I Am Not A Number Plate

I’ve always liked the surreal 60’s TV series The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan. Every week the iconic opening title sequence would show McGoohan - the future Number 6 speeding down what looked like a runway in a green and yellow Lotus Seven car. He is seen driving through London on his way to angrily hand in his resignation. As he packs a suitcase to leave for sunnier climes knock out gas blows through the keyhole. He wakes to find himself in the mysterious Village!

Marvellous stuff - Like most kids I loved sporty cars and would have loved to have had a model Lotus to go with my Corgi James Bond DB5 and Saint Volvo P1800.

However, it would seem McGoohan was apparently reluctant to licence merchandise at the time, and no Prisoner Lotus appeared.

That being said, Dinky did somehow manage to secure the rights to produce a die cast model of the Prisoner Mini Moke made up to look like the Village taxi. Nice but it ain’t the Lotus!

Over the years some Prisoner merchandise has cropped up - books, paperbacks, and of course, badges. But no Lotus.

Then, in 2004, the publishers, DeAgostini produced the Prisoner Fact File and anyone subscribing received, amongst other things a small Lotus Seven scale model car bearing the number plate KAR 120C. - Orange Alert!

It took a while but as they say everything comes to he who waits.

Be seeing you!

More Pirates of Apollo Moon Exploring: Funmate's Space Command

I'm always chuffed when I see a new variation or brand of Apollo Moon Exploring knockoffs. Recently on Hebay were two such goodies completely new to me. First up and shown above was this carded SPACE COMMAND by FUNMATE, who are more well known for plastic cars than space toys. There appears to be an Apollo capsule, a US flag, radar array and LEM. The astronaut is more Giant than LP/ SpaceX. I particularly like the Earth-moon system card art. Anyone know any more about this set?

 

 

The second set was a foursome of small space toys in a bag pictured below. It contained a blue Capsule, a silver LEM, a small orange space car and a neat tube of Apollo USA model cement. I was lucky enough to win this set and will report back once it lands on Moonbase. Anyone seen the items before?

Fireflash Toys?

Fireflash was such an extraordinarily cool plane design in Thunderbirds. I'm surprised it didn't get the star treatment like Zero-X in its own movie. At the very least Century 21 should have made a toy version. Have there been ANY toys or models of Fireflash?

Aviones Cosmicos: Spain's Spacex Knockoffs

From my own collection, this AVIONES COSMICOS carded set by Bullycan pictured above, was the first I'd seen when I acquired it last year. Clearly knockoffs of Tri-ang's SpaceX range and made of simple coloured plastic, they were presumabley cheap rack toys for the corner shops of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. Occasionally I browse for Bullycan and other spanish space toys online and was pleased to see these two further colour variations on my own set. I wonder if Bullycan made any other Aviones Cosmicos?

 bottom two pictures: todocolleccion

FIRE THAT BIG CAP-FIRED DINKY ROCKET TO BLAST THE ALIEN!

Browsing the ubercool UFO Series Home Page I noticed this Dinky toys ad from the back of Countdown comic. I had both the UFO interceptor and the Sea King Helicopter as a kid. The Sea King had the niftiest Apollo floating capsule. These were very strong die-cast toys and I imagine there are lots of them still around. I've one in my attic somewhere! You?

 

I loved 1970's cartoony illustrations in comics like Countdown. Looking at it it does remind me of the black and white spaceX illustrations that were gracing comics circa 1970. What do you think? Was there a King of advert illustrations like this?

Welcome Aboard Mike!

I'm pleased to announce to readers of Moonbase Central that Mike 'Scoop' B has joined Wotan and me on the blog's editorial team as our latest official contributor.

From his coastal outpost at Glenn Field, Scoop has always been an enthusiastic contributor to the blog often wowing readers with his superlative modelling skills and fab dioramas. His debut, a cool model lay-out called simply SPACEX MOON BASE DIORAMA [yep, that one below] was way back in December 2008 when I'd first kicked off the blog and remains one of our most popular posts to this day having had 1600 visitors.

"Blog reader Mike Burrows has sent me this fabulous picture o

f his Space Moon Base set. Nice one Mike! Woodsy"

 

 

Throughout the years Mike has continued to send in fabulous models, photographs, research and insights from Glenn Field sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for all things Anderson with us Moonbasers, Swordies and SpaceXers.

 

 

In 2010 I had the pleasure of meeting up with Mike at Fanderson's TV21 convention in Bristol, an appropriate setting if ever there was one! As expected, we hit it off from the outset and it was great to have met the real Scoop B!

L to R: Scoop, Woodsy at TV21 [note the matching SWORD badges!

now that's devotion to the cause! ha ha!]

 

 

So, without further ado, I'm sure that you'll all want to join me in welcoming Mike aboard Moonbase Central! Glenn Field, come on down!

Space Models of Feltham, Master Models of Hounslow and AGM

Master Models and Space Models are often mentioned synonymously when discussing outsourced modelmaking for Derek Meddings. My previous post on Master Models jogged my memory and I recalled looking into them to see if they were one or indeed two different companies. There is certainly mention  of them both on many of the long-established Anderson sites like Fanderson [re. Doppelganger Mini Mokes], Blakes 7 site [Eagle] and in various books etc. Space Models are often cited as Space Models of Feltham and Feltham [erstwhile home of the Concorde] is but 3.5 miles from Master Models in Hounslow, both around the half hour mark away from Century 21 as was when based in Slough.

 

 

 

I wrote to what I thought a likely candidate for Space Models of Feltham exactly 3 years ago and asked Nick Phelps, Managaing Director "I am assuming that your campany is the same Space Models of Feltham, who worked on many of Gerry Anderson's fabulous shows" to which Nick confirmed that yes, they were indeed the same. Nick suggested that I contact him again regarding a member of staff on annual leave, who might be able to expand on the Anderson link but despite my further email, I heard nothing further. Space Models is now part of a lager group called Curvature.

 

 

 

There is also mention of another model making company called A&G, AGM or Aeronautical and General on various Fora like Fanderson and Space 1999 Eagle Transporter. Listening to the British Pathe clip audio again, they do indeed refer to the company as AGM and NOT Master Models. But the same people appear on Master Models own archive photographs. Were AGM forerunners of Master Models?

 

 

Anyone know any more?

Master Models On Film!

A couple of years ago I found some footage of a model making firm on British Pathe's online archive. Could it be Master Models, who made the Zero-X for Derek Meddings? Certainly they can be seen working on Mac's Car at the end of the clip!

The Pathe notes describes the firm being located in Hounslow, which I can see on Google Maps is just 13 miles from Slough Trading Estate, home of Century 21. But the final proof comes when you compare stills of the chap working on Mac's Car from Master Model's own online archive with those of British Pathe. Despite one being colour and the other monochrome, they are quite clearly the same chap!

Compare them for yourselves [can't show copyrighted material here but you can split your screen to compare the two stills]:

1. Master Models still

2. British Pathe still
[be patient, wait for clip 2.03 - 2 minutes 3 seconds - to appear at the bottom]

 

 

 

So, without further ado, watch original footage of Master Models in 1968, makers of Joe's 90's Car, various Thunderbirds craft and Zero-X for one Derek Meddings!


http://www.britishpathe.com/video/model-makers

 

And the icing on the cake, you can see all the famous model vehicles in one shot on Master Models site, including Zero-X, here! http://www.mastermodels.co.uk/Gallery_One/Pages/Television.html#10


Wonder who the modellers are? Did they go on to even greater things?