MYSTERY FIGURE

  

Anyone know who this is?

It says China on his back.

This masked fighter came in a bundle of plastic toys this year at Moonbase.

BATCAVE UPGRADE

The home-made cardboard batcave proved a little flimsy in the hands of Moonbase Junior so we got an upgrade courtesy of the local gumtree.

Its an Fisher price Imaginext Batcave with accessories. £20 all in. We got bane too!

Junior loved it and withstood a full 4 year old flurry of kapows!

Have you got a batcave?

SIXTEEN 12 PROTOTYPE INFERNAL MACHINE EPISODE SET

As the Space:1999 Infernal Machine episode sets have finally arrived in the UK, ready for the team at Sixteen 12 to ship out to eager collectors, I thought I'd repost a selection of prototype photos of the mock up 3D printed Alpha tanks (and the accompanying standard Eagle Transporter) I took last March, one final time, before I consign them to my archives. The new set was due to be released last November, but delays due to the ongoing Covid crisis slowed things up quite a bit, but all being well, the new sets should commence postal distribution next week.

THE TOYS FROM DAKTARI BY PAUL ADAMS

Hi Woodsy

Here is a report on Corgi Daktari models.

There are a few other items I found too but I hope it will all be of interest. I enjoyed this series when it screened in NZ.

The television series Daktari was actually based on a film, Clarence the Cross-eyed Lion, from 1965. 

I think I might have seen this many years ago on TV, but can not be sure. Several members of the movie cast also appeared in the TV series, which was made by the same company, Ivan Tors Productions.

The Daktari (Swahili for Doctor) TV series ran from 1966 to 1969, and comprised 89 episodes across four seasons. All were shot in colour. 

American veterinarian Doctor Marsh Tracy runs the Wameru Study Center for Animal Behaviour, in East Africa. Helping him are his daughter Paula, and two assistants.

Clarence the Cross-eyed Lion is joined by his pal Judy the Chimpanzee. A gimmick of the show was that the world was sometimes seen as a double image, as the cross-eyed Clarence would see it. District Officer Hedley was a slightly comical British colonial official.

There were various vehicles in the series, including Land Rovers, and a truck. Some of these were painted white, with black zebra stripes. This is where Corgi obviously got the inspiration for their models.

Daktari was a popular series, and there were spin-off books, a comic from Dell in the US. There were a series of Annuals published in Britain by World, 1967-71and  a View Master set ..

Also a large and impressive playset by Louis Marx which includes a Jeep, 

and two Gift Sets by Corgi in Britain.

Corgi Gift Set 7, 1967-76, 

over one million sets sold. 

That certainly explains why there are so many of the Land Rovers listed on Ebay and elsewhere. Most Corgi Gift Sets contained at least two vehicles, but this one contained only one vehicle, but several human and animal figures. 

There was a 109 inch wheelbase Land Rover. This had a hard topped cab, but an open back. It was painted light green, with black stripes - an odd choice. There was a Wameru Sub-District sticker below the windscreen. 

The figures were Dr Marsh Tracy, with a separate stethoscope; his daughter Paula, who was riding Clarence - he had a pair of glasses; Judy the Chimp; and a tiger draped across the bonnet of the Land Rover. I am not sure where the tiger fits in, but he did appear in the opening credits of the show, on a couple of the Annuals, and also on the cover of the View Master set.

Corgi did another zebra-stripped Land Rover, this time in white with black stripes, but this was part of the Lions of Longleat set from 1968, and was not a Daktari model.

Corgi Gift Set 14, 1969-73, 

over 100,000 sold.

This large set was a combination of the smaller GS7, and two existing items repainted as Daktari models. The 503 Giraffe Transporter from the Chipperfields Circus set from 1964, based on the Bedford TK truck - fawn cab, giraffe camouflage, two giraffe models. 

The 484 Dodge Livestock Transporter from 1967 had its original load of pigs replaced with a mother and baby elephant - blue cab, giraffe camouflaged rear. 

This large set would have been expensive when it was available, and not many seem to show up on Ebay etc, and they are expensive when they do.

Corgi Classics 07104 was a much later re-issue of the Daktari Land Rover, but now with only Clarence and Judy included. The zebra stripes are much thicker than before, and the Wameru Sub-District markings are now applied to the sides.

