S.T.A.R. TEAM 'STAR HAWK'

 Some photos I've previously published of my S.T.A.R. Team STAR HAWK,  made by Ideal Toys, and which appeared in 1977. 

This was simply a reworked version of the Ideal's  earlier 1970 Zeroid Z.E.M. XXI toy, and was created to blatantly cash in on the popularity of Star Wars.

A pocket size Marvel Comic was also given away free at the time - Raiders of the Black Nebula , written by Archie Goodwin, and drawn by Dave Cockrum, which featured the Star Hawk, and it's occupants , the Red Zeroid pilot, and Blue engineer, both reworkings of the previously released Zeroid Zogg robot , and android, ZEM 21, which used the body of a previously released action figure based on real life private investigator , J.J. Armes.

Archie Goodwin, went on to write Marvel's official Star Wars comic, while George Lucas attempted to sue Ideal  for ripping off his film at the time. Sadly for poor George, the court found in favour of Ideal and the  knock offs  were saved - hurrah!

Moral of this tale, don't take on The Mighty Zeroids!

N.B, S.T.A.R. stands for Space Travel and Reconnaissance, as if you didn't know!

The original  Zeroid Z.E.M. XXI  from 1970.

Some of my previous S.T.A.R. Team posts:

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2017/02/focus-on-star-team.html

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2013/07/star-team-star-hawk.html

THE AUCKLAND HAUL

The latest fair in Auckland, NZ, for collectors was packed, with both people and goodies. I managed to bag several treasures.

Four books, two of them 1970s vintage Aircam books by Osprey, on the North American P-51D Mustang in US service, and the Avro Lancaster bomber. You do not often see these any more.

The Augsburg Eagle, on the Messerschmitt Bf 109, with lots of excellent colour profiles. Finally, a 1962 space book by Collins. This one is worthy of a write-up of its own.

My die-cast haul included a Lledo Days Gone Vanguards boxed set of three models. Then seven loose models, six Matchbox from the 1950s and 1960s, and a single Road-Master Flyers Super Car - the red Volvo 1800S. This is just a little larger than a Matchbox model, and has opening bonnet with engine detail, opening doors, and boot. Made by Lone Star. I do not recall ever seeing these in NZ, but I am sure they were expensive.

The aircraft kits were all in 1/72nd scale. A North American FJ-1 Fury naval fighter by Siga Model, a firm I have never heard of before. Made in Ukraine.

A Kovozavody Prostejov (usually just called KP) MiG-21Bis, NATO code-name Fishbed. This has four sets of markings, for Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Croatia. Made in the Czech Republic.

Sikorsky HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter by Revell. These were used to rescue downed aircrew during the Vietnam War. This example has © 1969 on the box, and Made in Great Britain by Revell (Great Britain) Ltd. A vintage treasure.

Lastly, the Takom Jagdpanther Late Production version. This was the tank destroyer version of the WW2 German Panther tank. The kit has full interior detail - suspension, fighting compartment (the 88mm gun was very large), and engine.

I could not resist all that interior detail, even though 1/35th is not my usual scale. The box is a massive 15 x 10 inches, and 5 inches deep. It is absolutely packed with parts.

I did a rough count - 1331 in grey polystyrene, plus a small photo-etch sheet, and a length of cord for the tow cable. That was not a typo - over thirteen hundred parts.

Granted, some of those are for use on other versions of the kit, the early or mid-production variants. But that is still a lot of plastic.

The tracks are made up of both individual links, and longer lengths. Each link has two track guides which have to be cemented in to place - there are 384 of these in total. I almost fainted.

The teeth are moulded in sections, with a frame across the top. The teeth are therefore cemented to the tracks in sections while still on the sprue, then the frame is cut away. At least you are not faced with 384 separate teeth.

The last photo shows the track links and the guides. The guides fit in to the depressions just inside the holes for the drive sprocket teeth. Each link is 19 x 5 mm.

If the kit is built as intended a lot of the detail is going to be hidden completely, or in corners too dark to see. It really does need to be made as a cut-away model.

Beautiful, but terrifying.

There were plenty of other goodies on offer, many of them outside my price range. Far more board games than usual.

One table had some vintage Dan Dare items, which you rarely see in NZ. The Dan Dare Spaceship Builder set, boxed, was $800. Wow. I have never seen one of these before.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

I'VE OPENED UP HARRY!*

 Way back in the Autumn of 2005, after 20 years, I gladly ended my first office 'career' and took the plunge into selling old toys full time on Ebay.

I traded as Mad About Monsters. It was great fun and my office was in the attic, repleat with old dial telephone, colour TV and laptop. 

