TARHEEL PROJECT SWORD SPECTRUM PATROL CAR: NEW DISCOVERY

OK, this is the first of two stunning Project SWORD discoveries made this weekend just gone. Focus on the red car in the centre and look at the box. It says:

Project SWORD Spectrum Patrol Car by Tarheel!

Now that is amazing! Not only is it a wholly new and never seen before American SWORD toy by Tarheel, it is also the first SWORD toy, which specifically mixes Gerry Anderson worlds, ie. SWORD and Captain Scarlet! Fabulous I hear you say! And I would agree.

We will hopefully get more photographs from the toy's owner later in the year. In the meantime you can go and see it on display for another month at the Hamilton Toy Collection in Callander, Perthsire, Scotland, where it resides with owner John Hunter. John has kindly agreed to me showing this photograph of the toy. You can see more of his museum on his website.

I would like to thank Graeme Walker of Canada for initially flagging up this toy, which he saw on Facebook. Thanks Graeme! That's the power of the web!

If you can take anymore then the next new SWORD discovery will follow soon!

THE FUTURE IS FANTASTIC: GUEST ROY SCAMMELL

One of the guests I hadn't seen before was stuntman, Roy Scammell, who played Nordstrom in the first episode of Space 1999, 'Breakaway'.

In this screengrab, he's the astronaut picking up his fellow worker, Steiner, 

Although, this scene was well used as a publicity still for the series, I  think many of you will have seen the gaff as Roy's helmet visor lifts up seconds later.

Sadly, for Roy's character, he's contracted the strange sickness, so no trip to the planet Meta for him.

Roy, who is in his eighties, started out as a professional ice skater, and gymnast, before embarking in a career as a stuntman. Over the years he's performed in a great many productions, including several James Bond films, a Clockwork Orange where he was Malcolm McDowell's stunt double. Flash Gordon as a Hawkman. He was also one of the stunt co-ordinators on Alien, where he worked with  fellow stuntman Eddie Powell.

Roy was also a member of Havoc, the stunt performers founded by fellow stunt man Derek Ware, who were usually seen as UNIT soldiers during Jon Pertwee's era as The Doctor.

Roy performed in Ambassadors Of Death, Inferno and Mind of Evil during Jon Pertwee's first season as The Doctor. He also worked as a stunt co-ordinator on the stories, Paradise Towers, and Delta and The Bannermen during Sylvester McCoy's era.

One particular stunt that Roy performed during his days with Havoc was a record breaker at the time. It was during a scene in 'Inferno'. Derek Ware was playing mutated  RSF Trooper Wyatt  who was attacking The Doctor at the top of a refinery tank. The character is shot by an RSF trooper on the ground, ( played by Roy) , and then proceeds to fall from the top of the tank, which apparently was nearly 90 feet. 

Although, Derek was a stuntman, it was Roy who was contracted to do the stunt, and at the time it was the highest fall ever undertaken by a British stunt performer. 

I must say I enjoyed listening to Roy recounting his experiences in the film industry, and in particular his time in Havoc.

WHAT IS THE LONGEVITY OF VINTAGE TOYS?

How long will people collect old toys for? What I mean is how much further into the future do you think collectors will be gathering on blogs like this, meeting at toy fairs and looking for old toys?

More specifically how much life do you think Gerry Anderson toys have left? A hundred years? Five hundred years? 

How long will the toys of the Sixties actually last before they turn to dust?

What do you think readers?

THE FUTURE IS FANTASTIC: A CONVOCATION OF EAGLES

A couple more original  Eagle props from Space 1999 on display at the Future is Fantastic.

One of the four 44" Eagles made for the series was on display. This restored version belonging to mega modeller David Sisson.

One of the two 22" Eagles made for the series. This prop belongs to Martin Willey.

Martin Willey is also lucky enough to own these original Hawk props.

The larger one shown above. The maller version below.

PYTHON LEE JACKSON: IN A BROKEN DREAM 1972

Australian rockers Python Lee Jackson with guest vocalist Rod Stewart.

What a stupendous track!

THE FUTURE IS FANTASTIC: PUPPET SETS

Here's a few photos of some of the replica puppet sets at the F.I.F.  

This first one appeared in the Swinton Insurance commercial and at the Blackpool Gerry Anderson exhibition.

It's a combination of the rear cabin which was seen in the commercial, and the front half which was added for the exhibition.

It was refurbished by Thunderbird enthusiast, Glo Thorogood.

I saw this Thunderbird replica set, built by Andrew Grimshaw as seen in the Thunderbirds episode, The Cham-Cham, at Andercon this year, but I'm not complaining about seeing it again. 

Finally, the Cloudbase set built by Andy Rolfe, again this lovely set was previously seen at this year's Andercon. 

GEOFFREY'S T IN A CIRCLE SPACE CAPSULE: YOUR HELP NEEDED!

Can anyone help out reader and fellow blogger Geoffrey from Lisbon?

He has recently acquired a T in a Circle Spacecraft. Its a plastic space capsule with a 'floating' astronaut. Alas, the yellow nose bowl is missing from the front of the toy.

Does anyone have a spare or the means to create one for Geoffrey?

Here's what the yellow nose bowl looks like at the front of this complete example sold by Vectis:

I'll let Peter describe his new toy:

Hello Woodsy,

The T in a circle appears both on the toy and on the box. (with "358" number and "Made in Hong Kong") I tried to make some pictures and am sending these through - I have seen the Vectis one and have more or less an idea of what to look for (the cone also appears on the artwork of the box... :) Please feel free to use any picture you want - I will try to make some more of better quality and send them also. 

The shuttle is not working - the battery compartment is loose inside the toy (glue not holding ?) since I don't see any screws, I will not try to take it apart - it seems both halves are glued together. (the halves are masked by the adhesive yellow strip that runs around the toy.)

The fun part is the little floating astronaut, who just looks tiny compared with the size of the capsule. I have seen the original capsule at the Smithsonian and it is completely out of scale (it seems more like Skylab than an Apollo capsule).

If in the meantime you know of anyone who has one and could make a copy (maybe 3D printer ?) plse. feel free to give them my contact.

Thanks for your help

Geoffrey

SUNDAY MORNING STAR WARS AT AT ADVENTURE

In the early 1990's I bought a cheapo space toy set from a discount store in Wakefield near me. It was called Star Adventure and had small space vehicles and little chunky spacemen like a Playmobile chappie.

I had it years before selling it on Ebay and then I forgot about it. I was pleasantly reminded of my old set by this different one which appeared on the 'Bay last month.

This Star Adventure set came with two space jets, a pair of ray guns and an alien. The star of the set though is the 'robot animal', which was described on its listing as a 'baby At-At', which I thought was quite good.

Clearly the alien is the spaceman's buddy like Han and Chewie. Or maybe they are enemies? Anyway this set never appeared in my local discount stores back then so I thought I'd share it now. Despite pushing the Star Wars angle, the Ebay seller didn't get a sale.

The card art looks interesting but I just can't make it out properly. Anyone else got any of these sets?