Atlas Is Go!

Its been a great season for vintage toys at Mars Base. Arriving just in time for the big day was this lovely MPC Atlas rocket. A very simple toy comprised of hollow tubular sections topped with a spring launched capsule. Dating originally from the late sixties and reflecting the Gemini programme, the toy has been reproduced often over the years due to its success as a toy.

Oddly, somewhere along the line, I had already found a red capsule from one of these toys, so I have a spare.

Both capsules have an open cockpit area, I'm unsure if there should be a window or hatch in place, so I fabricated a makeshift cover from a water bottle and slipped it in to both capsules to finish them off. Theres another Atlas toy of similar design I'm looking for now, with a small satellite on top. Watch this space!

DYNAMATION RAY

Ive just watched a brilliant documentary about Ray Harryhausen and his films.

It struck me that his name for his form of puppetry was called dynamation is similar to Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation. Did Gerry know about Dynamation?

I'm beginning to think that Ray and Gerry gave me my entire monster-sci fi education when I was a kid.

Do you feel like that?

the nasa lunar orbiter; the film, the toy and the models

This is interesting.

A You Tube film by NASA dated 1966.

Its about our Triang SpaceX friend the Lunar Orbiter. A fascinating space vessel.

The toy itself looks wonderful. I certainly never had one but you may have. 

I can't think of any other toy based on the Lunar Orbiter or even a kit for that matter.

Modelling luminary Matt Irvine described in his book how he painted his Spacex toy.

The Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project [LOIRP] had some wonderful small models made for their subscribers in 2013. They'd have made great Christmas gifts! This LOIRP image could have come straight out of the Tri-ang SpaceX factory!

The Lunar Orbiter is infectious. There are tons of drawings, paintings, gum cards and stamps featuring it.

 I once had a go at a small model myself as well as pictured on my friend Paul Vreede's excellent Triang Spacex website.

and I wrote a short story about the lunar orbiter and Batman no less: the Shadow on the Moon!

You can make your own pro card model of the Orbiter too!  Check this out at  jleslie48

if you want to know the whole story behind the one and only Lunar Orbiter toy then read the various relevant pages on Paul Vreede's definitive Triang Spacex Toys.

Have you a Lunar Orbiter?

Super 8 tonight

Super 8 is on in half an hour here in the UK.

What do you think of it readers?

Kev's Windy Miller Scratch Model

Hi,

Final fling of model making for the year, I've made a replica of yet another TV icon. Windy Miller! 

This was made from a tiny artist's mannequin so he is poseable! 

Really must make a spaceship or mega-death-ray next!

Take care,

Kevin

TO US READERS

The UK News is showing record-breaking amounts of Snow in the Northern USA.

Its snowing here outside my house in West Yorkshire, Northern England .....

... but noting like the snow-dump I've just seen in Pennsylvania on the telly. HUGE amounts of the white stuff!

Stay warm and safe in the Big American Freeze guys!

Christmas Message from Mark J

Seasons greetings from slightly sunny Southsea, UK

Mark J and family X

matt finish

I managed to get a space sled, thus completing my re-collecting of the small amount of Major Matt Mason stuff that I had as a kid!

Take care,

Kevin