Toys From The Past Blogspot Mystery Angel Inteceptor

Fellow blogger Juan from Toys From The Past blogspot has published a wonderful article about this group of mystery Spanish die-cast Sci Fi toy spacecraft.

The die-casts include an Angel Interceptor knockoff. Have a read of Juan's article here.

IRON ROAD TO WAR

The mini scale Battlespace Railway mobilises for deployment on the garden front.

A LOT LESS BOVVER

In 1980, Airfix had quite a considerable line of toys as well as model kits, such as Flight Deck, an unusual and popular toy with a Phantom Jet that could land on a small aircraft carrier strip. To compliment this and similar toys, they brought out a Hovercraft and shortly after, the Super Hovercraft.
Using a pair if ducted fans, the model drives air beneath and behind the craft, trapping it in a cushion surrounded by a polythene skirt. The Super version came with a transport bay and Airfix included two nice models from the Dr X Railway playset, a breakdown Truck and an NCL Container wagon. I've managed to find the NCL truck on a low loader, but yet to get the whole playset! I haven't tested the hovercraft, which is supposed to work on water too... The handset us about the size of a food mixer and takes a whopping 5 D cell batteries.

FUTURE WAR

 The worlds of Gerry Anderson always provided a wealth of detail about vehicles in the 21st century and besides the main feature craft, there were always other vehicles on screen to marvel at. This always sparked an interest in futuristic toys for me and one of the late eighties toys which fit neatly into that category was Kenners Megaforce. The series of military toys divided up into two warring factions featuring a range of planes, tanks and heavy artillery. The scale was akin to Galoob Micromachines, so the average tank would be about an inch long. The Backlash bomber (above) had a large tank built in which could be released through a rear bay and the Stratofortress included a special landing pad for fighter aircraft which extended as the swing wings were opened.

 Besides the feature craft in Anderson shows, there were always secondary vehicles to see. The XT Enforcer always reminds me of the type of truck seen hurrying along the tarmac of a base about to be destroyed in Joe 90 or Captain Scarlet. The large tractor unit tows a mobile launch pad with a diecast fighter jet ready to be deployed on the battlefield. The pad rotates to sling the jet underneath a protective cover beneath the trailer during transport.

Probably my favourite vehicle from the series is the Strikemaster Orbital Shuttle, a space glider like craft launched from a heavy tracked transport. The shuttle is carried into orbit by the booster sled and then delivers its cargo of tanks back to earth.

The range included many different and unique vehicles, all accompanied by a fleet of smaller diecast helijets, copters and tanks. Ideal for a compact carpet war!

RADIO INTERFERENCE

How do you catch the Swordcast and Squaring the Circle programmes ? Do you download the mp3 directly or listen via the TuneIn app on a mobile device? Bill Everratt of Celtica reports theres a major bug in the latest upgrade to this app, which prevents the 24kb stream from playing.

Your help and comments would be most appreciated!

PROJECT SWORD IN THE ITN FILM VAULT?

Now and then something historical turns up. Historical in the sense of the history of Project SWORD. The last discovery was the bus ticket campaign our old friend Toad found.

Well, Rob from Canada has stumbled onto something new. Whilst browsing the ITN TV Source site he found a description of some TV film footage featuring various space toys from 28th May 1968.

 

Here is the item description [and link]:

 

 

"U.K.: DISPLAY OF SPACE-AGE HONG KONG TOYS OPENS IN LONDON       

                                                                                                                               

ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED DISPLAYS OF SPACE-AGE TOYS EVER SEEN IN LONDON WAS ON VIEW AT THE HONG KONG TRADE CENTRE TODAY (TUESDAY) WHEN THE CROWN COLONY'S TOYMAKERS LAUNCHED A BIG DRIVE FOR THE BRITISH MARKET. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DISPLAY, WHICH LASTS UNTIL 14 JUNE, WAS REPLICA OF THE SURFACE OF THE MOON, LITTERED WITH SPACECRAFT OF ALL KINDS.

