MOONBASE CENTRAL

Wednesday, 20 July 2022

ROCKY AT SMALLSPACE 9

Here's the first of my Smallspace 9 reports:

The Smallspace one-day event takes place in the sleepy village of Hanslope, Buckinghamshire, and plays host to some wonderful scale model displays mainly from film and TV.

This was the first Smallspace since Covid rules were relaxed, and to be honest, for me, as I'm not the most prolific emailer, this one was all about meeting up with people, who I hadn't seen for a while.

The theme of this years show was special effects, and featured several guests who worked in the film and TV industry, including Steve Begg, Chrissie Overs, Chris Trice and Lee Stringer.

As I mentioned, this was all about meeting up with people, and as I wandered about the hall marvelling at the model displays and chatting to the guests, a chap tapped me on the shoulder and introduced himself ; it was non other than our very own reader and contributor Mish aka Alan Marshall!

Now, I should point out that Mish or Alan, is better known to the actual attending guests as Rocky, as that's his nickname when working as a special effects technician too!

Alan's mock kit box cover showing the Covid virus.

His C.V. is impressive. Amongst other things, he's worked with Mike Tucker at The Model Unit on Red Dwarf, and with Steve Begg on Daniel Craig's first Bond outing, Casino Royal.

Alan's excellent painting of Stingray

Meeting up with Alan, who, I should add is also a brilliant artist, was certainly a highlight for me, and hopefully we'll get to meet up again at some point, heck, we might even swop emails!

STINGRAY DOUBLE

I had to look twice at this old carded set I saw online.

I thought the red and blue craft was Stingray!

That blue rear really looks like a ratemaster.

Has anyone got this toy?

Tuesday, 19 July 2022

PIRANHA POST

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Bob Short, who I believe owns the actual real UNCLE Piranha car shared my post on my humble AMT kit on his Man from UNCLE Inner Circle Facebook page.

Much appreciated, Mr Short.

Here's the link: https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2022/06/amt-man-from-uncle-piranha-spy-car.html

IN THE MOOG

I saw this old LP cover and thought, what is that toy robot?

Its on tracks and has a peculiar holed protuberance at its base.

Anyone know?

Monday, 18 July 2022

KEV'S COMET MINIATURES SHADO LUNAR MODULE

Hi,

Been sorting out a lot of my stuff for display in my, hopefully improved model room. Dug out this, which I've had for years. It is a Comet miniatures mini metal model of the Shado lunar module but with a rare gold-looking finish. Never seen another.

Anyway, it is getting its own little box frame.

Positive track,

Kevin

BOATERIFIC 'WHIRL-A-WAY' RUNABOUT

Before I start to prepare my blog report on yesterday's splendid Smallspace 9 Event (Which I should add has a rather good blog-related aspect to it!) here's some photos of my Ideal Boaterific 'Whirl-A-Way' Runabout boat.

As with the others it comes in a plastic display case, plastic moulded base and carded backdrop showing a painted ocean scene . No spring clip holding it in place, unfortunately.

Note the backdrop has had a slight alteration. In the top right hand corner the wording has been blanked out. I'm assuming this was done at some point during late into the production so backing cards didn't need to match what was in the box. In this case the backing card is actually used for the Boaterific 'Barracuda' Sport Fisherman boat.

The 'Whirl-A- Way' is one of six, which was later increased to eight 'Marine Classics' motorised toy boats brought out by Ideal during 1966/67 using their unique removable electric motor also used in their 'Motorific' Cars and 'Zeroid' Robot range.

The motor and the batteries are stowed below decks in the deep hull. This also houses the 'automatic bailer' which is designed to pump out any water resting at the base of the hull, or bilge, so the motor and batteries are protected from shorts.

As I've said in my previous Boaterific posts, the toy boats have lots of delicate chromed detail which is unsurprisingly prone to being damaged, and my Whirl-a-Way is no exception; in fact its had more than it's fair share of knocks.

It's missing its mast and bow flag pole, and some it chrome is peeling off, but, in spite of that, it's still in reasonable shape.

Another small point I noticed is the Whirl-a-way is flying an American flag this time, unlike my Barracuda and King of the Sea, which both sport Union Jacks.

Sadly, that's the last of my Boaterfic posts for now, shipmates, as I'm currently missing the remaining two in the set - The 'Sea Wolf' Diesel Yacht and the' Marlin Tower' Fisherman, but hopefully some of you have enjoyed seeing this old seadog's marine collection.