Revelling In It

Woodsy, while out shopping in the city centre today I was passing Jamisons Models and when I saw the kit in the picture I had to jump in and get it right away!. This was a kit I had in my far distant younger days and although re-issued a few times since then I'd never managed to aquire a new one-until today that is. I had picked up the Revell 1/32nd scale Hurricane & Spitfire re-Issues last year but somehow missed that this was coming back out. So should you want one get it now.....no telling when we'll see it again!

Spectrum Steve

Where's Wote?

Well Swordies, Wote's big 50 weekend bash at Moonbase is drawing to a close and all the guests are leaving. Hoppers, SIDS and Prospectors are firing up everywhere. A fab time was had by all and the Base has officially run out of all it's supplies of beer, pork pies, samosas, Borscht, pickled cabbage and onions. Several guests like those wildmen Arto and Maverick spent some time in sick bay today along with the man of the moment, Wote. No-one's seen him since the moon matron tried to administer his hangover smoothie comprising two raw eggs and milk. So where's Wotan? [think Where's Wally!]

New Tarheel Sightings 2012 #1: SST

I was recently sent this picture from Andres of his supercool Tarheel Panam SST jet. We've seen something similar a couple of years ago but the box is new to the blog. Without a model number [I did ask] it's hard to say of it came before or after the Tarheel SWORD range. Anyone else got one?

For comparison purposes here's the other Tarheel SST version in a completely different box, together with a cool Hover/Salco SST from the amazing Paul Vreede collection, which first appeared here in February 2010.

Splashdown!

 After a really fab birthday celebration at moonbase and making myself thouroughly ill with jelly and ice cream, I headed off Earthward for a meal with the Wotan Clan at home. I think ill have to be fifty more often as this has been one of the most memorable occasions since I was a nipper! You can see the self satisfied smile on my face above as i enjoy a little shore leave with Will, my youngest last night.

I also took great delight in showing him all the goodies which have been showered upon me for the big day, most notably the piece of original Mike Noble artwork from the Star Fleet strip showing the nuclear ferry ship in all its glory! A veritable feast for the eyes, the artwork is flawless and immaculate and shall find pride of place on Mars Base wall (as soon as I can persuade Mrs Wotan to let me hang it!). I have (hopefully) thanked everyone personally for this amazing gift, but I would just like to reiterate how grateful I am for this singular and very moving present.

The fun didn't stop there either however, as I also received a signed copy of Alan Shubrooks book C21 FX, a Randy Rayder LP from the mighty Woodstock, a wonderful vintage booklet on the Moon landings from Andy, an extremely rare set of acrobat figures from Paul Vreede and a boxed set of Forbidden Planet metal figures from the wonderful P Toad.

So after the mess has been cleaned up and the airlock swabbed out after my unfortunate attempt to catch blancmange in zero-g, I am left with some stunning gifts and a host of very pleasant memories.

But just once more for the road, a massive thank you to Terry, Paul V, Kim, Richard, Hugh, Mike, Arto, Ed, Alan, Andy and to the Woodmeister himself for going to the extraordinary lengths to arrange the bash for me and again for the opportunity to plaster my ugly mush and the inside of my head all over the blog on a daily basis. Its been a pleasure. Muchos gracias, Bill

Major Mattski

I was intrigued by this space walker, which featured on Ebay last week by roy from cornwall. At first I thought it was a white variant of Major Matt Mason's famous Crawler pictured below [Ebay]. But reading the listing I saw that it was a Soviet made toy called a Lunnik [which reminds me of Wotan's Lunokhod toy]. But the similarities are striking don't you think? Wonder if there was a Soviet equivalent of Major Matt Mason?

We've seen other US versions of this toy in the Billy Blastoff and Apollo Moon Exploring ranges, but as for the actual techology was the development of this concept an international effort in the US and the USSR? Or are the toys from the same NASA idea? Anyone know the history of this Crawler?

After The Party

From Andy B for WOTAN

Happy Fiftieth Wotan!

Have a Fab 50th Birthday Wote,

We may not be actually with you today but we are with you in spirit.

We all raise our glasses to you on your big day Bill and thank you for your friendship, infectious zest and true companionship on our cosmic journey.

Cheers!

Picture created by the uniquely talented Mike B.

LAST MINUTE BIRTHDAY CRISIS AVERTED