Most of the photos are borrowed from either Ebay or Pininterest, with the boxed GS14 set from Vectis Auctions, and the Marx playset from Heritage Auctions. The book photos are from this site.

daktaritvshow.wordpress.com daktari books | Daktari TV Show

This one has many more detailed photos of the various models, including wheel variations and the like.

Corgi Toys (free.fr

Paul Adams from New Zealand

*

More popular die-cast reports to follow!

WILL OSBORNE'S REAL ASTRONAUTS

Hi Woodsy

Some more pictures. When Buzz Aldrin autographed this Dragon model of himself for me, he was aware of its existence because he had agreed the licensing, but he’d never seen the actual model before. He wasn’t very impressed with the likeness but he thought the spacesuit and accessories were excellent quality and detail. 

The second picture is Charlie Dukes autograph on a lunar rover model. 

The third picture is Scott Carpenters autograph on the action man spaceship, which was modelled on the mercury seven capsule. Although he was aware of the GI Joe version, he had never seen the action man version before.

All the best. Will

Birthday Book Bonanza

 

My recent birthday meant it was an opportunity to add to my space library, by trawling the second hand book market with a bit of disposable income in hand. Ebay being my first and most obvious point of call, I found a few gems for a handful of shekels here and there.

First up was John Richardson and Chesley Bonestell's 1965 book 'Mars'.  As it was published prior to any real mapping or close up examination of the red planet, it is largely speculative in its approach. Quite text heavy, it is however, graced with a series of quite beautiful colour plates by the master of space art, Chesley Bonestell. Bonestell's depictions of the planets are amazingly photorealistic and he was used as art director on the early film 'Destination Moon'. Its a large format book and the illustrations of early plans for a nuclear rocket to Mars are quite exquisite.

To compliment Richardsons romantic and imaginative book, I picked up Apogee Books 'Mars: NASA Mission Reports', which collects together all the press material and reports of the various US probes from the first Mariner mission through to Pathfinder. An accompanying CD also includes stills and movies to add to the printed data. Wheareas the earlier Mars volume only hints at detail, Apogee's book is heavy with technical data.

Back to the sixties now, with 'The How and Why book of Planets and Interplanetary Travel'. This slim series of books were a major staple of my childhood, with 'Dinosaurs' and 'Flight' being favourites. For some reason, I never got the space issue at the time and I bought a copy about 12 years ago due to the connection with Sword and Spacex. However, the copy I found was a 1976 reprint, which substituted all the more interesting parts for apollo coverage. So I was very pleased to find an original 1967 copy, which included the all important section which detailed the Moon Prospector.

A small panel in the book shows the proposed sequence of moon exploration probes, which would begin with the Ranger series with a fly by and crash landing probe, move on to Surveyor (shown in the 1967 version as a very different vehicle to the final one) which would perform a soft landing on the lunar surface and ultimately, the Prospector - which proposed a roving vehicle capable of exploring the surface.

As the race to land on the moon hotted up and costs began to soar, Prospector was shelved in favour of the more cost effective Lunar Orbiter series, which were used to identify a landing site for the Apollo missions.

The 67 issue also includes some great futuristic craft, such as the glider equipped moon rocket and 'mexican hat' space station, which appeared as an AMT kit in the Star Trek series as Station K-7.

Finally, from Amazon, a curiosity. A large, lavish tome to coincide with an exhibition at the Antwerp Museum of Photography in 2019.

'Moon' is primarily an art book, I bought the dutch text version for a third of the price of the english one and it worked out as quite a bargain. Rather than being an examination of photographs of the moon itself, it is rather an celebration of the moon in cultural references.

There are some lengthy essays included, which I am unable to read directly, but the big draw for me is the imagery. It ranges from the early imaginative work of George Melie and his visions on film of a trip to the moon with comic effect, into the early Nasa plans to reach the moon and the work of Von Braun and the vision of Kennedy in selling the idea to the american public.

It fast forwards slightly then to show the families of the US astronauts and the psychological impact of man visiting another world.

