FrankenducK!

Spotted by eagle-eyed reader Terranova47 in the States.

It'll be quackers this Halloween!

P R E Y

I've always been a fan of the old Predators.

The iconic first movie with big Arnie was just fabulous cinema and set an unforgettable bar in that steamy jungle.

Predator 2 with Danny Glover was pretty good as well and I can recall many scenes. It was brave to move the action to the city.

After these things get fuzzy. I'm unsure what came next and at some point Lance Henriksen joins in as well as the ever-snappy Xenomorphs. There's a Ziggarat too.

So it's been awhile since any Predators have worried my screen until this week when I watched PREY on Disney.

I have to say from the off that I enjoyed it. If you are going to pit the big guy against a warrior then a Comanche brave is a superb match, maybe only equalled by a Spartan.

The acting was good, the settings were excellent and the leading lady was just terrific. I liked the updated and even uglier alien and it reminded me of an alien gunslinger a la Bravestarr.

The odd nods to the original were welcome, especially when the Comanche heroine drags herself out of the mud onto a bank Arnie-style.

As a reboot and prequel I thought PREY hit the mark both times, a bit like the lead's lethal Comanche throwing axe!

Have you been preyed upon? I wonder if you have any Predator toys and collectables readers?

THE AIRFIX LIFEGUARD TRUMPETER BY PAUL ADAMS

Hi,

You recently mentioned your large scale Palitoy Action Man Life Guard figure. KevinD replied, saying he had the Airfix kit, which you were unfamiliar with. Given that, I thought you might like a quick history of the Airfix Life Guard kit.

In 1959 (or 1960 ?) Airfix introduced a new range of large scale figure kits: Soldiers of Famous Regiments. Later the series title changed to Military Figures, and then Historical Figures, as the range of subjects was broadened.

The kits were initially sold in clear plastic bags. The paper header was folded over, and stapled to the top of the bag. This contained the assembly and painting instructions. The original retail price was two shillings (10 New Pence). These large figure kits were later moved from Series 1, to Series 2, making them slightly more expensive than before.

The models were to 1/12th scale, making a standing figure around six or seven inches tall, depending on his headgear. All came with a small, square display stand, and were moulded in white plastic.

Kit number M2F in this series was a Life Guard Trumpeter, which comprised 39 parts. Like the rest of the series, he was on foot, despite being a cavalryman. He was later re-numbered M206F, then 02506-9. The banner hanging from his trumpet was printed in colour on a sheet of paper, which you cut out and applied to the model.

The Trumpeter was later sold in a box rather than a bag, which offered more protection to the kit parts. The box design changed over the years. He was last listed in the 17th Edition catalogue (1980 according to the Vintage Airfix site).

https://www.vintage-airfix.com/lifeguardsman-p-669.html

After a break of around 30 years, the figure was re-issued as part of the Airfix London Icons set, listed in the 2011 Airfix catalogue as 'New for 2011'. It came out just in time for the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the London Olympic Games that same year. The set was also listed in the 2012 and 2013 catalogues, and then deleted.

The London Icons set, number A50131, contained the first three figures from the 1/12th scale range - the Coldstream Guardsman (Foot Guard, in bearskin cap), the Life Guard Trumpeter, and a Yeoman of the Guard (Beefeater), along with 15 small pots of Humbrol acrylic paint, two paint brushes, and a small tube of Humbrol cement.

https://www.vintage-airfix.com/london-icons-p-1660.html

I do not ever recall seeing any of these Airfix 1/12th scale figures in the shops in New Zealand. If they were around, they were rare in this part of the world. So I only saw them in the Airfix catalogue. I do remember seeing the London Icons set in just one model shop around a decade ago.

Eight photographs, all from Worthpoint, in four batches.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

SPACE CATS THUNDER CRAFT

 

I like these Spacecats Thunder Craft.

Clearly jumping on the Thundercats bandwagon.

With tumbling action and released by Playmakers.

Do you like them readers?

BRIAN'S HAUNTED HOUSE OF MONSTERS

Hi Woodsy. 

As promised, Halloween decorating is in full swing here at Monster Base, and here's the latest project. 

This is an old dollhouse I found at a flea market converted into a haunted house! 

I'm in the process of searching through my closets for monsters to fill its haunted halls. 

I'm trying to focus on action figures in the 6 or 7 inch range, like McFarlane Movie Maniacs, Sideshow, Neca, and Diamond Select, but at this point, anything goes! 

I'm also having fun lighting this thing, the pictures don't really do justice. Its a work in progress, so more to come!

Brian F 

Monster Base

NJ USA

Are you decorating this Halloween readers?

HALLOWEEN'S COMING TO AUCKLAND AND MONSTER BASES

In this week's mail-bag I received two Halloween ghost-cards from readers Brian and Paul.

Brian: I spotted a bag of Satellite Candy, which I only just learned about thanks to Moonbase Central. Did I buy them? 

NO, but I did buy something that will make its way on the menu Halloween Night. Halloween Pasta! Its a bag of pasta shaped like bats, Jack o lanterns and I think there's ghosts in there. 

