SUITS YOU SIR!

I love this hoverplane. What a design, it can only be Japanese!

My photo note says Mobile Suit Gundam from 1979.

I wish I'd been into Japanese Manga and toys back then age 18 but I wasn't.

Were you?

HOT WHEELS BATMAN PREMIUM 5 IN 1 PACK

Hot Wheels have released many Batman models over the last couple of decades, with a series of five Batman models being contained within the Mainline each year, these being of mixed metal and plastic construction. 

All of these are various forms of Batmobile. There are also 5-packs, which have become an annual tradition. These contain a selection of five Mainline models: usually one or two Bat-vehicles, a Gotham City Police car, and several villain cars.

There have also been numerous higher-priced models aimed at adult collectors. These are usually released in groups, but are sold on individual cards. These often have both metal bodies and metal bases, and more realistic Real Rider wheels.

Now Hot Wheels have started releasing their premium models in 5-packs, including a Batman set, which I picked up. The price of these varies greatly, from $39 NZ, which is what I paid, to well over $50. It does pay to shop around.

The set comes in a black box, with a lift-off lid. It is 194 mm square, and 40 mm deep. The top has a large DC Comics logo in blue in the centre, with the logos for the various films and TV shows along the bottom.

The bottom of the box shows the five models within. The copyright date is 2021, although this is a 2022 release.

Once you take the lid off, you find the five models sitting in a clear plastic tray.

Movie Batmobile from Batman (1989), in matt black.

Justice League (2017) Batmobile, semi-gloss black.

The Bat plane from The Dark Knight Rises (2012), matt black. As this model does not have an undercarriage, it comes with a clear plastic display stand which plugs in to the model.

Batmobile from The Batman (2022), this looks more like a normal American sedan than the Batmobile, semi-gloss black.

Batmobile from the 1966-68 TV series and the 1966 Batman movie. Gloss black with red stripes. This is the only model that carries the Bat insignia on its doors.

In certain lights the two matt black models look dark grey, or perhaps they are dark grey and look black depending on the light ?

All the models are marked on the underside Made in Indonesia.

This is a really nice set, although considerably more expensive than a regular Hot Wheels 5-pack.

What do you think?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Another Selection of What If... Box Tops

The What If... Fantasy Model Kits series in now up to part five. A great selection of fictional box art for various movie and TV kits that should have been produced in the 1960s and 1970s, but were not. Included are James Bond and The Black Hole. By Matteline 1967.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3xGrtTGJmQ

Paul Adams from New Zealand

The Self Transforming Optimus Prime

I'm on a Transformers toy kick at the mo. I saw this You Tube promo and my mouth fell open! See what you think!

https://youtube.com/shorts/zzkVrumFgG8?feature=share

Out of the Box

Being away from home I'm finding that we just don't watch TV. TV as in live TV. Normal TV.

We do watch a downloaded series on our tablet at the end of the night.

Is this your behaviour too readers?

Do you watch TV anymore readers? At home or on holiday?

Bring Something Back

 I've just read in the Fortean Times, that last month was the 70th anniversary of the Quatermass Experiment and this September, there will be a new live performance of 'The Quatermas Experiment' at Ally Pally in London.

It stars Mark Gatiss as the Prof and an ensemble supporting cast. With luck, it may be televised or presented elsewhere at a later date, but tickets are available here:

https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/the-quatermass-experiment/

THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT

 I've always liked air traffic control towers.

Here's a modern FWDP one in a blister pack I saw on an online shop!

It looks great on this airfield I saw online.

Do you think Derek Meddings would have used this?

Have you got an airfield or tower?

The Light Fantastic

In the Season 4 episode of Blakes 7, 'Stardrive' - A device designed by an ex-Federation engineer was reluctantly working with a rogue group called the 'Space rats'. Our heroes convince her to join the crew and promptly nick it and fit it into their clapped out freighter,  which turns it into an incredibly fast, clapped out freighter! When the Scorpio later comes under attack, the engineer is unfortunately killed in an accident as the drive is activated. Cheery stuff indeed!

Here is my scratchbuild of the Stardrive model from Blake's 7. Easy as colliding with an asteroid, 

Kevin

(Just don't turn it on when you're in the room!  Bill)