WHEN IS A TARHEEL TOY A DURHAM?

I've got this toy. Mine's a Tarheel brand toy.

This version I saw on Ebay is branded Durham.

But Johnny Tarheel is mentioned and the Tarheel Tarboro address, proof positive that Tarheel and Durham were inextricably linked toy brands.

If you have any Tarheel or Durham branded Project SWORD toys like the Glider or the Moon Prospector then you could check if its actually Durham or Tarheel!

Space Oddity - Is it a bird ? Is it a train ?

Its Throwback Thursday and although I have posted this before, many moons ago, I am hankering for some space toy action on the blog, so here goes. Lima Toys, probably more famous for their oo/ho train models, produced a really odd set of toys in the 1980s. Known variously as 'Convertors' or later as 'Connectors', there were several sets of modular vehicles.

I first came across a loose set from the space series, which includes elements to make a rather Eagle Transporter like model, a Molab type vehicle and a smaller shuttle. The strange thing about them is that they use elements which can be used to make terrestrial transport too, like high speed trains and buses.

The other sets have parts to make futuristic airplanes and boats. The construction of the parts is excellent on the whole, with clean mouldings and great adaptability.

Ive also managed to find another partial set, with the plane and train parts and a losse box from the later, non-motorised Connectors set, which are moulded in yellow, with much simpler build quality and slightly inferior plastic.

ANOTHER LAMA?

Saw this and thought ... LAMA!

Jack Williamson's The Fortress of Utopia published in 1998 by Gryphon Books.

Here's the true LAMA by Ed Valigursky on his fab cover for Sinister Barrier.

Which do you prefer?

MY SARGE AND STONEY WITH AN E

The other day I posted about a catalogue showing Mego's Fighting Yank. The 1968-69 US catalogue mentioned other 12 inch figures Stoney and My Sarge.

I've googled a bit since then. Using current Ebay listings as a straw poll of scarcity I found lots of Fighting Yank on Ebay com. Just one example in all its GI Joe-ness is this lovely 2nd issue boxed Yank figure from 1967, as stated in the description.

Having heard of Stony from our very own Tony Stony K in his fabulous article in 2017 I thought this one would be easy too. Yes there are quite a few Marx Stony figures on Ebay but they are spelled Stony. No 'e'. The Mego Catalogue name given is 'Stoney' with an 'e'. So what or who is the Stoney figure mentioned by Mego in 1968?

Even more elusive is 'My Sarge' the other figure mentioned in the catalogue. Not only were there no My Sarge's on Ebay but I couldn't find a single reference to it except my own from the other day. An old fashioned Googlewhack! Anyone have any clue who My Sarge was?

I'll be in the barracks.

OF TIME AND SPACE

I was recently discussing time and space with a young teenager.

Given that infinity is a mathematical idea and eternity a time-based idea, he wondered if all maths information was swallowed by a black hole would this mean that eternity had in effect brought about the end of infinity?

Musing further he pondered the problem of time itself entering black holes. Could black holes swallow eternity? If so what would be left when no time exists?

We riffed around people and time and he mused that if humans didn't exist at all then time wouldn't exist, as its a human construct.

If time didn't exist then what is actually out there? Neverending space without time?

After all this heavy thinking we had a game of footy!

CLIP-FITS R&L MODEL SETS

Moonbase has covered the R&L Outer Space series of breakfast cereal models many times like this fabulous group I saw on an Ebay auction.

Triang SpaceX/ Golden Astronauters will recognise the green and orange Moon Cars as the MOLAB.

Browsing the net I also found these sets I'd not come across before, Clip Fits. Courtesy of New Zealand's Flickrhivemind, there are 4 boxed sets of models: aircraft, cars, ships and our friends, outer space. I can't see a makers mark but I assume the models are repackaged R&L.

Outer Space comprises of the radar, astronaut, apollo capsule and the LEM.

It's a shame there isn't a MOLAB in there but they're nice sets nevertheless.

Does anyone know Clip-Fits?

THE 1969 LARAMI AVENGER TOY PISTOL

Looking further at this Larami toy catalogue from 1969, which I saw on an auction site and kept pics of, I spotted the Avenger among the toy pistols.

The word Avenger and its typeface is clearly a nod to the Angers, the popular British TV programme with Steed and Emma Peel. 

I'm pretty sure that's a Steed-like figure on the backing card.

I wonder if this knockoff is of interest to true Avengers toys fans?

Lost in Space

No, before you say anything, I haven't mixed up my sixties sci-fi. But I do have to confess to being a bit lost with this one. While looking at the photography section in the university library (again), I came across the 'Photography Book' by Phaidon, which aims to showcase the best photography of the last few decades. Published in 1997, it was acclaimed as 'a fundamental reference on the subject'. I have to admit that I do like what I like and a lot of the editors choices did escape me, although their are naturally some amazing shots by the likes of Irving Penn, Bill Brandt and Arthur Adams. But while flicking through it, I came across the above and for a second, thought i'd stumbled into the science or TV section, as I am almost entirely sure that the lifting body pictured here is a prop version of the XRV from the 1969 thriller, 'Marooned'.

 Compare this still and the scale model version below, courtesy of Fantastic Plastic Models.

The accompanying text for the image in the Phaidon book reads thusly: Photographer: William Eggleston 'Untitled' - "The plane looks as if its bleeding onto the tarmac - [  ]  the man may be offering consolation [   ] the fence and searchlights speak of danger; even the name of the town, Huntsville, confirms the notion."

As a photographer, I cant honestly see any of that in the image, except maybe the man's curiosity, and I wouldn't go so far as to place the image in such a highly rated publication. Or is it just me ?