I think I will dress them with diced Pancetta, chopped yellow tomatoes or orange peppers and sliced black olives. I will finish it off with a little truffle oil and grated Romano cheese. Since you are curious about what I cook on holidays, I hope that does the trick for you!

Brian F
Monster Base
NJ USA

What will you be eating on Halloween night?

Paul: Hi Woodsy,

I was looking at the Halloween decorations in various shops at the weekend. Alongside the skulls and skeletons, spiders, and tombstones, were some mini plastic chainsaws. 

I assume these were inspired by the notorious 1970s horror movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 

That had an R Rating in America (those under 17 admitted only with an accompanying adult), but it was banned in Britain until 1999, when it was finally released with an 18 Certificate (no one under 18 admitted). It had previously been shown in London, with a local X Certificate, in the 1970s (again, no one under 18 admitted).

My question is, are small plastic chainsaws part of the Halloween decorations in Britain - commemorating a film that was banned there for over two decades ?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

What cool and grisly Halloween items are in your shops readers?

RENWAL REPTILE KITS BY PAUL ADAMS

Hi,
Here is the next entry in my Renwal Visible animal series.




Renwal Reptile Science Assembly Kit



This was one of two Renwal Science kits consisting of a single large cut-away model, and several smaller models, all mounted on a large display stand. Despite the title of the kit, this actually included a mix of amphibians and reptiles.




According to Scalemates the 808 Reptile Science Assembly Kit was introduced sometime in the 1960s, only giving the date as 196x. It was still in the Renwal catalogue in to the 1970s. The scale is given as 1:1, although the frog is clearly larger than life-size.




The large cut-away model was a Leopard Frog




The smaller models were solid, and consisted of:

Alligator (baby)

Box Turtle

Rattlesnake

Chuckwalla (lizard)

Red Eft (amphibian)




There was the usual educational Handbook on Reptiles and Amphibians, and the box top states that the models were cast from live specimens (I assume live does not actually mean alive - surely they would wriggle about too much ?)



https://www.scalemates.com/kits/renwal-reptile-science--1256300



The 1966 Renwal catalogue entry says:

The Theory of Evolution becomes clearer and clearer as Renwal explores another link in the chain of life. These models are astonishingly life-like because they were actually cast from live specimens supplied by New York's Museum of Natural History.




The cutaway Leopard Frog is larger than life, and letter-keyed for instant recognition of vital anatomical elements. Science students will welcome these remarkable "Visual Aids" to their education.

Retail price $4.98.



Catalogues on the Box Art Den site. The 1966 and 1969

catalogues are in black and white, the 1973 edition being in colour.



Renwal 1966 (boxartden.com)

Renwal 1969 (boxartden.com)

renwal 73 08-960 (boxartden.com)



The display stand in the kit was moulded in a creamy white plastic, with the animals in a mix of green and brown.



The cut-away Frog from this kit was later issued on its own as 824-298 Leopard Frog (at least I am assuming it is the same model - it appears identical). This was given a new, flat display base. The kit was described in the catalogue as being three times life size, or 3:1. 'Skin patterns are engraved on the shell for ease of decorating'.




This was included in the 1969 and 1973 catalogues, but not the 1966 edition, where only the complete Reptile Science set was shown. This time everything was moulded in green.

Scalemates again give the release date as 196x, and give the scale as 1:1, which is incorrect. Entry for this solo kit:



Leopard Frog, Renwal (196x) (scalemates.com)



In the 1990s Craft House Corporation re-released the Reptile Science kit under the revised name of Reptile and Amphibian Kit - Six Kits in One. The parts were now moulded in a lighter green and pinkish fawn, but it appears the display stand was no longer included. The Skilcraft box top says the Frog is 'Nearly 2 Times Life-Size', which is again confusing.

The Scalemates entry gives the catalogue number, 74629.



https://www.scalemates.com/kits/skilcraft-74629-reptile-and-amphibian-kit--193053



It does not appear that the Leopard Frog was released as a solo kit by Skilcraft.



All photos from Worthpoint.




Paul Adams from New Zealand

SLIM PICKINS DOWN THE OCTOBER CAR BOOTS

Visited two Yorkshire car boots and a charity shop this morning. We got tons of stuff for the Grandkids but not much for the vintage collectables stash.

Here's what I picked up, not all vintage but all cheap and cheerful.

Left to right:

CORPS helicopter 2001 for my figures; 3 x Calgary Canada plastic mountie hat badges, ideal for replacement Action Man mountie hats!; 3 plastic bodied Hot Wheels and a nice  red and white Corgi; Pokemon set of Sun and Moon cards for Junior and a Hornby loco for Junior too - his first.

The cabinet is Missus Moonbases for stripping.

I also saw this in the charity shop, a vintage Salton Hotray. Remember those, for people without a butler so plated food could be kept hot somewhere near the dining table!

A true slice of retro that! Something you would buy readers?

I also an old Russell Hobbs clock lamp. You could programme the lamp to go on and off at certain times in the bedroom! Reminded me of my Mum and Dad's Goblin Teas Maid! Was there either of these at home readers?