Call that a Scrap Book?

 Terranova has kindly shared his 70 year old scrap book from when he was a youngster. He reports that the Daily Mirror ran political cartoons by the cartoonist Vicky, whom Terra immediately admired. A big Eagle fan from the early days, Terra's old Woolworths scrspbook has some wonderful Lesley Ashwell-Wood cutaways and some period cartoon commentary!

Lookin' for a scrap?

Way back in the misty sixties, at the height of the space race, one of my sisters, or possibly my mum suggested I start a scrap book. As a result, I attacked the TV Times and any old newspapers with space themed articles, with a vengeance. Then about 1975, when Matchbox started making Model kits and my interest in military models peaked, I started a new volume for the box art from the kits I was buying. Unfortunately, I was a little impatient and a bit too handy with the scissors and obliterated most of the box, in order to try and isolate the actual vehicle.

As a result, I made a literal 'scrap' book with bits and pieces of boxes and packets all over the place. 

I unearthed the army scrapbook in the loft the other day, sellotape brown with age and a lot of the paper loose and curling. However, it does show some snippets of good box art, especially from the Matchbox kits.
The Matchbox kit line was vastly superior to Airfix, as besides being molded in two and three colour plastic, each model came with a small diorama for the vehicle to sit on, such as a bomb damaged bridge for the Sherman Firefly, a section of wall for the Jagdpanther and a derelict building for the Puma.
The basic kits had one vehicle and diorama and larger sets in three colours had two vehicles and a base.
Probably the best part was Matchboxes choice of vehicle - rather than copy what had come before with its main competitor Airfix, it made much more obscure tanks and vehicles.

Spurred on by the wealth if kits produced in the series, I looked further afield for other models and started buying inexpensive Hasegawa models too.

Some of the boxes in the book dont recall any models for me, so I think I must have pinched a few of my mates discarded boxes too.

Tucked in amongst the main boxes you can also see some from Scalecraft, Mintanks, Atlantic and the large Aurora Anzio Beach set.

Most of these kits 'should' be tucked away in the back of the loft somewhere, having been chucked in a box when I left home decades ago. At some point I hope to unearth them and see what is salvageable.

 

THE EVEL HEAD

I've often wondered: are Major Matt's and Evel Knevel's helmets are interchangeable?

From different companies and decades its unlikely but from memory the figures seem a similar size. Maybe Evel and Matt have similarly sized heads and therefore helmets? Maybe the figures can fit into any of each others' toys too?

As I'm without Matt and Evel can anyone test this theory out? Pics below, Matt top, Evel bottom.

HOT PIRANHA

Here is another model from my small Monster Truck collection. This is the Hot Wheels Piran-ahhhh. Yes, it is a giant fish on giant wheels. Not to be confused with Piranha Terror from the Hot Wheels Mainline.

The colour scheme of this version is red and black. Again, the model is mainly plastic, with a very limited amount of metal. The inner chassis is black, with a red outer chassis and suspension. This is similar to the design used on the Loco Punk, but there are a few small differences, such as the lack of a diagonal brace for the rear strut, and no projecting edges to the chassis frame. Marked with the Hot Wheels and Mattel names, and 'made in THAILAND'.

Only the upper body of the fish (and the engine ?) are metal. This has cast-in, textured stripe detail, as some versions have a striped finish. The tail is black plastic, with the lower jaw (and teeth), and the dorsal fin in red plastic. Clear red plastic is used for the eyes. Overall length 92 mm, or just over three and a half inches.

The wheel hubs are red plastic, and the tyres black. These are a different design to those used on the Loco Punk.

Red and white tampo printing. Red strips, gill detail, Hot Wheels name and the word TRUCKS; only the word MONSTER is white.

This example comes on a card (copyright date on the back 2021). The plastic bubble is shaped like a wheel. The model comes with a soft plastic sedan for your Monster Truck to drive over, and squash over and over again. Mine is orange.

There was also a twin-pack version that came with both Piran-ahhhh and a small Piranha Terror. It is also sold in a Monster Truck four-pack. A previous version was orange and green, with a blue chassis.

The world of miniature Monster Trucks is filled with way-out designs, with the wildest coming from Hot Wheels and Monster Jam. Some of these are film, TV, or Super Hero related, so they fit in to a Star Cars collection.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Tamiya Flying Saladin

  I just love the box art on this 1960s vintage Tamiya 1/35 British Armoured Car Saladin MK-2. Much better than the bland white background on their modern kits.

The vehicle is literally flying through the air, so I guess it belongs to an airborne unit ? The real Saladin was over 11 tons, so this one must have been really travelling to reach take-off speed.

I do not know what the correct order is for the box art styles, but both are likely from the 1960s.

Two photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

BRISTOL FASHION

Paul V recently identified the car make photographed here as a Bristol 401.

I was wondering if this black car on this art is a Bristol 401 too or is it a Jaguar? Anyone know?

This wonderful Merit Avengers Shooting Game set belongs to Arto.

Where's Wimpys?

Back in the late Sixties there was a Wimpy Bar where I grew up in Preston.

It had to be the first burger joint in the town. It was near the Ritz cinema I think and must have been popular.

I can't recall going but my childhood memory, other than toys and books and telly, is shockingly bad.

As I've got older, like everyone, else I've seen the rise of McDonalds and Burger King. I've even seen the odd Taco Bell ring out and just last year a David Hortens, the Canadian pancake joint.

But Wimpy Bars are nowhere to be seen. Not a sausage. They were first on the scene. What on earth has happened? How come Wimpys aren't everywhere?

Do you remember them? Which other eateries have vanished?

Arnold Palmer on a Stick

I'm pretty sure I had this set as a kid. Arnold on a pole for that true golfing experience! What an idea! 

I've seen other versions but this is the original Marx.

Did you Arnold Palmer?