MOONBASE CENTRAL

Tuesday, 12 September 2023

SOUTHPORT AIRSHOW 2023

Here's a few photos I took at last weekend's Southport Airshow.

The Typhoon, a real crowd pleaser.

The Red Arrows could only manage a flyby on their way to another show, as bad weather in Blackpool had meant they missed their earlier slot at Southport.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight; Lancaster Bomber; Spitfire & Hurricane.

The Lancaster.

The Memorial Flight over Southport Pier.

Two of the aircraft that were part of the Great War Display.

The Chinook.

The Strikemaster.

The Starlings Display Team.

Raven Display Team.

There were also several classic military vehicles on display, too, including this fine example of a 1953 Alvis Saracen armoured personnel carrier.

FOLLYFOOT AND THE LIGHTNING TREE

Paul A sent me this video showing the group The Settlers performing the Follyfoot theme song, Lightning Tree. I totally remember this theme tune, do you?

Follyfoot - The Settlers - YouTube

I watched Follyfoot as a kid back in the early Seventies, as did the Missus on the continent. There were lots of big collars, flared trousers, turtle necks, side burns and suede jackets typical of the time, except in this show there were lots of horses.

A sort of Magpie mashed up with Black Beauty!

I can't say it was a favourite programme of mine but it formed part of that amazing menu of interesting kids TV we enjoyed back then.

Oddly enough there's a village called Follyfoot near Leeds about half an hour from Moonbase. It looks rustic enough to be the real thing!

Did you watch Follyfoot?

VEGAS JUSTICE

The Jada 2020 #31706 1-32 Justice League Batmobile & Batman - the last of My Target Buys, Clunky, chunky, angular, and sort of steam punk-ish.

An interesting design that, along with the 'Batman Begins' Tumbler, took the Batmobile out of its sleek, slick aerodynamic comfort zone.

Looks like something one of the shade tree mechanics here in Da Hood would have cobbled together in their back yard junk yard.

You got anything like this?

From the Vegas Bat Cave

Ed B

USA

Monday, 11 September 2023

Stop Motion Dinosaurs and Die-cast Cars

Here is another wonderful film from British Pathe. A 1967 colour film showing model dinosaurs being made for use in stop-motion movie work.

Mr Arthur Hayward, who worked for the Natural History Museum in London, is shown making the models. Some were used in films such as One Million Years B.C.

There are several short clips of the final models in action, with one rampaging through city streets, amid a fleet of die-cast vehicles.

These are: Corgi B.M.C. Mini Police Van (dog patrol vehicle); Corgi Aston Martin DB4; I am not sure about the silver car on the right - a Jaguar saloon ? The bus that gets over-turned is the Corgi Major Midland Red Motorway Express Coach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_oBI385qSE

Paul Adams from New Zealand

FLYING SCORCHERS

I caught UFO the other day. It struck me that the high-pitched screeching engine noise of the alien flying saucers sounds like a Tie-Fighter from Star Wars.

Obviously UFO got there first so did that engine screech influence the Tie-Fighter sound team?

What do you think?