Dinky Thunderbird 2 & 4

To get me, and anyone else who's going to RAF Cosford at the weekend, in the mood for Thunderbirds I thought I'd revisit an old favourite of mine.

 

The Dinky Thunderbird 2 is a must for any Anderson fan. It was released with the model number 101 in 1967 and continued more or less in this form until 1973.

The July 1967 edition of the Meccano Magazine carried a feature on the newly released Thunderbird 2  die cast with it's little plastic passenger, Thunderbird 4.

The back page had an advert for both  Thunderbird 2 and the Fab 1  models.

This is my Dinky Thunderbird 2 which I’ve had since the early seventies. I'm amazed it's lasted this long, more or less intact.

 

I always liked the way Dinky and Corgi provided a nice display backing for some of it's models.

 

 

The little legs are in scale but they struggle to keep the aircraft up. When Dinky gave the Thunderbird model (106) a facelift in 1974 the legs were made a bit thicker.

 

Thunderbirds are Go!

 

 

 

 

 

　

　

　

　

　

Hats Off To Peter Pan and All His Glorious Games

 

If space toys were the turkey at Christmas then games were the cranberry sauce. I loved them as a kid as did my four older brothers and sisters and I collect them now simply as beautiful things. Games by Parker Brothers, Milton Bradley, Ideal and Waddingtons were all staples of Sixties' Christmases and provided baby-boomer families like ours with hours of wholesome fun around the living room table where Dads wore tank-tops and kids slurped tupperware beakers of sarsaparilla.

 

 

These scenes of domestic mirth were often beautifully captured on the box art of games - like this Hats Off by Peter Pan Playthings. This was a updated version of Spears Flying Hats utilising the white-hot science of spring-loaded launchers sending the plastic hats whizzing through the air. There's something charming about the washed-out pastel colours of this box art and like the gleeful boy on the lid of the Century 21 Zero-X their faces shine with the optimism of the age.

 

 

What were your favourite games?

Flights of Fantasy

Glenn Field is a hive of activity as preparations are being made to Zero X and her crew as she prepares to make the trip to the Flights of Fantasy event at the Cosford RAF Museum at the weekend.

Anyone else attending this Anderfest?
http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/whats-going-on/events/cosford-flights-of-fantasy/

Iain McClumpha's Fantastic Bryce Thunderbird 1

 

Last week I blogged a fabulous piece of Zero-X art by CG artist Iain McClumpha. With Iain's kind permission here is another of his artworks appearing for the first time online. Iain explains:

 

 

"They are computer generated images, using 3D models.  I use software called Bryce which can produce a very airbrushed look to the artwork rather than photo-realistic. If you look at my site, on this particular page you will see most of the Anderson-based images I've done so far... this site needs updated really badly! It's the bottom half of the page: http://www.cosmicbento.com/aboutus.html 

I have also attached the best of my other Anderson images which I haven't put on my gallery as yet.

All the best

Iain"

Ron Turner On Speed

These are some more examples from my on going study of artist, Ron Turner.

The final ten issues of Speed comic each carried a full page reader request article dealing with famous names associated with various forms of speed. Starting with jet engine pioneer Sir Frank Whittle in issue dated 23rd August 1980, and ending in issue dated 25th October 1980 with Reginald Mitchell, the designer of the Spitfire.

Ron illustrated each one and I think they're worth mentioning as they're little different from his usual fantastic visions of the future.

Yuri Gagarin's, Vostok 1 has that familiar Turner look, as does the Fairey Delta jet.

But I'm not so sure about judo star Brian Jacks on a bike, or  El Cordobes  the bullfighter.  

 

 

Although, Ron's work in black & white is always excellent.

 

 

The above examples were on the inside covers so no colour tones.

 

These last three have a nice sense of movement. 

 

 

'Charlie Brown'

These are some photos I took of the Apollo 10 command module at the Science Museum which I though might be of interest.

Some of us have toys and models of similar things but there’s nothing like seeing the full size in - your - face real thing.

Although the hatch is removed and a clear Perspex cover separates the general public from the module’s cramped environment you can still see the controls and the joysticks.

 

 

The three astronauts would have spent eight days working, eating, sleeping, washing, shaving and doing all the natural things that us Earthbound spacemen do in this cramped world, with the odd scramble into the LEM. It takes a heck of a lot of guts to travel a quarter of a million miles in this tny spaceship and crack on it’s great being a astronaut. The Apollo 10 mission couldn’t even land on the Moon, so not even a chance for two of them to stretch their legs.

