Christmas Presents I Got Every Year

Every Christmas there were always surprises when I was kid. The big stuff like a Chopper bike, a Captain Lazer or a Johnny Seven. But nestling between these were always those Xmas prezzies I got every year, what you might call Christmas standards.

 

 

Here's a list of my top five Christmas standards:

 

 

1. Cadbury's chocolate selection box

2. A Parker Pen

3. An Oxford Geometry set in a tin

4. A Ben Sherman shirt with penny round collar, Pink Parallels [trousers] or similar [later]

5. A packet of Steadtler felt pens or Crayola crayons

 

 

What were your Xmas standards readers? Do you give a standard to someone nowadays?

THE GREASTEST SCI-FI MOVIE NEVER MADE?

As we slowly approach the cavalcade of films on TV at Christmas, we hope, like every year, for at least a few decent Sci-Fi and monster movies. But what about those amazing stories we read that never made it onto the Big Screen. A few years back I got a mate of mine this book for Xmas on the very subject.

 

 

The one movie never made that stands out for me personally is Childhood's End, that fabulous tale of an alien dictatorship with a twist. The iconic image of the alien craft poised high above has appeared on the book's cover and even in the beginning of the movie Independence Day but never its own film. Its fascinating to think that Kubrick himself might have brought it to the big screen had the rights been available.

 

 

I have seen some beautiful movie concept art for Childhood's End by seminal comic artist Neal Adams, which I think appeared in Starlog magazine. What do you think? Will it ever be filmed and what is your favourite sci-fi movie [or indeed toy] that never was readers?

Moon Bus Christmas

 

 

This is one Xmas decoration I'd like on my tree this year! A 2001 Moon Bus!  Have you any space Xmas ornaments readers?

SPLISH SPLASH SPLOSH: VINTAGE BATH TIME TOYS

Reading Richard's enthusiasm for aquatic toys, I thought I'd have a look at a few. I suppose I have to start with my old mate the Billy Blastoff Frogman. How I loved this little fella, who often joined me for soapy adventures in the bath! Eldon's accessories were just wonderful: mask, a little boat and my personal favourite, Bill's own underwater camera, which, powered by his trusty battery backpack, lit up my rubber duck's bum from beneath! ha ha!

Scuba Billy's big brother often joined him on longer expeditions. I am of course referring to that frogman extraordinaire of the toy world, my spelunker of choice, the Action Man Frogman. Again Palitoy left nothing to chance and garnished the set with fab accessories like a dagger and sheath, a watch, beautiful silver air tanks and my own favourite, his orange candle grenades. These cute munitions were often placed strategically around the Palitoy shark which terrorised our bath times. Happy days!

Action Man Frogman and Billy were often joined by Action Man Deep Sea Diver and Jungle Explorer with his bright outboard-motored orange raft. However there was a group of ace American aquanauts who never made it to my house and may in fact have stayed clear of a lot of UK households owing to their relative scarcity [I may be wrong]. I am speaking about the brilliant looking Sea Devils by Mattel released onto bath times in 1970. Not to be confused with the Dr.Who monsters of the same name, they were like Major Matt Mason underwater. Made of wired bendable rubber, the Sea Devils had tons of accessories and fab vehicles. There's still a place near my soap dish for a Mattel Sea Devil!

My final instalment is another toy range I never had at the time, largely because I was too old. I would have loved them as a kid and they fitted right into my world view back in the Sixties. I am talking about the BHS Explorer 12 Ocean series. A bit like SpaceX, divided into different mini-fleets, the Ocean crew had their own vehicles, figures and book, which appears here courtesy of Joe Lang's uber-cool fan site.

What are fave underwater toys readers? Do they compare with space toys?

Rescue Time

The exploits of Thunderbirds left me with a love of all terrain vehicles and rescue craft and now and again its possible to find some nice modern examples. This little buggy is from Tomy Extreme Team and is just about 3" long.

It comes in a playset with a section of plastic mountain, two rescue team members and some equipment. With the cage, folding bridge and rocket winch attached, it looks cumbersome, but on its own, its a nice little vehicle.

I also received a fine little jet bike around the same period, its roughly scaled to fit the 2.5" figures, but i've no idea where its from.

RARE SPACE TOYS

What would you say are the rarest space toys in your neck of the woods? A well-known brand or an obscure one off? It will be different, say, in the UK and Finland to the US and so on. What do you think? I don't know so I'm asking you.

EXPLODED BOOSTER ROCKET

Analog magazine never ceases to amaze me for the sheer range of brilliant covers it had. Here's one with what appears to be an exploded Booster Rocket. From this very month in 1979. I was 18! Blimey. How old were you readers December 1979? No, forget that I asked.

Voyage of the Leif Ericson

This elegant kit often appeared in adverts in the back of monster magazines, but I could never find it in the shops. Made by AMT in the early seventies and buried in their Star Trek line up, its a fantasy ship with no basis in any series or show. For some odd reason its named after the actor who played the owner of the High Chapparal ranch, so if anyone can enlighten me on that, please do.

The early releases had clear red plastic engine detail and a lighting kit, later versions came in luminous plastic.

It's a beautiful kit, which could fit easily into the classic Star Trek genre, with science fiction styling and sleek streamlining. The rear bay open to reveal a small shuttlecraft.

I recently ran into an old schoolmate via ebay who was selling a whole fleet of early Aurora and AMT kits and managed to bag the Ericson. It was already built by its previous owner and seem to be the later version without the engine parts. It has been re-released with a new lighting kit and engine details.

Nyrath has prepared a fine microsite about the ship as part of his comprehensive Project Rho, see it here.