it's a cheapo plastic toy and not that old I don't think but I loved it's crazy shape when I bought one about 15 years ago in a little old toy shop at the top of Shipley Glen near Bradford. Sadly neither the shop nor my tank are no longer with us. Anyone got one? - a tank that is, not a toy shop!

And these cool WIERD covers just had to be blogged! The guy on the right's saying 'Hey, big insect thing, gimme back my SWORD!'

Last but not least in this fondue of goodies is this lovely plastic space-jet by Marusan. There's just something SWORDtastic about it. Finis!