The Bright Stuff

We've been spoilt for choice on fleabay of late what with Tarheel Space Gliders, a Knockoff Tarheel Moon Ranger, Moon Prospectors, LP astronauts to mention a few. Two boxed US Multiple Toymakers Golden Astronaut Sets caught my eye too. Above we have the Moon Exploration Set with its beautiful lunar backing card, which looks like a canvas painting! I've got the UK Spacex Moon Base but none of the US sets. Anyone got this or any variations of it?

 

Secondly we have a lovely boxed Interplanetary Patrol set with a cool Nuclear Pulse at its centre. This time the backing card pictures Earth. Interestingly the set appears to come with a Japanese instruction sheet. Has anyone got a sheet like this? Where these put for the Japanese market do you think?

Explorador Planetario San Isidro

A veritable smorgasbord of brazilian goodies are on view at the San Isidro Museum in Brazil

including our old friend that cheeky CHIBI prospector and GORGO's SPC.

KEVIN D's RANGER RESTORATION

Hi Woodsy,

Just found a before picture of the very battered Moon Ranger that I picked up on ebay for very little. I have taken an after picture of it in situ in my cabinet (hence the flash image -sorry). I made the front scoop from plasticard, the antenna from plastic strips and aluminium mesh and I 're-chromed' the surface detail with shiny tape. The dome was from a plastic toy container and the driver was an astronaut from a model kit. It isn't totally authentic of course, but it gives the right feel and was cheap. Feel free to use the pictures if you think they are okay.

take care,

Kevin D.

A Procession of Prospectors

The Monochrome Set

Black and white drawings of our old friend the MP.

Drawings prospected from various SWORD and non-SWORD publications

in the well-stocked Moonbase bookcase.

[well, I've got to do something on long dark side of the Moon nights!]

Unstoppable Force

Probe Force 3

by Malcolm Stokes

TV21 Annual 1969

[Woodsy Bookcase]

Salvaged From Oblivion

Some of the most beautiful Spacex II spaceship box art is that of the Salvage Craft [above top left [I've never seen the toy]]. It was most likely inspired by Eric Eden's GK 10 in his classic Fireball XL5 strip [top lower]. Much later this has also inspired America's Ravenstar studios to create a superb miniature version for gamers and collectors. I acquired one a couple of years ago and painted it in its Spacex yellow [top right]. You can still buy the miniature, unpainted for your own colouration. It's number 6 on the price list below. Just email Ravenstar and let them know what you want. Hurry while stocks last! [always wanted to say that!]

You and who's army ?

Come and have a go if you think youre hard enough! Wotan and Toad are deep in a play by mail game of Mystic Wood, a dice rolling, turn based RPG. At the moment its a test to see if the framework of the fantasy game will support a Project SWORD themed space game. All indications so far are that it will comfortably work being played over email and at a distance. The original game is card based and plays out into a map made up of the cards as the game unfolds.

At the moment we're just playtesting for fun, but we would like to see how practical it would be with other players. Do we have any takers ?

K.E.V.I.N D.'S R.E.S.T.O.R.E.D S.W.O.R.D

Reader Kevin D has painstakingly restored some of his SWORD and C21/JR21 toys. Kevin explains Here are a couple, a before and after of a JR21TB1 that I got on ebay and a Apollo Saturn that had no nose or front fins when I bought it. Woodsy says Amazing Kevin!