MOONBASE CENTRAL

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

NETSUKI SWORD

Whilst enjoying some RnR at Mars Base the other weekend I had chance to examine Wote's miniatures [steady!] - his miniature SWORD vehicles from Japan pictured above [note the two colour variations, green and grey, of Task Force 3]. Each vehicle is numbered with the highest, if memory serves me correctly, being 14. That could mean that there are 14 + toys in this line, which fits the actual C21 range, of which there were 19. Both Wote and me thought we could see a very faint logo but it's so small it's impossible to read even with a magnifying glass. So the mystery continues.

But as with any mystery it's OK to speculate. What would the missing miniatures look like? I saw a contender for probe Force 2 amongst some plastic party favours on fleabay, which are pictured left. I've circled the one I mean. Similarly I found a Scout 3 doppelganger amongst some Star Wars gaming pieces on fleabay too, pictured right bottom and also circled.

Interestingly our friends at Multiple Toymakers issued a bag of Famous Planes of the World, which included an X-15 X-plane [circled], cousin of the X-20 Dyna Soar. Did Multiple also make an X-20 like the brown one Wote has pictured top right?

If only we could find a bag of those Japanese miniatures! One day!

Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Nearly March Caption Comp

What's this chappie with his Dyna Soar model thinking then Swordies?

[pic: NASA 1961 Langley]

PODCAST: JR21 TB2, MOLE and Box Art by Mike B

Hello Woodsy, I recently acquired a JR21 Thunderbird 2 in relatively reasonable condition considering it’s well over 40 odd years old. It’s a ‘Made in England’ version of the toy featuring 'The Mole’ as opposed to the rather disappointing Land Rover toy that came with the earlier version. Just like it’s TV counterpart the toy looks good from any angle in spite of the friction drive and the fold back legs.

Now, a couple of things do strike me about this toy. One is how many have survived relatively intact after all these years considering how fragile they are, and the other thing is The Mole that comes with it.

On close examination, apart from ‘MOLE’ written across the top, it bears only a passing resemblance to the I.R. vehicle. There are no markings underneath. The toy looks more like a futuristic tank design with a ray gun type turret.

I wonder if this too is a generic toy from an earlier age, maybe even from a set of early futuristic toys, that was acquired to replace the Land Rover when the production shifted from Hong Kong to England.

What do you think?

As I say, mine is a Made in England version with all its associated alterations, although it does carry the same design no 916622 as the Hong Kong version along with HPM in a circle stamped on the rear friction drive cover as opposed to the JR mark and ‘NO 2’ found under the front of the earlier one.

As to the box art, I’ve attached a scan of the Dinky box and the JR21 for comparison . The stance of the Thunderbird is exactly the same on both pictures and there are similarities in lettering and style, but to be honest I really don’t think they are the same artist. As a point of interest the Dinky artist misses out one of the rear engine exhausts which leads me to think that both artists traced from the same photograph and Peter Archer [possible artist] just didn’t pick that up. I would also assume that the traced photo would have shown the pod up which to my mind would explain why the Dinky Thunderbird pod looks added on. I would imagine the picture of TB 2 during the Thunderbirds titles is probably what was used.

As to JR21 re-using existing toys, I’m like you. I’ve never come across the originals which presumably would have appeared in the fifties.

Cheers

Mike B

Monday, 27 February 2012

Space Trump Ships

SS Heart of Gold

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy

....and is full of loonies.

from Cloudcaptain

out-trump that!

Booker Rocket

A regular daily stop off every day for me is John Sissons awesome site, Dreams of Space. Always a source of entertainment and inspiration, Johns seemingly endless procession of space books fascinates me. Not for the first time, a book has appeared that reflects Project Sword and this beautiful japanese board book has a lavish painting of a Booster Rocket like vehicle. Other paintings shown on Johns site show a wonderful piggy-back shuttle and the Booster unloading cargo at a wheel type space station. Part 2 is scheduled to cover the moonbase! Cant wait!

Andy B's Trigan Empire

Woodsy,

One of the influential comic stories when I was growing up at the close of the 60s was "The Trigan Empire" in Ranger comic, later continued in Look and Learn. The stories varied in quality, but I think the opening frames (by Don Lawrence) with the crashing space ship (enclosed) are one of the best openings I have seen.

NB: the early Trigan Empire strips were reprinted as a Look and Learn book, later reissued by Hamlyn. Some of the later stories were published by Hawk Books. I believe there is a more recent (but very pricey) reprint published in Holland.

All the best,

Andy B

Sunday, 26 February 2012

Space Creature Trump!

Right to start the space creature trump rolling, heres the Mighty Wotan - Loved by women, feared by men, striding across the martian caldera in search of new additions to his vast collection of space treasures, possesed of mighty baccanalian appetites, he appears in many guises and forms, each more awesome than the last. No shall stand in his way as he marches sullen eyed, ipod in hand, an artist, a mystic, a reaver, and ebayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth to tread the jewelled thrones of Earth beneath his disc shaped feet! Look upon his works ye mighty and despair!