ARMY OF THE DOOMED

 I've seen another two films this week.

Army of the Dead - with big Dave Bautista and a crew of hardened zombie-slayin' mutha's in Los Angeles. Normally I don't watch zombie films anymore as they are predictably, well, zombie-ish. I have been sick of shamblers for some time. But AoD gives the genre a critical blood transfusion and we get some pretty mean modern zombsters. Its a very current film, which Wotan recommended, so I won't spoil anything here. Suffice to say I'm glad I listened to Wotan!

DOOM: this is a much older flick and one based on a computer game I reckon. As Netflix listed it as a creature feature I thought I'd jump in and see what the monsters were like. They're OK I suppose and enough to keep the pace monsterish. The best beastie was a huge dog-like critter attached to a wheelchair. Overall though DOOM is about blasting and shooting and shooting and blasting. I imagine it kept game hungry players amused for a while when it came out. Reminiscent of other flicks like AvP and Resident Evil set in big labyrinthine bunkers.

Have you seen either of these?

MYSTERY YELLOW DIE-CAST SPACE PLANE

 

I saw this space plane toy earlier this year online on auction and saved this image. Its a mystery to me what it is. Listed as made in Taiwan, it looks die-cast to me.

Anyone know what it is?

MYSTERY MISSILE: BERLIN 1979

Hi All,

Just came across a photo of the first record released by the American group Berlin, in 1979. 

It is 'A Matter of Time', with 'Overload' on the other side. Released by Renegade Records. 

The interesting thing is that the cover of this single has a photo of a missile on it. Looks to be a model, rather than the real thing, with the name of the group on the nose. 

Now 1950s US missiles are not my usual area, so I am not certain what type of missile it is - perhaps a Northrop SM-62 Snark ? If so, the outer wing panels, underwing fuel tanks, and the booster rockets all seem to be missing. 

There were several kits of this missile released in the late 1950s, but surely none would have still been around in 1979 ? It might also be a Regulus II, but the Snark looks closer. 

The attached photo of the record cover is from this website.

Berlin A Matter Of Time - P/S US 7" vinyl single (7 inch record) (618400) (eil.com)

Paul Adams from New Zealand

PAINT YOUR SPACE WAGON

I saw this old tin bundle on auction yonks ago and noticed the rocket.

Its the Chinese tinplate "Moon Rocket", which has appeared many times here under the name of the Moonship [click the label below for more], but this one is different. It looks sort of shoddy.

Would you say its been painted?

THAT NIGHTMARE SCENARIO

There are a few things in a collector's life which can be classified as a nightmare. One is dithering about a car boot/ garage sale item and going back later only to find its gone. Another is forgetting to bid on Ebay for something you really want.

Perhaps, though, what happened to me today is THE nightmare for the collector.

A workmate said to me: "I'm clearing out the garage at the mo"

I said " Wow, are there any toys in there?"

Workmate "Yes, I found a load of old cars, some of them boxed"

Me "Really! Wow! Can you bring them in for me to look at?"

Workmate "No, I can't. I've thrown them all in the skip!"

Me " That's OK. Just get them out if you can. They might be worth something"

Workmate "Too late, sorry, the skip's been emptied!"

me "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh"

All I can think about now are the boxed die-casts that have gone to landfill. What were they? Oh My God!

Has this ever happened to you readers?

MACK AND ME'S TOY STALL

 

I saw this old toy stall on telly on a kids show called Mack and me about a toy stall. I liked the look of it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/molly-and-mack

What would your stall look like readers?

TWO FINS COOL

 I came across this the other day. I assume its Super Jetter, the Japanese anime. Does anyone know for sure?

The two finned vehicle immediately reminded me of the old blog legend, the wondrous Telsalda Rocket Firing Space Car.

I just love those rear fins! What a toy! Anyone got one?

What do you think? Connected?

THE GREAT THUNDERBIRD 6 LOOKALIKE MYSTERY

I was browsing this morning drinking coffee and stroking Blue the Moonbase Mutt when I came across this toy online. Its described as a 1918 Thunderbird plane. Plastic, friction drive and in a nice window box. Maybe by TM.

As soon as I saw I thought of the yellow biplane in Thunderbird 6 the movie. In fact the biplane is Thunderbird 6 if I remember rightly. 

Bandai made a toy version of it, which also came in a window box.

Wanting to test my theory that these two toys are similar I went to look for a decent big picture of the Bandai vintage toy boxed. 

I know it came in a similar window box and was part of their Space Age series, but it may also have been badged up as Thunderbirds in another box, although I'm unsure.

You can see a small picture of the yellow stripy biplane on the rear of the Bandai Space Age box for the Excavator [courtesy of vintagespacetoys]

On the other side you'll see that model number 7007 is called the Patrol Plane in this range [courtesy vintagespacetoys]

Can I find a big image of this old Bandai toy Thunderbird 6? No!

Can anyone help?