By contrast to the red, white and blue tickertaped US missions, it also shows the Soviet approach to space travel and includes more harrowing imagery of airbrushed photographs removing failed cosmonauts from official records in the pre-perestroika Soviet republic. Possibly the most powerful image is the line of Kremlin officials viewing the charred remains of Vladimir Komarov after the ill fated crash of the early Soyuz craft. Komarov reportedly knew full well that the mission would be disastrous, due to failings with the spacecraft, but stepped up to the role to prevent his friend and fellow Cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin making the flight. Due to hasty preparations and almost none-existant flight checks, the Soyuz module began to fail almost before reaching orbit and Komarov was allowed to bravely wish his wife a final farewell from space. As expected the problems mounted and as the module attempted to re-enter the atmosphere, out of control, the landing chute failed to deploy, and Komarov's capsule crashed to earth at over 500 mph. At his request, his remains were displayed in the Kremlin in an open casket.

Moon is a very interesting book, even without the benefit of the text and essays, the images speak for themselves. There are rare shots from the US space programme, early depictions of french lunar atlases, copies of imagery taken by early lunar probes and some wonderful artistic interpretations of events connected to the moon. 

So all in all, a great selection of books to pad out my space library and to keep me busy on the long winter nights of lockdown!

MORE SCRAPINGS FROM THE TELLY BOTTOM

Dredged from the bowels of my collapsing memory banks I give you more murky programmes and decaying films to ponder:

The Onedin Line - my Mum loved this period drama set in some olde-worlde UK sea port, which I've visited within the last 20 years but for the life of me can't recall where it is! The main maritime character had huge dundreary sideburns. Anyone Onedin?

The Lotus Eaters - I think this was set in Greece and starring that stalwart of Sixties British TV, Ian Hendry. My parents watched it drinking snowballs and Bells so I may have too. Remember it?

The Sandpiper - again, a parental thing. I don't recall it but I know they watched it. It may have been a movie? Anyone?

The Graduate - Dustin adjustin' to sex, I've never seen it but the poster is everywhere. You graduated?

Love Story - again, a Sixties/ Seventies milestone in sad cinema with Tatum O'Neale but I've never clocked it. Too sad now. You?

Astronut - a cartoon about a small green bean-like alien with a TV aerial on his head. I think his human pal was called Oscar. Yes?

Roger Ramjet - Rog may have been a character in another kids' cartoon. He may have been Penelope Pitstop's boyfriend too. A very formal and polite chap. A gallant racing driver perhaps?

Josie and the Pussycats - Wow, I recall these groovy gals. A great cartoon and catchy songs too. Optimistic. I was in love with Josie. You too?

Top Cat - maybe the best cartoon I ever saw as a kid, along with Scooby Do in the Sixties. Officer Dibble and the feline crew were the backdrop to my childhood. Most friends get to call him TC. Oh wow, I could sing the whole theme song. Was it Boss Cat in its native US?

Terrytoons - heard of this but not sure what it is. Telebugs too.

Super Ted - the Welsh yellow wonder bear. Me and the Missus used to watch this when we lived in Llanfairfechan in the early 80's on S4C. A great show. Wonder if Ted spawned any merchandise?

Fingerbobs - Brian Cant? Small animals on his fingers? Cute Seventies kids' show with Brian's hands.

Trap Door - my grandson and his 30-something dad adore this old cartoon. I say cartoon, its stop motion plasticene I think. Like Morph on Vision On. I don't recall Trap Door first time round but I love watching it with Moonbase Junior now. "Don't you open that trap door!". Do you?

Invasion of the Saucer Men - a classic 50's B-movie. Just never had the pleasure. Have you been invaded?

Ed Wood - a film starring James Woods I think but again its passed me by. Being a Woodsy myself am I missing something?

Bubba Ho Tep - I've heard Bruce 'Ash' Campbell stars in this horror spoof but I've not seen it. You readers?

Vampyr - an early, very early vampire film from Germany I think. Covered in all the horror books I ever devoured from being a little monster but somehow I avoided it. I should do something about it shouldn't I?

Man Alive - I remember the brilliant rock theme tune, Classical Gas I think, but not the show. Was it like Panorama, which is amazingly still going?

Nationwide - this must have been a regional news show with... Frank Burke is in my mind. What's in yours?

