Octopussy Jet / Artos Aerocar

I do like a good Bond movie and Skyfall is probably the best yet, but possibly one of the limpest outings was Octopussy, lacking any really major villain and light on technology. Apart from the nifty little jet plane that was stowed in a horsebox. Corgi made a fine little Juniors carded set with car and horsebox and the plane itself which is barely an inch long. I never got the whole set, but found the plane somewhere along the way.

Ubercollector Arto sent me a snap of his Corgi Juniors Aerocar, as seen in Man with the Golden Gun, flown by Scaramanga. Not officially tied to the film, but clearly related.

SPANISH MILITARY CRICKET: NEW TO THE BLOG

On a recent scouting trip into the cyber wastes I was searching for Spanish jeep toys. To my utter surprise up popped the above image for a military vehicle very similar in design to the SpaceX/ Golden Astronaut cricket.

 

This Spanish military toy is called Jeep Ejercito I think but this needs checking. What's certain is that it was made by MOLTO, the prolific Spanish plastic toy maker, well known to Thunderbirds toy collectors for their beautiful versions of Thunderbirds 1, 2 and 3 in both single and triple boxes [photo's welcomed by the way!]

 

Here are more shots of the Spanish military cricket unboxed and minus the rear radar assembly and aerial. From the box art it's possible that a further seated soldier attached to the radar itself.

 

pictures: todocollecion

ARTO'S 'FIND A FLYING SAUCER AT WORK DAY'

My previous post asking if any readers have any photos for  'Take A Space Toy To Work Day'  turned up a super looking flying saucer money box from mega collector, contributor and all round good friend of the Blog, Arto.

He writes,

"Your blog post was aptly timed for me, since as a matter of fact I *did* have a space toy with me at work today as well - for a simple fact that it came my way today! Found it during lunch break while browsing one of the local thrift shops I like to frequent every now and then. Formerly unknown money box in the shape of a fancy space vehicle. Not too old, perhaps 1980's-90's or even more recent, but the design is a killer! It was made by a company TGP in Norway, but I could not find anything more about this particular model for now.

The diameter of the beast is 17 cm. The hole for inserting coins is at the back.

Sending this to you guys in case the design brings up any thoughts about influences that went into it".

Well, anyone come across this little beauty or got any ideas about it?

And don't forget, any other photos for 'Take A Space Toy To Work Day' are always welcome.

Take A Toy to Work Day (sort of..)

Well as im technically jobless now, I can't take a toy to work, but I did manage to take one into the garden!

WINTER BLUES: THE LAST TIME

Continuing my Winter Blues You Tube rock session I'm currently swaying my head slowly and meaningfully to one of the all-time greatest guitar men, Rory Gallagher and his beautiful and deeply rifftastic The Last Time [click the name to listen].

Taken from Rory's 1971 eponymous debut LP as a solo artist this searing howl of a song is six and a half minutes of the best blues rock guitar you'll ever here and has a central riff you'll want to to play all day long!

 

 

Postscript: there's some fab footage of ex-Smith's guitarist extraordinaire Johnny Marr playing Rory's iconic 1961 battered strat this year here.

Take A Space Toy To Work Day

As I didn't get chance to prepare something for the blog last night I thought I'd do a 'Take a space toy to work' day using mobile blogger.

So in between cladding a school hall , I took a few snaps.

If anybody else gets the chance  to have go send in those pics, I'd love to see  'em.

TOYS ON TV: LONE-STAR PISTOL IN CAPTAIN SCARLET BY GUEST WRITER, RICHARD FARRELL

While browsing through the Project Sword blog I found something that looked vaguely familiar which sent me scrambling for my DVDs. It was Woodsy's post on the Strato Ray Gun toy which reminded me of a full size gun used in an episode of Captain Scarlet. However, comparison with the episode in question, Crater 101, showed it was close... but not identical!

 

 

Undeterred, this set me off on a late-night Google image search into the world of toy guns and water pistols which, via a few interesting detours, eventually led me to the Lone Star Stingray gun. It's one of those toys which had little or no relation to anything on screen, and which had been issued, at various times, as a Dan Dare gun and a Batman gun.

 

above Batman pistol picture:

Vectis

The barrel of the gun has been changed with the addition of a transparent front section, other bits have been removed but the rear part and the back of the handle are unmistakable. You have to be quick to catch it, it's only on screen for a few seconds. With the use of so many full size guns in the Andersons' puppet series, I suspect it's not the last toy gun that was converted for use on-screen - in fact I'm sure I've seen the occasional water pistol in Stingray.

I sense long hours of picture research looming - as Colonel White might say, 'We must steel ourselves for the road ahead!'.

 

Richard Farrell

Publisher, Andersonic Fanzine

FRIENDS REUNITED

Recently, I managed to score a partial set of Kelloggs premium spacemen. I was missing one figure who seemed to be holding a large lollipop with a UN insignia on it. Just today, a pair of new recruits arrived from ebay and one of which was the desired team leader, minus the lolly, but otherwise, extremely welcome! My kelloggs moon expedition is now complete, well, apart from their helmets!