THE MOON TOY INCLUDED NOT ONLY ROCKETS AND SPACESHIPS BUT ALSO A MOON PROSPECTOR WITH A ROTATING SCANNER AND SEARCHLIGHT, A MOON BUS FOR TRANSPORTING MEN AND EQUIPMENT, AND A SCOOP SHOVEL FOR OBTAINING GEOLOGICAL SAMPLES. THERE WERE NO CHILDREN AT TODAY'S OPENING - ONLY BUSINESSMEN AND NEWSMEN. THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE COLONY'S 600 TOY FACTORIES ALREADY HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ORDERS FOR CHRISTMAS SINCE THEIR INDUSTRY REALLY "GOT GOING" 15 YEARS AGO.

THE UNITED STATES TAKES NEARLY 50 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S EXPORTABLE OUTPUT - AND WITH THIS YEAR'S EMPHASIS ON SPACE, MANUFACTURERS ARE HOPING TO MAKE EVEN DEEPER INROADS INTO THE TOYS WORTH 7,500,00 STERLING LAST YEAR, FOLLOWED BY AUSTRALIA AND WEST GERMANY.

Reference 5479/68 Tape Issue Can 6437 Source REUTERS Restrictions Restrictions on certain uses may apply, and may vary from those listed. Time code Date original 28 MAY 1968 Duration 1.39 Technical 16MM/NEG + CM Subset Reuters TV - RTV Post 1957 Location LONDON, U.K. Sound Colourbw COLOUR

1. MV EXT. SHOP 0.03 2. MV INSIDE DISPLAY OF TOYS 0.06 3. MV PAN. ACROSS TOY MOONSCAPE 0.14 4. MV TWO ASSISTANTS LOOKING AT TOYS 0.19 5. CU MOON BUS IN GIRL'S HAND 0.24 6. CU ASSISTANT 0.25 7. CU MOON SURFACE VEHICLE 0.30 8. MV DITTO BEING PLACED ON GROUND, MOVING OFF, BUMPING INTO SIDES AND MOVING AWAY 0.43 9. CU DITTO 0.49 10. MV AIRCRAFT, ONE MPVING 0.56 11. MV ANOTHER MOVING ALONG COUNTER 0.59 12. MV GIRL PUTTING TOY PLANE ON GUARD 1.04 13. CU DITTO (3 SHOTS) 1.18 14. CU VEHICLE PLACED ON GROUND AND MOVING TOWARDS (2 SHOTS) 1.26 15. MV ASSISTANT KISSING BLOWN-UP TOY ELEPHANT 1.33 16. MV TOYS ARRANGED 1.39

InitialsRM/V/CCT/PC. Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved"


With its references to a Moon Bus I feel sure its Project SWORD. Yes it could be refering to a 2001 Space Odyssey Moon Bus but I live in hope. I contacted ITN to enquire as to how we might see this footage. After establishing that it would be for my personal, rather than commercial use, this was their reply:


It's held on film so the cost to transfer to DVD would be £150 + VAT. This price entitles you to up to 10 clips.

 

 

Alas this is beyond my current finances so the footage will have to remain in the ITN vault and something of a mystery. I still believe its Project SWORD. Wonder if it was ever shown on the telly?

What do you think readers?
 

MYSTERY ACTION FIGURE QUIZ BONUS FIGURE

 

Figured we needed more reptilian action, so here's a bonus figure for you, courtesy of Bill's collection.

But what it is?

Seaside Sub

On the search for Spanish Hawk Aircraft knock offs while I'm on holiday in Majorca l came across this little plastic submarine with one of those battery powered propellers attached to the underside not unlike the fabled Submarine Aircraft Carrier.

I remember picking up similar things years ago  as a kid holidaying by the seaside.

Anyway, l thought I'm on holiday, l'll buy one and try it out  in the sea.

It worked great, although my wife did sit as far away from me as possible as I set it scudding across a rock pool attracting the attention of some local kids, not to mention a few bemused holiday makers.