ROB'S DINKY MEMORIES

Some recent posts by Scoop featuring reboots of classic Anderson-themed Dinky Toys got me to thinking about some of the Dinky Toys I had as a kid. A lot of them were imported into the U.S., and I found pix on ebay of a few of my favorites, as follows:

Nash Rambler Fire Chief Car in glorious red!

Simca Taxi, red roof, black body, and Whitewalls!

BOAC bus, blue, with that iconic white roof!

Air France Caravelle jet, blue & white box.

Good gosh I loved those toys...

Rob C

USA

SIXTEEN 12 UFO ALIEN SAUCER

Here are a few photos I’ve taken showing the recently released UFO Alien Saucer from Sixteen 12 Collectables.

The Saucer, seen here spinning across the lunar surface is really only clearly seen in the series once it has landed, however, I think it looks at its best glistening across the skyline.

According to Derek Meddings, in his book, 21st Century Visions, the effect the Century 21 special effects team wanted to create was a blur of spinning light, which looked dramatic and mysterious, but also believable.

Unfortunately, the spinning model was apparently a nightmare to film. To create the desired spinning effect a motor was fitted into the main body which spun independently from the upper transparent dome. The dome, which was fixed in place, carried the control and power wires, while the lower section revolved.

The model had to be carefully weighted, and couldn’t be tilted in flight, or it would stop spinning. However, even though the UFO’s were generally filmed in a straight line, the result was that the craft appeared to defy gravity which added something to their mysterious presence.

The first time I saw the saucer from UFO, was probably on the cover of the 1971 UFO Annual which came out towards the end of 1970, prior to the series being shown on TV.

Nowadays, there’s no end of UFO TV series background information available, but back in 1970 info was scarce, and for a time the annual was my only source, until Countdown comic was launched, coincidently fifty years ago this month, so many happy returns, Countdown!

In the annual the UFO was described as having a built-in self –destructive system, which meant the inner workings of the UFO, remained a mystery to SHADO. It was capable of travelling at many times the speed of light, and equipped with a unique ray which had tremendous destructive power.

In 21st Century Visions, Derek Meddings’ mentions that it was rare for Century 21 productions to use optical effects as they could be expensive, but for the UFO’s heat ray, which was created using an optical printer by a former colleague of Meddings’, Ray Caple, it was felt the extra expense was justified as it created a more dramatic effect.

As most collectors will be aware, the Sixteen 12 UFO model is technically a re-release of the original Product Enterprise one which was part of a double pack that came with a Product Enterprise SHADO Interceptor. That set was released not that long before the Product Enterprise brand ended, and that meant a few collectors missed out.

This new release features the familiar UFO, along with the welcome addition of a nicely detailed lunar surface display base, complete with the UFO series logo.

The window box packaging looks good too, with a conspicuous S.H.A.D.O. insignia on the top.

The rear side has a selection of photos, and a short write-up about the series.

WILL OSBORNE'S TRIANG BATTLE SPACE

Will O.

UK.

ROB'S GRIP ROBOCAR

Here’s a little model I just finished, which I dubbed “RoboCar,” because I have no idea what the Japanese characters on the box say! (Maybe a Moonbase reader could help out with translation?) It’s from a small company called Grip, and it’s the usual “action kit” with a windup motor. From the 1970s I would guess. Has kind of a “Hot Rod Transformer” feel to it, yes?

Rob C

USA

Countdown to Landing

 It doesn't seem like five minutes since I watched with excitement as the JPL Mars mission with Curiosity Rover on board, was skycraned on to the surface of Mars, back in August 2012. It was a memorable occasion, as the Moonbase coverage encouraged Bill Everatt to invite the crew to join him at Celtica Radio to do the first Swordcasts.

Oddly, it doesn't seem that long since the Viking Landers touched down on Mars back in 1976 and relayed back the first photographs from another world - even if it didn't look dissimilar from the Moon, the pinkish sky showed that it was clearly another planet.

Now we stand on the cusp of yet another great event, the Mars 2020 programme bringing the Persevereance Rover to Jezero Crater this Thursday. Its exciting stuff and brings back that heady thrill of the space race back in the sixties, but now with the benefit of multimedia coverage, we can watch events as they happen. 

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/

Nasa EYES software has allowed the vehicles progress to be tracked in realtime as it journeys to Mars and now as it comes within half a million miles of its destination, the excitement is mounting.