    

The original polished silver look of the spacecraft is darkened following it’s return through Earth’s atmosphere. You can see the heavy scorch marks on the heat shield.

             Here's a close up of the heat shield.

And if, by some stretch of the imagination I’d got a chance to travel to the moon and back in a capsule that’s smaller than the cupboard under my stairs!

Would I go?

In a heartbeat!

Mysteronised Zero-X by Iain McClumpha

Zero-X is not only popular with toy and modelling enthusiasts like us but also artists. I recently saw this beautiful artwork on CGHUB online and I'm showing it here with the kind permission of the talented artist Iain McClumpha. The piece is called 'Mysteronised Zero-X' and based on two models, as Iain explains:

 

 

"Hi Paul....please also credit Neil Wilson, as he built the actual model I used for Zero X, and Billy Bowers for the Angel model. I couldn't have created an image like that without them supplying the actual models for me to use ^_^. I am planning some new Zero X images, more inspired by the TV21 comics than the "Thunderbirds Are Go" film or Captain Scarlet. Thanks again for asking, and I am VERY flattered."

 

 

"Zero X has been taken over by the Mysterons! Two different Angels in this pic. The one at the rear is based on the snap-fix Airfix model, even down to the false canards behind the small winglets on the nose. All I added here was the pilot."

 

I'm sure you'll agree Iain has captured the mid-air collision brilliantly and you can see more of his work on the CGHUB.

Foot Stompin' Glam Rockin'!

Went to see the glam rock bands Slade and Sweet last night at the Southport Theatre.

What a fantastic night. The place was sold out, filled with fifty and sixty year old somethings - at times the smell of Vick was overpowering. But we were in for a treat. Them old rockers have still got it!

First up was Sweet, or more accurately Andy Scott’s Sweet as he’s the only original band member in it. Although, I’m not taking anything away from the other members. Like Andy Scott, these other lads are all accomplished musicians. Bass guitarist, Pete Lincoln joined Sweet in 2006 and replaces the late Brian Connolly on lead vocals . Keyboardist and guitarist ,Tony O’Hora originally joined in 2003, and after a brief spell away returned to the band. Replacing the late Mick Tucker is drummer Bruce Bisland. Bruce was a stand in drummer for The Sweet in 1991, before joining the band proper in 1992.

The band opened to ‘The Stripper’, as did the original in it’s hey day. Once on stage the loud opening riffs to ‘Hell Raiser’ burst from the speakers - boy, was it loud, and boy was it good! I was right back in 1973. This was no tribute band with a bonus member - this WAS Sweet!

All the hits were there, including ‘Love Is Like Oxygen’ with an addition of E.L.P’s version of ‘Fanfare For The Common Man’, in the middle.

The set ended with the glam rock anthem, ’Ballroom Blitz’.

During the interval, the band, a real friendly bunch, signed copies of their new album and posed with fans for photos.

 

The years haven't been kind for both of us!

The second half was devoted to Slade. Original guitarist, Dave Hill and drummer, Don Powell are in the line up. Noddy Holder is replaced by Mal McNulty, who joined the band in 2005 as lead vocals. Mal has a look of AC/DC's Brian Johnson about him, and sounds like he gargles with Listerene and broken glass - so he's perfect for the job!
Finally, John Berry substitutes for Jim Lea  on  bass and violin. John has played with many other well known bands including 16 years with Mud and a stint with Brian Connolly’s Sweet.

Slade opened to the sounds of the ‘Thunderbird March’. Run Runaway was their opening number, a later hit but still a rocker. It was obvious that this was Dave Hill’s band as he ran round the stage like a demented pixie. He soon got the audience on their feet as the band wheeled out the old foot stompin’ hits like ‘Cum On Feel The Noise’ and ‘Gudbuy T’ Jane. That’s no mean feat considering the amount of hip replacements that must have been in the room!

The night ended with Slade’s perennial ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’.

 

If, like me you like a bit of fun coupled with some good old fashioned rock this is for you. If Slade and Sweet come to your town get your tickets booked, you won’t be disappointed!

 

I've uploaded a live performance from YouTube of Sweet's version of Hello's,' New York Groove'.