Silver Space Cruiser Explorer II

This caught my eye this year so I saved the images.

Its a multi-wheeled space cruiser, the kind of things we've seen before on Moonbase.

Do you like this kind of space tank toy?

NEW 2023 ANNUAL FROM FANDERSON

 The Gerry & Sylvia Anderson fan club, Fanderson have just released their latest club magazine, FAB Express and this year's exclusive Fanderson FAB Annual. All packed with  nostalgic photos, interviews and features.

Like all exclusive Fanderson merchandise the deal is you must be a member. To find out more click the link: https://fanderson.org.uk/

TIMPO MODEL TOYS BOOK BY MICHAEL MAUGHAN

Timpo figures sometimes get a mention on MC, so I thought readers might be interested in a very good reference book on their plastic figures that I bought a few years ago.

I got my copy from Amazon UK before they stopped shipping to NZ. Well worth getting if you are a fan of these figures.

Timpo Model Toys - The A to Z of Timpo, Third Edition, by Michael Maughan, 2015. ISBN 9781514315040. No publisher given, only printed by Amazon, so I assume privately published. Softback, 126 pages, full colour. There is now an expanded Fourth Edition, 2020. 

The price on Amazon UK seems very high, but it is actually cheaper on Amazon US, plus postage of course. It may also be possible to find second-hand copies.

The book starts off with a history of Timpo, or Toy Importers. The company was founded in 1937 by Ally Gawrylovitz (later shortened to Ally Gee), a German who had fled Nazi Germany. 

He was soon making toys, rather than just importing them. Post-WW2 the company made metal toys, but soon moved on to plastics. They were best known for their multi-piece, multi-coloured plastic figures. I had some of these in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and preferred them to the Britains toys of the period.

The book then looks at the figures produced by Timpo. These are covered in alphabetical order by type, rather than in straight chronological order. In some cases early figures were replaced by new mouldings of the same type.

American War of Independence (British and American), WW2 Americans, Apache Indians, Arabs, WW2 Australian infantry, WW2 British, Captain Scarlet, Castles, ACW Confederates, Cowboys, Crusaders, Eskimos, Farm figures (animals are not included), modern French Foreign Legion, Forts, WW2 Germans, British Foot Guards, Horses, Indians, Jousting Knights, early WW2 figures which were generic rather than specific to each country, Medieval Knights, Mexicans, Romans, more Knights, Train Sets, Wild West Trappers, US 7th Cavalry (or ACW Union troops), Vikings, Wild West Buildings and Vehicles.

Followed by several pages of final notes.

Depending on the range, there are a mix of foot and mounted figures (mostly on horseback, but the Arab figures also came on Camels). Multi-figure sets - usually on a common base, artillery pieces, boats, wagons and chariots, buildings, vehicles, and various accessories such as tents, totem poles, and even an igloo.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

TOO EARLY FOR THE TREE?

A few Xmas trees have appeared round here in front windows this week.

Is this too early?

When do you trim up readers? I think we'll leave it till later in December at Moonbase, despite the distinct lack of Christmas cheer around at the moment in the UK.

Maybe getting the Christmas decs up early is good idea for that very reason!

WILL DIVES IN THE TV21 WHIRLPOOL

Just finding the Project SWORD stories in my new TV21's. 

Will O.

UK

have you got a SWORD Moon Ranger?

Eye in the Sky

 

I'm amazed at the quality of photo and video feeds coming from the Orion capsule as it journeys around the moon. The navigation camera is taking some amazing shots of the lunar farside in black and white and the solar panel mounted cameras show an amazing live view as the capsule continues its journey.

Live Stream: https://video.ibm.com/channel/b4dEcL3bJKW

Its a far cry from the grainy, distorted shots of the sixties!

COUNT 123 WITH BARNABY

If you like obscure Century 21 books then this maybe one for Santa's sack!

Count 123 with Barnaby and His Friends, copyright Century 21 Publishing 1968.

Images kindly supplied by Bernard Dunne.

B 1 BATHYSCAPHE IN TV21

 Nice to see Woodsy give a mention to the B1 Bathyscaphe which appeared in the Stingray episode, The Golden Sea.

Although this small yellow submersible only appeared in that one episode it did feature a few times in TV Century 21.

Here's a montage of Ron Embleton illustrated panels featuring this deep sea vehicle.

Note the error in the spelling of bathyscaphe on the cover of TV Century 21 and in some panels.