WILL'S MONSTER CARABO

Hi. Seeing the carabo picture on the site the other day reminded me of the Italian r,c car that I got in the early 70s. It's only a single channel, takes a cart load of batteries and is a monster at 17 " long. Regards. Will O.

THE NATURE OF NOSTALGIA

 A teenage neighbour is going to Uni in September. To Lancaster here in the North of England, just over the Pennines.

The mention of Lancaster got me remembering how I used to love going there to watch rock bands in the 70's. Not sure if bands play Uni's or Poly's anymore but back then they did all the time.  I saw my beloved Budgie, the greatest heavy rock band ever; the superb Joan Armatrading; the quite gorgeous Judie Tzuke and I even saw Lynyrd Skynyrd before half of them perished in a plane crash. I was glad I'd seen them live.

My neighbour's excitement at going in September - leaving home basically - reminded me how everything was indeed more exciting when we were young. It is understandable as most things we haven't tried before - leaving home, relationships, driving, being part of causes, drinking, studying and so on. Its all new to a teenager and I suppose its that sheer unadulterated excitement that carries them out of the parental nest, otherwise they may never leave!

This blog is often about an even earlier time in our lives, when toys and kids TV shows and mates and playing excited us. 

I suppose nostalgia is basically remembering that feeling - or at least trying to. I wonder if its possible to feel like we did 55 years ago? Do we even get close?

But its nice to try. Do you agree?

THE LP SPACE MOTORCYCLE

 I adore this unusual LP toy, the Space Motorcycle.

I saw this one on the Bay a while back and kept the pics as its a corker.

Model number 106, its just a beautifully proportioned space sled and one I've never seen in the flesh.

The box is a smasher too and the sleek rear end.

What do you think? Have you got one?

Stranger Tractor

Luigi Colani Sea Ranger Die Cast Model

Taking a cue from Woodsy's Apollo Tracker rolling about on Mars, here are a few All Terrain Vehicles that have featured on the blog over the years. How many have you got ?

Marx Hill Climbing Moon Grabber

Masudaya 'The Brain' Electronic Programmable Vehicle

Buddy L Customised Moon Buggy

Sears Exclusive Moon Ranger Vehicle (Tomy)

Tomy Moon Buggy (basis for Sears model)

Tomy Space Eight

Tomy Space Eight

All Terrain Jeep

Unbranded Moon Bus

Tandy Mars Explorer

Explorer 12 Style Vehicle and Tractor T5

BHS Explorer 12 Terrain Crawler

BHS Explorer 12 Ocean Expedition

Majorette Amphibie

Matchbox ATV

Tonka Buggy

Spacex Molab

Spacex Apollo Tracker and Custom

Non Fall Moon Buggies

 

WHO YA PHONING MR. ROBOT?

 

This is new to me, the Melody Tel robot toy from the 80's.

What do you think?

Do telephones and robots go together?

RED PLANET RADAR: THE APOLLO TRACKER

Easily one of my fave Triang SpaceX illustrations is the Apollo Tracker.

Looking at the sandy surface it could be trundling round Mars.

Do you like this toy?

Are there any other toy space vehicles that could do well on the red planet?

CLOUDS ON MARS

I was genuinely blown away by this photo yesterday posted on the JPL NASA site. It's Curiosity's latest shot of clouds over a mountain.

Its so Earth-like! It could be Utah or Cumbria!

Its still staggering that we have vehicles roving the Martian surface taking pictures and for a picture like this its all worth it.

I can really imagine people stood on that cliff edge one day. Can you?

Vintage Toy Gun TV Ads

Hi Woodsy

Just found this on You Tube, not sure if it has been on Moonbase before or not, as I do recall some of the contents. 

It is a series of old TV ads for various toy guns, including Secret Sam. Billy Mumy, from Lost in Space, is in the Dick Tracy ad. 

Never had any of these myself, although I did have a few cap guns, and a plastic rifle.

Did Moonbase readers?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8fU3_VMeL8

Paul Adams from New Zealand