I for one will be glued to screens lareg and small to watch as events unfold!

Bella's Ghost Busters

Hi Woodsy

Laura Legends mentioned there was a Transformers version of Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters in her item on the Back to the Future DeLorean. It turns out that this model is covered on Bella's Toy Chest. 

It looks to be a very nice model, although difficult to open out into its robot form without breaking something. Bella looks rather nervous as she attempts the feat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu7Vo6ABpWI&list=PLHb0ko5k4P16eAS8mw2q41uCBaddE7RSA

Lewis M managed to find me a Hollywood Nano Rides Batman set with the Duck from Batman Returns!

Among my own finds were a couple of models from the Hot Wheels set devoted to Mattel games, Uno and Rock 'em, Sock 'em Robots. Two down, three to go.

Yours Sincerely,

Paul Adams from New Zealand

MORE THOMAS TUDOR ROSE SPACEMEN

Further to the Thomas Spacemen post here in the centre is the one with the spiked helmet. Mine were by Tudor Rose when the moulds were used in England. Several of these figures were based on SF magazine cover art.

Terranova47

USA

Anyone got any?

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

I'm currently re-reading the Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. Its a novel I return to at least once every couple of years. Yep, I like the hound a lot.

In fact its the only Conan Doyle book I've ever read despite owning several different copies of the Lost World with the formidable Professor Challenger.

My first encounter with the Baskerville hound, like many of my generation I suspect, was the 1959 Hammer horror film starring Peter Cushing and Andre Morell. Its depiction of the deranged Hugo Baskerville at the start stayed with me, especially his dreadful call to 'release the pack' on the unfortunate village girl who escapes from the Hall only to perish on the Moor. 

It was and is a terrific film and Peter Cushing's depiction of Sherlock Holmes, along with Morell's Dr. Watson, remained my favourite movie adaptation until I saw a modern version from 2002 with Richard Roxburgh and Ian Hart. This is truly fine film-making and I always enjoy seeing it again and again. 

There are countless TV and film versions of the Hound and I admit I have yet to see many of them including the famous Basil Rathbone outing. There are films akin to the spirit of the curse too and one that springs to mind is the Brotherhood of the Wolf, which struck me as a similar and equally exciting period piece mixing moorlands and hell hound werewolves. 

Hammer's own screen Hound was part of that genre-defining flurry of late fifties/ early sixties films they made, directed by the likes of Terence Fisher, which helped to spark the monster craze in Britain, when monster mania landed on our shores from America, itself kicked off by Forry Ackerman's Famous monsters of Filmland and Universal's re-run of classic monster movies. I adored the monster craze and it made me who I am today and who I've always been. A monster nut. 

Despite its obvious horror chops and Hammer credentials, the Baskerville Hound never made it as a toy or game as far as I can tell. I certainly didn't have any merchandise as a kid. I know there was a comic version done, maybe Classics Illustrated who covered Frankenstein too. The Hound would have made a great Aurora model kit, the crazed mastiff drooling over Hugo Baskerville on the moors. But we will all have favourite books and films which we think Aurora should have captured in plastic I'm sure - what's yours I wonder readers?

There are some Baskerville inspired figurines I found online. Sarum Soldiers offer a small set of painted figures ....

and fellow blogger's Toy Soldier's and Dining Room Battles own custom diorama of the hell hound.

As regards books, the first edition is a thing of beauty with its gothic swirls and solid lack hound which, alas, most of us can only see online as a copy can cost a King's ransom.

My own favourite ands far more ownable is the 1961 John Murray published paperback, which I have in the Moonbase collection.

My siblings kindly got me this cool 2014 graphic novel of the tale as well for my 60th.

I couldn't find any vintage games based on the Baskerville curse, which I was surprised about. I did have this Tri-ang Sherlock Holmes board game at Moonbase for a good few years. I found it at a car boot sale and it was in excellent nick, complete with the inner tracing paper. Alas, like everything I sold it as part of a my monster and mystery board games sell-off on Ebay when I had shop. All in all a beautiful game from 1967.

So I await bedtime to read another chapter of the Hound of the Baskervilles and follow the progress of Holmes and Watson as they wander the moors at night when the powers of evil are exalted.

Are you equally Baskervilled as I am readers?