ZEE DYNA-FLITES F-111

We have been looking at the General Dynamics F-111 swing-wing jet recently. This was the first aircraft to enter service with variable geometry, or swing-wings, the angle of which could be varied in flight. Forward for low-speed, during take-off and landing; and back for high-speed flight. 

It was a popular subject with toy, die-cast, and kit makers, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, when the aircraft was in service.

It is common for manufacturers to make a toy based on a real vehicle or aircraft, and use that single model to depict a number of different versions, even when there are major changes between variants. That applies to this small die-cast version of the F-111, which was part of the Dyna-Flites range by Zee Toys.

The real F-111 was built in several versions. The F-111A tactical strike aircraft for the USAF; the short-nosed F-111B fighter for the US Navy, which was cancelled; and the long range FB-111 for the USAF Strategic Air Command.

 The F-111C was the sole export version, for Australia. The F-111K was intended for the United Kingdom, but this order was cancelled. The F-111D, F-111E, and F-111F were improved versions of the F-111A. The F-111G was a modified FB-111 for tactical use. Some of the early F-111A aircraft were converted to EF-111A electronic warfare jamming aircraft - these are easy to spot as they have a large 'canoe' fairing atop the fin.

The Dyna-Flites model depicts the EF-111A, with the large fairing on top of the fin, but it is painted in a US Navy style colour scheme of white and light grey, with black and yellow tail markings, but no US national insignia. However, it is clearly not a model of the F-111B. With the wings forward, the model has a span of 74mm; with the wings swept back the span is 40mm.

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MY CENTURY 21 RECORDS -21 MINUTES OF ADVENTURE

 Here’s a few of the Century 21 and other vintage Anderson related records I’ve collected over the years. Nowhere near a full set, as there was a total of 6 LPs and 37 EP’s released between October, 1965 and November, 1967, so I’m a long way off completing a collection.

Plus, I’m only interested in records that came out at the time, and even those have to be from Gerry & Sylvia’s series’, so no Tingha and Tucker, or Topo Gigio here!

Before I begin here’s a vintage favourite of mine; Supercar – A Flight of Fancy, which I see as a precursor to the Century 21 records output. It’s on the PYE record label, the same label that carried Century 21 records. It’s produced by Gerry Anderson, the story is by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, and it features the original cast.

This jazzed up version of the Fireball XL5 theme from 1962 was recorded by Barry Gray and his Spacemakers. Sylvia Anderson is the voice of Venus, while David Graham stands in for Paul Maxwell as the voice of Steve Zodiac.

I principally set out to collect only the first set of six mini albums, originally released in 1965, and that were regularly advertised in early editions of TV Century 21.

These were affordable 7” 33 r.p.m. mini albums featuring 21 minutes of adventure!

The first 7” release was Journey to The Moon, written by the then TV Century 21 editor, Alan Fennell, and featuring all the original voice artists from Fireball XL5.

An extended 12” LP version, was also released, which included the original Don Spencer version of the end theme, and the original title theme

The 21 minute version was also released as part of the 1966 ‘World of Tomorrow’ compilation LP, which included a re-recorded end theme sung by Ken Barrie, backed by the Barry Gray Quintet.

The World of Tomorrow LP also included ‘A Trip to Marineville’ featuring Stingray.

‘A Trip to Marineville’ is another original story by Alan Fennell, and the third Century 21 mini album released in 1965. It features three of the original voice artists, plus Sylvia Anderson.

The second Century 21 mini album release was ‘Into Action with Troy Tempest’. The story uses excepts from the episodes, Subterranean Sea and Deep Heat with connecting dialogue provided by Commander Shore.

The record is intended as a read -along, and comes with a separate dialogue sheet to help the listener read along with Troy and Phones on their adventure. Three original voice artists are featured, Don Mason, Ray Barrett and Robert Easton.

