Colonel Hap Hazard Rack Toy 1970

Located with an East Coast US seller, I noticed this unusual spaceman late last year. This is the picture from Ebay.

Its a Marx Apollo Astronaut carded set from 1970. The figure is names as Colonel Hap Hazard.

It all looks so familiar and I may well have had one of these sets. I was 9 in 1970 and 10 that Christmas. 

But I can't help thinking that all the accessories look so much like Major Matt Mason equipment that that's what I'm actually remembering. Its hard to say. I suppose I'm now wondering whether Marx simply cashed in on Mattel's success with Major Matt. What do you think?

There are also countless knockoffs of this Marx set especially in Mexico where the body has many colour variations and different heads including Callisto like these from the amazing Madhunter collection.!

Interestingly Marx released Colonel Hap Hazard in an earlier guise as a tinplate robot in 1968.

Here's some footage on You Tube of the robot by gfu collectible.

Do you have any Hap Hazard toys or knockoffs?

Space on The Brain

I've clearly been going on Moonbase Central far too often, I see spacecraft in the simplest things!

Mark J

*

Ha ha, love it Mark!

I'm the same.

When I see a toilet duck all I see are red Thunderbird 2 engines!

What do other space stuff do you see readers?

Mini Mobile Explorers

A chance purchase on ebay, brought home these three neat little vehicles made by south American company, Apollo. Dating from the mid 80's by the look, the pack must have spent some time in a damp place, as the rubber tyres have begun to break down slightly and stain the packaging. Similar to several early years toys available from Mothercare etc, these little vehicles have sprung suspension and decals on the back. They are just nicely scaled to fit with the Apollo Moon Exploring toys.

Have You Ever Made a Fanzine?

Did you ever make your own fanzine?

The worlds of Gerry Anderson have generated many many fanzines and these are fabulously detailed in Dennis Nicholson's Memorabilia Guide, which I'm pleased to have.

The worlds of horror films also generated countless fanzines and these are similarly well catalogued in the newer version of the Monster Magazine and Fanzine Collectors Guide, which I also have on my bookshelf.

I didn't create a fanzine for either of these genres but I did produce a home-made joke and sketch book a bit like a comic circa 1970 ages 10. 

It included copies of gags in the funny pages of Beano and Buster, as well as some of my own made-up stuff. 

Somewhere in the cobwebbed eves of the attic lies this very thing. As for now all I can muster is the name, What a Heap of Laughs.

Have you ever made a fanzine, comic or indeed a magazine proper, either as a kid or maybe even professionally?

Dinky Incerceptor? Could it Take Out Toy Soldiers?

I watched this You Tube clip to remind me just how powerful the missile was on the Dinky UFO Interceptor.

I remember it taking out loads of Airfix soldiers stood on our carpet.

How many could it flatten?

Could it overturn one of those prone sharp shooters? I can't remember!

Anyone got any footage of plastic soldiers being blasted by the Interceptor?

Toy Train Ride Through The City

I'm not a big toy train fan like some of you but I do see the appeal.

However, I was mesmerised by this fantastic toy train ride through a toy city on You Tube!

Its three minutes of a train-held camera hurtling along the plastic miles.

Do you like it?

Did You Like Sports at School?

Did you like doing sport at school? I know I didn't. I'd much rather have been home playing at the Apollo Moon Landing with my SWORD and Major Matt Mason!

I disliked all sports with equal vigour and was derided for being useless at them on a weekly basis. Picked last in the ritual humiliation of team selection, football was a particular bete noire of mine and I joined a special team of misfits called the Duffers.

Worst of all the active horrors though was cross-country running. To this day I cringe at the thought of having to run in the countryside, prefering to walk at all costs!

Cross-country running must have been invented by a maniac. Who in their right mind would sprint through mud and gunge in the pouring rain wearing only plimsolls, elasticated shorts and a school PE shirt? 

I wouldn't mind but the land we ran across at school was a lame excuse for countryside since it was basically the rough scrub, marsh and woodland at the far ends of the playing fields. I hated every minute of it and only the thought of a hot cup of bovril and a mess with my Space toys when I arrived home got me through the winter ordeals.

Did you like sports at school?

Dark Shadows Werewolf Meets Glow Gorgo!

Hi Woodsy.

Things are beginning to thaw out here and I'm returning to the everyday grind,but I enjoyed the downtime by finishing these models.

The Werewolf and Gorgo have glow in the dark parts and I did little or no painting on them. I also finished painting these 3 dinosaurs from an earlier post.

Brian

NJ.