MOONBASE CENTRAL

Tuesday, 5 September 2023

OUR UPCOMING BLOG BIRTHDAY

My blog is 16 years old on the 15th September. Where do the years go?

I say 'my' blog; it wouldn't be anything without fellow writers Scoop, Wotan and our many regular guest contributors, but above all, it would have got nowhere without our readers. So thankyou very much!

So, if you would like anything of yours to appear here - articles, pictures, paintings, models, anecdotes, stories - on the 15th/ 16th September for this year's 'Bloggiversary' then just email it to to me, Scoop or Wotan Bill.

Thanks in advance and thanks for all your continued readership, support and comments.

Woodsy 🚀

THE GREAT RIDE

Saw this on Sunday. How retro is WW1?

Terranova47

USA

Any interesting rides near you?

Pardon Me Sir is that The Scrap Behind the New Cruise?

I liked the look of this old rocket ride;

Image: Texas A&M Engineering

It has that Triang SpaceX Golden Astronaut vibe of Cruiser 1

You can see it being restored for a new virtual reality project here.

https://youtu.be/Nugie5p0VvA?feature=shared&t=76

Are there any retro-looking rides near you?

Monday, 4 September 2023

AOSHIMA THUNDERBIRD 2

As Thunderbirds are back on UK TV, here's a trio of photos showing the Aoshima Thunderbird 2, which I posted on the blog way back in 2011.

Barbie the Movie: Ken's Hot Wheels Hummer

With the release of Barbie - The Movie, Mattel are going all out in support of the movie. Of the ten models in the Hot Wheels Screen Time sub-series this year, no less than three are Barbie related.

First up, at 3/10 in the Screen Time line-up, is the Barbie Extra car. This came out in 2022, and is now on its third colour variation.

At 9/10 is the 1956 Corvette, driven by Barbie in the film. This is a new model.

The last Screen Time model for 2023, at 10/10, is the 2024 GM Hummer EV. This is the vehicle driven by Ken in the movie.

The Hummer is flat gunmetal grey, with a black base and interior. There are light blue, white, and purple lightning bolts on the sides, while the Hummer name appears front and rear. It has a smoke-tinted windscreen.

The copyright date on the base is 2022. It is a modified version of a model first released in 2022.

The top of the card features the Barbie - The Movie logo, but there is nothing else to indicate that this is a Barbie model. I was really surprised to find this in my local Warehouse branch, as I was not expecting a second model from the Barbie film.

https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/2024_GMC_Hummer_EV

A word of warning: these Barbie-themed models do not appear to be available in large numbers (compared to the hordes of Batman models), and I only saw one of the Corvettes in a shop, and one of the Hummers. If you want one, grab it when you see it, or miss out entirely.

Paul Adams from New Zealand