The fifth mini album release is ‘Marina Speaks’. This original story reveals the reason why Marina can not speak. Sylvia Anderson joins Stingray original voice artists Lois Maxwell, Ray Barrett and David Graham. The sleeve mentions Don Mason, but he's not actually heard on the record. 

The ‘Marina’ comic strip in Lady Penelope magazine expands on the reasons why Marina is mute.

‘Marina Speaks’ is also featured on the 1966 LP, ‘Lady Penelope Presents’, which also includes the fourth mini album release, 'Introducing Thunderbirds’

‘Introducing Thunderbirds’ does just that, as Lady Penelope and Parker, characters already familiar to TV Century 21 readers, meets up with Jeff Tracy on Tracy Island and gets the gen on International Rescue. Sylvia Anderson, David Graham and Peter Dyneley feature. Note: The front cover of the record is advertised on the back of the Somperex monochrome bubble gum cards.

The sixth mini album, TV Century 21 Themes has five Anderson related tracks, and a sixth, Dr Who, played by the Eric Winstone Orchestra.

As the Daleks were part of TV Century 21’s comic strip line-up it’s no surprise that the seventh mini album features those mutant monsters.

The album, which is narrated by David Graham, uses an edited audio version from the Dr Who episode, The Planet of Decision from the story, The Chase which was notable for the only TV appearance of The Mechanoids.

Another LP, Jeff Tracy Introduces International Rescues features Thunderbird 1 in Trapped in the Sky, and Thunderbird 2 in End of the Road.

Back to the mini albums, and Thunderbird 3 in Sun Probe. This is notable as the audio script is written by comic artist Jim Watson.

Mini album Lady Penelope Themes: TV themes associated with comic strips in Lady Penelope.

An assortment of adverts from TV Century 21.

Coming right up to date, here's a rather nice facsimile cover containing an orange vinyl record of the original Fireball Theme.

And I should mention that nowadays it’s  far simpler to collect the Century 21 recordings from Fanderson, as they’ve perfectly  transferred most of them to CD complete with a perfect facsimile of the cover. Even the 'Into Action with Troy Tempest' CD has a facsimile of the read-a-long script!

Here's a photo of some in my collection:

F-111 Copycat Art

The post on the Telsalda Swing Wing toy was most interesting. The version shown was called the Royal Navy Swing Wing Strike-Fighter, and the box top depicted two aircraft in different colour schemes, but both with Royal Navy titles on the forward fuselage.

That art work has been bothering me. It has the look of a kit box top, and the fact that two different versions of the same aircraft are depicted just seemed odd. So I went looking. This is what I found.

The real General Dynamics F-111, originally called the TFX - Tactical Fighter Experimental, was intended for both the US Air Force and Navy. That idea did not work out, and the Navy model was cancelled. The F-111 was the first aircraft to enter service with swing-wings, the angle of swept could be varied in flight.

In the early days of the F-111 programme, most of the big US kit companies produced kits of the type, some offering optional parts for both the Air Force and Navy versions.

The Revell kit in 1/72nd scale came out in 1966, and it had parts for both versions. The box top painting showed the Air Force version in a tactical camouflage scheme, with the Navy model in the standard USN finish of white and light grey.

The Telsalda box art (also used on the SL version of the same toy) is a modified copy of the original Revell box top. This painting was by Jack Leynnwood, who did many boxes for Revell. The two aircraft were shown flying over a desert airfield, and carry full US markings.

The Telsalda art changes the background; deletes the US markings on the aircraft; and adds Royal Navy titles, but not British roundels. Otherwise, it is the same artwork. This painting is shown in the book Box Top Air Power, which I reviewed a little while ago.

Another case of copy-cat box art.

MOONBASE CENTRAL: SWING WING WHEELS (projectswordtoys.blogspot.com)

MOONBASE CENTRAL: TELSALDA SWING WING (projectswordtoys.blogspot.com)

The photo of the Revell box top is from Worthpoint.

Have you anything like this?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

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