After 3 years of solid Ebaying on top of a part-time school job [ and clocking up thousands of sales, I finally closed the books and the attic door in the autumn of 2008. Mad About Monsters was sadly over.

Well, today, as part of my retirement from School, I once again opened up Harry*

I have been in the attic many times since 2008 but not with Ebay on my mind.

I have kept a gangway clear throughout though!

and tried to keep some sort of order.

Boxes are decently stacked ...

Part of my own collection has shelving up there too.

But there's too much other gear generally! leftovers from Ebaying and clutter from our house.

With a corner for our daughter's old stuff too!

And so, with a smile on my older face and sweeping aside a few dead wasps from my old Ebaying desk, I set up the 'office' once more!

The Velux view over the fields hasn't changed, which is really great.

.... but my old analogue miniature TV, as always, was just snow.

It was really exciting to get back up there and list on Ebay again, albeit no longer as Mad About Monsters and being far less serious about it than I was back then.

I'm really looking forward to listing all the old toys and games that are surplus to requirements in the attic and maybe even make room for more of my own collections stored in my bedroom!

Retirement has well and truly begun!

I'll keep you posted.

*

* I call the attic Harry after the tunnels in the movie The Great Escape: Tom, Dick and Harry. Tom was discovered and Harry was then opened up. Dick was never used.

FOCUS ON THE WHITE HAWK MK IX BY SIXTEEN 12

 Some photos I took a while back of the highly detailed White Hawk produced in 2021 by Sixteen 12 Collectables. 

This special edition model appears as it was originally delivered to the studio for the filming  of the Space: 1999 episode, Wargames in 1975.

As it was decided that it's all white look was too much like the Eagle Transporter, it was decided  to paint sections of it orange to differentiate it. 

In my first three photos I scratch- built what I imagined a hangar in the Orbiting Space Dock might look like, with the White Hawk on it's launch cradle.

The actual model itself,  which is limited to 1500 units comes with  it's own  'In -Flight' display stand.

KEEP YOUR ROTORS RUNNIN'!

I've been admiring this wonderful ATM image of the Bristol Belvedere twin-rotor Helicopter. Its so Gerry Anderson! I love the classic airport setting with the prestige car - a jag? - in front.

https://www.airteamimages.com/bristol-belvedere_G-ALBN_bristol-aeroplane-company_63926.html

I never owned the Dinky version as a kid but I have bought and sold a couple over the years, always a treat to find languishing in die-cast piles at boot sales. Its such a lively light green with flashes of red. Its amazing that Dinky modelled this aircraft - only 26 of the real thing were ever made I understand. 

Have you got a Dinky one/ had one?

image; Ebay. UK

*

Speaking of twin-rotors, Paul A sent me observations about the HUP-1 helicopter.

Hi, Here is a short film from You Tube, which I thought might interest you. It shows a US Navy Piasecki HUP-1 Retriever single-engine/twin-rotor helicopter giving a rescue demonstration. Note the opening door on the underside for picking up downed airmen. Later versions did not have the angled endplates on the tail stabilisers.

Piasecki HUP Helicopter in Vintage Navy Color Film - YouTube

It is very similar to the later, and much larger, CH-47 Chinook. There were several toys based on this aircraft, and a few kits. Some of these toys have appeared before on MC.

MOONBASE CENTRAL: Chinook on the horizon (projectswordtoys.blogspot.com)

By the way, that item was the first time I ever commented on a MC post, having just found the site at the beginning of 2020.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

AUTO REPOLLO: IT'S BUGGIN' ME!

Here's a bug-like plastic toy car that's a mystery to me. I've never heard of it and the design seems only vaguely familiar, maybe a Honda Civic-type hatchback?

Anyways, here's the Mocart Auto Repollo plastic toy car as seen on Spain's Todocollecion marketplace.

Does it look familiar?

Bond Bug Test Drive

Here is another interesting You Tube video. A look at the famous Bond Bug, and a test drive. The young lady in the video recommends that you carry a fire extinguisher with you, just in case, which is a bit alarming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH2K5W8goMw

Good reference material for anyone building the re-issued Airfix kit of the car, as there are plenty of close-ups shots.

Did you have a Bond Bug? Real or model?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

BIG MUSCLE

I've always like the Dodge Charger since seeing the movie Bullit with Steve McQueen. I remember it growling like a panther as the spectacular car chase unfolded in San Francisco. The Charger was the bad guys' car I think, jet black and breathtaking. Remember?

I saw another Dodge Charger last month. Well, a whole gathering of them. In a German McDonalds' car park no less!

I snapped one whilst the guys where eating there fries!

You can see the Golden M reflected in the bonnet for that proper American touch!

Do you like the Dodge Charger? Got one, real or play?