Moonbase Shut!

Interview over and a swift change of underwear [!], I'm now packing for a trip on the Nuclear Ferry to Denmark with Missus Moonbase. I bid you all farewell and leave you in the capable pincers of Wotan. Moonbase is now closed!

Skol!

WOODSY & WOTAN LIVE ON AIR TONIGHT!

Celtica Radios show the Underground Edition goes out live at 8PM UK time or 7PM GMT.

Bill Everatt show features a special Moonbase Central slot featuring Woodsy and Wotan talking about their favourite subject - Project SWORD!
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Keep on Swordin'!

Car Boot 101

I have a theory about Car Boot Sales. Blindingly obvious but a theory nevertheless. The toys people sell, by that I mean normal family stall holders, are the ones they bought for their kids and when they've outgrown them they go to the sale. So, basically what we see at any time is a snapshot of the toys kids played with in the recent past. I'd go as far to say that what we see is never much older than 10 years, 15 at the most. Obviously there are exceptions.

This would explain why, for instance, there are no more He-Man, Ghostbusters or Thundercats toys at Boot Sales. When I started buying at them in the early 1990's family stalls where choc-ful of Ecto 1's, Slimers, Mum Ra's and Battle Cat to name but a few. Nearly every other stall had a Ghostbusters House stood on the table. They've all gone.

Based on this theory, just imagine what was on offer at flea markets and table-top sales back in the early 1970's! Space toy heaven!

I told you it was blindingly obvious! What do you think?

This One's for John Croot

Reader John Croot sent me a cool postcard the other day from way across the world on Easter Island. The Island's head statues put John in mind of Von Daniken's Chariot of the Gods and its latest manifestation, Ridley Scott's film Prometheus. Thanks John! Keep on Swordin' on Easter Isle!

Picture: Wikipedia

Just How Small is the Blue Shield LEM?

The Blue Shield Apollo Capsule [ aka LEM ] is a toy that has always fascinated me as it looks miniscule. Alas it's not one that I own. I'm a great fan of miniature space toys and have recently mused with Wotan whether this particular toy, along with it's spacemen, would form a useful part of a miniaturised Project SWORD Moon Base Playset. But just how small is the Blue Shield Apollo Capsule? Can anyone help?

Oh Man, Look at those cavemen go!

Well - the first hurdle is out of the way for the Moonbase Radio broadcast tomorrow night! Woodsy and Wotan spent a few anxious minutes this evening laying the technical groundwork for our live interview on Radio Celtica. Wales' equivalent to KLAs Rick O'Shea, the entertaining Mr Bill Everratt helped us prepare for our slot on his own show, The Underground Edition. Technical issues have been resolved and Bill has whipped us into talk show shape ready for Friday.

Bills show goes out transmission goes out at 8PM UK time or 7PM GMT Friday 10 August and is available in a variety of ways live and will also be available for download for the following six days. Its easy to listen to Celtica radio and most conventional audio routes are supported, just check out the link from the Moonbase homepage.

So, the antenna array has been set up in the Ocean of Storms, the atomic powerplant buried beneath the lunar soil is ready to bounce the signal onwards to Mars Base and Bill at Ground Control stands ready.

So thats Bill Everatt's Underground Edition, Friday 20.00 - featuring an interview with Woodsy and Wotan LIVE!


WOODSY WADES IN!

Crikey! I've gone Ga Ga! Radio SWORD goes live tomorrow night. As Hellboy would say, "Oh Crap!"

Scaling The Heights

Scale is always a hot potato when it comes to Gerry Anderson's plethora of vehicles. SWORD is no exception and Wotan and I discussed this very subject during his recent beam-up to Moonbase. There are many ways to approach the subject - SOLO strip, TV21 illustrations, the SWORD Annual, the Manual, the box art and/or the toys themselves.  

 

Thunderbirds fans have already had a go at cracking the scale nut and above is one in metres that appears on Wikimedia [Nigel Sadler 2009]. Nigel appears to have used the Carlton toys of the early 1990's - agreed?  Interestingly for me, being a Thunderbirds scale novice, TB5 is HUGE compared to the rest of the fleet with TB3 a close second. There is another more stylised version in feet on Deviant Art [harnois 75].

 

The subject of scale is one that Wotan and I will return to soon but this will hopefully whet the appetite of reader Bill E, with whom we recently chinwagged about this very thing. Any SWORD scale theories/ methods/ attempts you may have gratefully received!

Iconic Toy Art

Further to Woodsys post about his favourite piece of toy art, submissions have arrived for your favourite pieces. Charles from Canada is a huge Micronauts fan and has cited Ken Kellys evocative painting of the Hornetroid as one of his favourites. These are among my top ten examples of beautiful toy packaging, especially the Terraphant painting.

Personally, my favourite illustration for a space toys must be the Triang Spacex Major box art for the Nuclear Pulse as it takes me right back to Xmas 1969...