SPACE FRONTIER ROCKET PILOT

pic: vectis

Before Christmas I looked at the pilots inside the tinplate Alps Lunar Explorer [here]. Today I'm looking at the similarity of the tinplate Yoshino Space Frontier pilot.

Here he is in close-up brandishing his huge camera or blaster.

pic: tintoycar

And here without the camera blaster

minus camera [pic: pinterest]

Comparing it with the pilots in the Lunar Explorer - below - I would now say that the two are the same. The Space Frontier pilot has been cut off at the waist. What do you think?

pic: kijiji

Invasion of the Moon Men

 It's been too long since I featured my favourite aliens on the blog, so thanks to a recent comment on another post, I thought it was high time I featured them once more. Although its been a while since I received any new variants of the little bell shaped critter, I still haven't been able to categorically pin down who made them originally.

 Thanks to fellow collector Rob, I was able to see a vintage countertop box for the english release of the toys recently, which features what may be a makers name hidden under a label!

 In the states, these and many similar rubber toys were dime store toys, sold as Moon Men and Moon Platoon.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

pic courtesy of ebay

Multiple Toymakers and Imperial toys often include a full set of six differnt aliens in their wonderful Apollo Exploration box set - a toy I really need to add to my own collection! - but the little chrome 2cm versions were also copied by Dekkertoys in the 1980's, with a matt silver finish.

Woodsys Ap Ex set

Dekkertoys 1980's release

Recent chrome variant (thanks Kev!)

My first encounter with the aliens was the rubber Moon Men and I was immediately smitten with the bell shaped guy, who I decided was the warlike leader! For my very first blog post back in September 2008, I painted a rendition of him, on canvas. Oddly enough, I actually sold this at an art fair in Liverpool some years ago, so if you bought it, let me know!

Bulloch original with an early line up

There are many different variation of these figures, in hard plastic, transparent resin, rubber and even versions mounted on springs!

Late addition blue/green

three variations of Moon Men

But far and away my favourite is the very first rubber version, now missing the top of his pointy head, from having been swung on a thread out of the window! This lucky chap came from Woolworths in Dingle, Liverpool in about 1970 and is still with me today!

Original rubber and Moon Exploring versions

UPDATE: Just to clarify, the smaller and hard plastic versions are indeed made by the ubiquitous company LP, in Hong Kong - its the rubber sucker figures that im unsure about. Heres a close up of the logo on the base.

Original 'Moon Man' with mystery logo

Small Apollo Moon Exploring version with 'LP' logo, with thanks to Paul Vreede.

TAKING OUR TOYS TO LITTLE SCHOOL

In the Sixties we went back to Primary School in early January with our favourite toys we'd got at Christmas.

I remember taking in my tinplate Army Jeep and my Mod Monster [Pants fall down]. I'd have been about 8.

The Jeep whizzed around the classroom underneath everyone's wooden chairs. It had the best bump'n'go action ever! 

The Mod Monster naturally was a big hit too and as Frankie Stein blushed we all howled with laughter.

Alas I don't recall what anyone else brought in.

Is this a tradition you had at School readers?

[pics: vectis]

Very Best New Year Wishes From Paul V

From Paul Vreede

WHERE HAS JAPAN SUPER FANTASTIC MODELS GONE?

One of my favourite websites, Japan Super Fantastic Models [JSFM] appears to have gone offline. Its such a shame as it was the best English-language portal into the myriad vintage sci-fi models of Japan I have ever found on the net. It was there that I saw the most detailed pictures of this SWORDesque Astro Car on the site, including gorgeous built-ups. Sadly now all off the grid.

Fortunately some bright sparks have archived some of the site's examples of box art online and here's such a one, Another Design Blog.

Whilst an alternative can be found as comprehensive as JSFM here's a beautiful gallery of amazing Japanese Sci-Fi model kits. The sheer number of SPV-based vehicles, like the two shown here, is head-spinning! Check out Pramodel [and Amazing Toy and Vintage Plamo Chronicle]..on, and Thunderbirds JP.

MYSTERY MINI SPACE JET

[pic: amazingtoy.com]

I saw this miniature model toy online and wondered what it was. Anyone know?

NEW YEAR NEWSFLASH!

NEW SWORD TOYS COMING SOON TO MOONBASE CENTRAL!

ACTION STATIONS! SKY 8 TOY RE-SURFACING!

Here is another treat from the bottomless boxes loaned to me by the ever-generous SWORDGrasshopper: the legendary SKY 8 UFO submarine toy from Japan'

Because I think it's awesome I've mentioned it many times on the blog including as recently as March 2015. Inspired by UFO in Japan's Bokura magazine, it was described in Dennis Nicholson's 'Bible', his guide to Gerry Anderson Merchandise in 1994, where I first came across this wonderful toy.

In Japan, during the late Sixties, it was sold in shops on this large card display, which held 12 bubble carded toys: 3 of each in 3 different colour schemes: silver and green, all brown and silver and blue. Each toy had a drawing below it on the header card. You can see one top left, a sort of speedboat.

The fantastic header of the display depicts the Sky 8 in full underwater battle mode, there appears to be no mention of UFO. The makers' logo is a leopard with lettering in the far left bottom corner.

Each Sky 8 came on on individual stapled bubble card on which were instructions beneath the toy itself. The word SHADO appeared along the sides of the toy, giving it its only link to UFO.

Out of the bubble the Sky 8 is a beautiful miniature plastic toy typical of the attention to detail the Japanese are famous for. On the top are two torpedoes visible.

At the rear is a working propeller and on the undercarriage a retractable stabilizer. The number 8 can also be seen below the conning tower.

The instructions below the toy show various firing points for the missiles.

Here's a missile inserted for firing in the conning tower of a Sky 8 with a different colour scheme.

All that remains for me now is to understand the Japanese instructions and test fire the missiles, pull out the stabilizer and try out the propeller. For that I will turn to video. Watch this space!

[all pictures: Bill Bulloch except the final one which is courtesy of Nobo Land]