Woodentops/Bill and Ben - I get these mixed up. In fact all I can see and hear are Bill and Ben in their wobbly pots and their mate Weed saying her name a lot. Are they related?

Watch with Mother/ Andy Pandy - again, I meld/ weld these two. Andy wore blue stripey clown pyjamas and a hat I remember, sort of silky looking. I remember feeling sad when he waved bye bye. Maybe I had to go to bed then. Watch With Mother? I hope I did. You?

Jackanory - a staple of my childhood. Those wonderful tales read by the cream of the Sixties and Seventies TV crowd. Not a single story has remained in my head but I loved the telling. Did you?

Sesame Street - another main food group of my youth, my Missus's youth and my daughter's too, all in different and evolving forms. I adored the Count, Big Bird, the grouch in the dustbin and of course Cookie Monster. My Missus and Daughter, who watched it in Europe, loved a character called Samson. Did you visit Sesame Street in your neck of the woods?

Clapperboard - the original Film review for kids. Was the guy called Kelly or something. A great Kids show and like Newsround, different and informative. I've grown to love movies above all other media. Howasabout you?

The Krypton Factor - an 80's obstacle game show I think. I recall it most when me and the Missus stumbled across its abandoned assault course somewhere deep in the Lancashire countryside. is that possible?

The Angry New York Pigeons - this isn't its name but says what happens. New York pigeons meets Goodfellas. In fact, was it called Goodfeathers? I was an adult when I saw this in the 90's maybe? Hilarious!

Pork Butts and Taters - me and my daughter adored this show when she was little. It may have had another name?

Talespin - another of little Miss Woodsy my daughter's faves. Lots of cartoon capers in a plane in South America is what I recall.

Lenny the Lion - an old puppet and handler type show like Sooty. Lenny was an affable cat and may have promoted Trebor in TV ads too?

Potty Time - the genius of Goon Michael Bentine burst through in this mad slice of explosive puppet zaniness. I thought it was fantastic and funny. Did you?

Road Runner - yes, the rapid desert bird avoiding the various ACME- supplied traps of Wile.E. Coyote. The stuff of my childhood for sure. Beep beep! You too?

Dempsey and Makepeace - no idea.

Escape Into Night/ The Changes - apparently excellently scary kids TV from the early Seventies, I must have been listening to my Bay City Rollers records! Never seen them. Anyone?

Taz - the crazy cartoon Tasmanian devil that spun wildly when provoked. I howled when I saw it in the 80's? 90's?

Softly Softly/ Z cars - old British crime dramas in black and white for monochrome evenings. My folks' watched them so I did too now and then I reckon. When my Dad got a Z car - a  Zephyr Six - I thought it was the batmobile! Do you recall these shows?

Edgar Wallace Mysteries - I recall these being really creepy when I was a kid in the Sixties. It must have been the last thing I watched before bed at some point. The opening involved a tinkly tune, foggy incense and a bead curtain opening I recall but I could be wrong. I know its on now on TV so I should watch it but I'm scared!

BASIL'S RENAULT ORIGINS

Woodsy

Following on from the other day and the Corgi model of the Basil Brush car, here are a few more details. All the photos are from Ebay, as I do not have this model.

Corgi launched a small series of veteran and vintage car models in 1964, called Corgi Classics, as a revival to the Matchbox Models of Yesteryear. A 1910 Renault 12/16 was released in 1965. 

This came in either lavender, 1965-66 (70,000) sold; or in yellow, 1965-67 (120,000 sold). Both had spoked wheels, and a black plastic top in the raised position. Each colour had its own model number, 9031 was lavender, and 9032 was yellow.

In 1971 Corgi dusted off the Renault die, and re-issued it as 808 Basil Brush and his car. This version had solid disc wheels, and a folded down top, with a large plastic figure of Basil at the wheel. The car was mainly red and yellow, with the top in light blue.

There was also a soundbox and two laugh tapes so you could 'Hear Basil Brush Laugh !'. Not having the model, I do not know how this worked. A photo in The Great Book of Corgi by Corgi Chief Designer Marcel Van Cleemput shows a long red plastic strip. Sales were 187,000 between 1971 and 1973, almost equal to the previous versions.

Paul Adams from New Zealand