KOJAK DOLL

As I have a new phone I wanted to test the blogger app installed on it, so by way of a bit of testing here's  a photo of a fully jointed action Kojak doll. Not mine I hasten  to add, but you gotta love it ,baby!

PAUL'S HAUL: THE FIRST AUCKLAND TOY FAIR IN 12 MONTHS: WE GET TO VISIT VICARIOUSLY!

Hi all

On Saturday, 10th April 2021, I was able to go to my first collectors fair for over a year!

The last was in late 2019, everything (at least in Auckland) got cancelled last year. 

Having been starved of models for so long I did get far more than I usually do. Not everything is shown, I did get some more kits in plastic bags, but these did not have any nice box tops, so I left these out of the photos.

1 Two assembled model railway buildings in HO scale. A block of flats and shops - I did not realise at first that there are clear skylights in the roof, it is so dirty.

The long, low building is for an airport and has a control tower on the roof. Both will be very useful for backgrounds in model photographs. They will have to be cleaned very carefully to avoid losing the decals and paper stickers. $15 for the pair.

2 Books. Toys of Road Vehicles Made in New Zealand was only published last year. I have only had a chance to quickly flip through it so far, but it covers die-cast, pressed steel, wood, and plastic toys. Obviously the result of years of work. Aircraft Nose Art from WW1 to the present day. The P-51/F-51 Mustang in service with the air arms of Latin America. Great to finally get my hands on a copy of this.

3 Kits. Two examples of the Airfix 25 pounder field gun, in different boxes. The Novo (made in the USSR) re-issue of the old Frog Lancaster bomber in 1/96th scale. A modern re-issue of the old, odd-scale Martin B-57 from Revell, which was a US built version of the British Canberra bomber.

4 More Kits. The Mustang X was the first Mustang to be fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in place of the original Allison. Totally different nose shape to the production Merlin Mustangs. Limited run kit. 

Martin Baker, the ejection seat makers, also built whole aircraft, including the experimental M.B.5 fighter. Another limited run kit - I built a vac-form version by Falcon back in the 1980s - it was my only vac-form. Lockheed P-38D Lightning, this has a great decal sheet with special markings used during major US Army exercises in 1940.

5 Small Corgi die-cast Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Dated 2001, it refers to the stage musical version based on the film. This movie is one of my all-time favourites.

6 A boxed Crescent Royal State Coach, with a selection of loose die-casts. The large blue car is a Spot-On model, these are usually a terrible price but I got this rather worn example for $20. 

The rest are a mix of Matchbox, Japanese Tomica (the yellow school bus), NZ Fun Ho (the blue Scenicruiser bus), a couple of Corgi Juniors, and a Budgie Austin Westminster station wagon in orange.

It was a great day out, except for all the rain. 

Hope you've enjoyed the photos!

Paul Adams from New Zealand

BLACKBIRDS AND FLYING SAUCERS

 I love these Blackbirds on the cover of this Flying Saucers comic by Dell I saw in an old sale.

The Blackbird has always found itself in science fiction and fantasy like this. Just think of its equivalent in the Tri-ang SpaceX range.

Do you have a Blackbird toy, model or comic?

HONG KONG TOY ROCKET WITH BOY SAT ON IT

 This is a new one on me, a boy on a rocket

Looks like his legs go up and down.

I reckon a steering wheel is missing.

Its marked MM, which I think might be Merehall but maybe a reader knows.

Do you like this odd space toy?

ROWLAND EMETT: TOTTERING DESIGNS

Hi all,

Here are a few items on the Far Tottering and Oyster Creek Railway, designed by Rowland Emett, and built for the 1951 Festival of Britain.

It was a mad set-up, based on cartoons that had appeared in the magazine Punch. There were three different locomotives. One actually looked like a railway engine, another like a paddle steamer, and the last like a steampunk airship.

Built to a gauge of 15 inches, and towing passenger carriages giving rides to the public.

Emett later provided the inventions of Caractacus Potts in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tct3ly_qyG8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxN_2TkzAyk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O6UI8fSvAM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKOeP42Z2nA

Paul Adams from New Zealand

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Terranova47 from the US adds: another great site https://www.smallbrookstudio.uk/

GUITAR COLLECTING

Being an erstwhile guitarist who still owns the 2 electric guitars from my youth, both cheap but meaningful, I always have a gander at guitars whenever I can.

Some people collect guitars and you will need deep pockets, the deepest, if you want rarity over availability. I just have the two I had as a kid.

Still its always a thrill to see what rich kids can get for their spondoolies. Here's the nine rarest electric guitars in the world.

https://rarest.org/music/electric-guitars

As an aside, back in the late 1970's there were a few talented young guitarists in my home town of Preston. One of them was Nick Dias and he was slick as anything on the frets. He's lived stateside for decades and worked at Norman's Rare Guitars for years. Nick gets to handle some of the world's finest. Back in the 70's I borrowed Nick's fab mandolin!

A WORD FROM BLUE

 

Blue the Moonbase Mutt says there should be more canine content on MC.

So here's a piccy of the old mutt to start with. He's 13, going deaf and his vision is going too. Apart from that he's as happy as Larry!

Do you have a pet readers?

CAPTIONS NEEDED!

 

A Tracy brother outside my shed door.

C'mon, you know you want to! Captions please!