DICKIE PILOTS

Moonbase grandson has a new Dickie Helicopter.

It came with two excellent and colourful pilots.

I snapped them at play at the weekend.

Above is the Dickie cockpit.

Below is the co-pilot realising he's too big for this buggy!

B-MOVIES INVADED MY ANGRY RED SAUCER

There are so many 1950's B-movies I just haven't seen its untrue.

Every time I look for B-movie posters I see yet more flicks that I've not even heard of.

It must have been a golden age for sci-fi films in the 50's or maybe they just churned them out for an insatiable drive-in public? Were they better films than we make now?

Since many of these films are old enough and black and white enough to be free on You Tube I plan to catch-up this year.

On the list are the Lost Missile, 4D Man, Earth V The Flying Saucers, The Angry Red Planet, Satan's Satellites, World Without End, Invasion of the Saucer Men, The Cosmic Man, Project Moonbase and The Space Children.

One of my favourite posters out of these is the Lost Missile from 1958. I find the idea of a mislaid missile fascinating and the addition of the giant clawed hand just draws me in completely. Its next on my home cinema B list.

I love the idea that the original audiences of these B-movies saw them on the big screen, either in a normal cinema or a drive-in and even more intriguing is that they may have watched them again on cine film in the comfort of their own homes, the sort of films advertised at the back of Famous Monsters of Filmland.

Did you see any of these back in the day? Have you got any B-movies on Super 8 cine-film? Which films would you recommend?

Poster image: imdb

Code Blue Red Moon

Hi Woodsy. I caught a glimpse of the "Super Blood Wolf Moon" through the window earlier this week, but I'm staying put by the hearth.

Thermometer reads minus 8 degrees Farenheit outside! BRRRRRR!

BrianF 

NJ USA

Anyone else see the wolf moon?

THE GREAT GARLOO AND MR. MACHINE TV ADS

A cavalcade of classic space toy TV ads.

Bill Blastoff, Ding a Lings, the Great Garloo and an actual robot factory line.

Courtesy of You Tube.

Did you have any of these?

NEW THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO TOYLINE FROM BANDAI

I'm reading that Bandai has been named by ITV Studios as the new UK distributor for a new line of Thunderbirds are Go toys, taking over from Vivid.

I understand that the new line of figures and vehicles will be showcased at the London Toy Fair.

The remaining unaired episodes from the third season had been held  back by CITV, so I imagine those, along with previously seen episodes will be on UK TV screens soon.

Bandai, of course, are no strangers to Gerry Anderson related products producing some great toys for the New Captain Scarlet, the Thunderbirds movie, Terrahawks and the classic Thunderbirds to name a few.

Here's a link to further info: https://www.toyhubz.com/bandai-named-uk-distributor-for-new-thunderbirds-are-go-toy-line/

TEENAGE TOILETRIES OF YESTERYEAR

Reading through a Millers Guide section on TV related toiletries, I noticed the gorgeously tinned vintage Captain Scarlet Talc by the House of Romney and the window boxed Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet soaps from the early 1990's.

This got me thinking about the toiletries I myself used as a kid. 

I remember Matey bubble bath in the bathroom and a fine bubbley bath it made too. The bottle looked like a Sailor with a white cap.

Avon catalogues were popular in our house and Mum ordered tons of stuff. I know that shipments of Avon glass after shave bottles arrived regularly for my older Brothers. Bottles shaped like Model T Fords and Porsche Carerras for a racey night out in Preston!

I recall having a sneaky palmful of my Dad's Old Spice and Brut resulting in that Home Alone Kevin mirror scream! Boy were those after shaves not meant for young spotty faces!

My first real Cologne was Eau Sauvage, which I sprayed on as a teenager in the hope that members of the opposite sex would swoon at my feet! They didn't but I smelt nice. Sort of lemony!

What toiletries do you remember?

DIE CAST LEAPING SPACE SLED

This auction toy caught my eye so I saved the pics. Its the die cast Space Sled.

I don't recognise the green fir tree/ deer logo. Do you?

I must say I like the header art with Saturn in the background.

You got one?

To me the whole ship design and pilot colouring recalls the rescue sled from the Sea Devils toy line. What do you think?

pic: plaidstallions

SIXTEEN 12 SPACE:1999 IMMUNITY SYNDROME EPISODE SET

The latest special edition 12” die-cast Space: 1999 Eagle Transporters from Sixteen 12 Collectables .

This ‘episode’ set features Eagle 3 and the Re- Entry Glider seen in ‘The Immunity Syndrome’. 

As with all the ‘episode’ sets, the Eagle Transporter sports much more realistic hand finished aluminium engine bells and, of course all the usual detail. The detachable Passenger Pod gives rigidity to the model as the spine superstructure is made of plastic.  

Some people have complained that the grey panel highlights on the side of the pods are a little too dark and not well defined, but it doesn’t appear to be a deal breaker as the set is selling well, and almost sold out as I write this. 

The small Glider, approx. 5” long is made from plastic. It’s very light, but very nicely detailed. Close study reveals some of the small lettering is actually readable. The red and orange paint scheme on the original was apparently inspired by the colour of the Lunar Module seen in UFO, and is nicely reproduced on this much smaller model.  It does have a gloss finish which looks just fine, although I’m wondering how a semi-gloss might have looked.

The Glider is attached to the Eagle by means of a detachable rear cradle and a forward magnetic support drum. A simple idea, but it works a treat, although the Passenger Pod must be the right way round for the magnet to work.

The set also comes with a Moon Buggy, and a detailed rectangular launch platform, perfect for displaying the model.  

There’s even been a lot of thought gone into the attractive packaging. 

The back has a brief synopsis of the episode, with some accompanying photos.

For anyone who doesn’t recall the episode premise, Comr. Koenig and a team of Alphans’ visit what is seemingly a habitable planet, only to find it quickly changes to something more hostile.  Food becomes toxic and the metal parts on their Eagles corrode trapping them all on the planet. Only plastic or filament based compounds appear immune. Luckily, there’s a carbon fibre Re-Entry Glider stored on Moonbase Alpha. The Glider is carried on the back of Eagle 3 to the edge of the planet’s atmosphere. It’s then released with Helena and Maya on board who continue their journey through dangerous planetary weather conditions, finally crash landing on the surface . 

Don’t ask me why a Re- Entry Glider would be housed on the airless Moon in the first place, or why Helena and Maya chose to (at that point in the story) be stranded on the planet along with the rest of the landing party, I’ve really no idea, but whatever the reasons, the Glider itself is still a really nice looking model.

I saw one of the two original filming miniatures at the last Fanderson convention (and probably saw the smaller 16” one, too at the Blackpool Space City exhibition way back in the late seventies) which were both built by Martin Bower. A large 850mm version, scaled to the 44” Eagle, and a smaller 16” version. However, as it turns out the smaller scaled version was fitted to the actual Eagle, and the larger model used for the crash landing scenes, and for close ups on a separate enlarged Eagle spine.

The glider is closely based on an actual remote controlled lifting body called the Hyper III . Designed by engineer Dale Reed, and built at the then NASA Research Centre located at Edwards Air Force Base.  It had only one flight on December 12^th, I969 when it was dropped by helicopter from a height of 3000 metres and remotely guided to its only landing.  

So to sum up, apart from the niggle of the  pod highlights being a little too dark, I reckon it’s another winning collectable from Sixteen 12, and perfect for those who want a ready built model.  The Glider is a really nice accessory, with some great detail. Even the display plinth looks the part, complete with the bonus Moon Buggy.