CORGI JUNIORS AND 1970's HOT WHEELS

I picked up a few nice die-casts today in a Charity shop. nothing fancy but appealing nonetheless. 

I personally haven't seen two of these Hot Wheels before at all. Have a gander:

L to R: Corgi Juniors Batmobile [my first ever adult collectable], Corgi DB Aston Martin [Juniors?], Hot Wheels Auburn, Hot Wheels Formula 1 Racing car, Hot Wheels Royal Flash

Have you any of these readers or did you have them back in the day?

THE BBC'S WAR OF THE WORLDS

The BBC's War of the Worlds series has finished.

Just 3 episodes!

I expected more!

I enjoyed the 3 episodes though but I felt it was rushed. The decision to interplay the present and the future was a mistake I thought as it distracted from the story going forward.

More episodes would have allowed a longer narrative.

One highlight were the creatures. These were excellent and loathsome. They reminded me of a human torso with three spiky spider legs. Quite gross!

What did you think of this series?

MIKE NOBLE OX MYSTERY SOLVED!

Hi Woodsie, I was really impressed with Scoop's comics art posting last month. Not the least because it explains a ten year old mystery for me!

I LOVE Japanese SF art -Shigeru Komatsizaki's Anderson works (going all the way back to Supercar!) are the best! If I could paint competently, that is the style I'd like to produce.

Anyway, almost 10 years ago I was working towards my first exhibition and one of my (unsold) pieces was a 3D plaque inspired by a Japanese illustration from 1967

and here's what I did with that image...

What i didn't realise then, was the Japanese illustration was pulled from this Mike Noble piece...

Thanks Scoop -

you rock!

Lewis

Oz

SPV REDUX

Here's my Captain Scarlet tin toy SPV in the final stages of construction. 

It still needs head and tail lights with LEDs to be wired up, tin fastening tags and an aging tobacco wash over the whole thing. It may not be my best work ever, but I'm really pleased how close it is to my original mind's eye vision!

Update: I ruined this flawless finish on the Work In Progress shots by a poor choice of materials, so I had to go with a slightly more weathered look (with lots of rust) for my finished toy. Here are two hero shots of the final item... 

I love those old Japanese tin toys where they have the character's name on the side and a picture of them on the roof, so I was channeling that vibe. I also got to do that old "picture of someone in profile in the window" gag -and he's facing the correct way too!

I was inspired by those old Hot Wheels tin badges to make the tyres as printed pressed tin instead of plastic wheels and it was a natural extension of that aesthetic to make the rear caterpillars out of flat printed tin instead of a moulded piece.

P.S. the antennas are plastic toothpicks, so I got to do some trash bashing like you!

- oh, and it actually has a mystery action motor in it, so it runs around the floor with the head and taillights flashing! 

Lewis in Oz

MISFIT TANKS

https://steemit.com/history/@getonthetrain/historical-misfits-tanks-of-world-war-ii-or-later

I was sent this link from MJ at Southcoast Base about misfit vehicles on this site including the Object 760 I posted the other day.

MJ wonders if Gerry Anderson's teams of model makers and designers came across this or were influenced by it?

MJ believes this S-Tank is the world's fastest tank too. Look at that thing! 

KEV'S ZEROID FOOTBALL

Hi,

Managed to get this item from my past recently. Oddly, not from my childhood this time. I had one of these in my early twenties. I used to have it perched on the base of a Coke bottle. 

Now, in my late fifties, I have a studio scale, radio controlled replica perched on an original studio prop! (some small evidence of progress?). Interestingly, the ball is the right size!

Stroll on

Kevin

GOODNIGHT FROM THE SHIP

ORIGIN OF THE MOONSHIP?

Ever since I blogged Moonship Meltdown in 2008 I have been in love with the Moonship.

Whether it be this original Century 21 version...

or this light blue AHI clone, I have pondered where the design came from.

Well, 8 years later I may just have something!

This is the Learjet from the early 1960's.

and this is it with the tail and wings photoshopped out

compare it to the Moonship art the same angle....

What do you think readers?

A contemporary plastic friction toy was the Lear Jet by MEGO Corp. Compare its body and windscreen to that of the Moonship.

If you have several millions spare you could always buy your own real Learjet here!