MOONBASE CENTRAL

Saturday, 25 November 2023

WHOMOBILE INSPIRATION - THE XPAK 400

Ever wondered where the design of Jon Pertwee’s ‘Whomobile’ came from? Well, I think it’s fair to say a clue lies in the remarkable looking XPAK-400, another creation from the George Barris Kustom shop, which appeared in 1959.

The car was 12 feet long, six feet wide and just 30 inches high. It was sponsored by Car Craft Magazine.

The XPAK -400 used two 20” electric fans positioned at the front and rear of the passenger compartment which draw in air into the plenum chamber of the body raising the vehicle five inches of the ground.

Although it was apparently only displayed at shows simply hovering on a tether, it was capable of moving forward and backwards on a cushion of air, using a rotating jet nozzle.

It featured a fibreglass body with huge fins and a clear bubble top. The cabin dashboard incorporated a video phone, imaginatively named ‘Phone-o-vision, a TV set, and compass!

Unfortunately, the car didn’t have sufficient power to carry an actual real passenger, so for displays a shop dummy was used.

Once the XPAK had done it’s round of show displays during the early sixties, it was put into storage. Some point later it was sold off and it’s current whereabouts are unknown.

X-FILES 2008 MOVIE: I WANT TO BE RELIEVED!

Taking a break from watching season 1 of the X Files I watched the first movie again from 1998. Just as I remembered it, it was just great.

All the key elements were there and told with style and pace: Mulder and Scully, Cancer Man, a global alien conspiracy and plenty of set pieces. The Texan playground with the subterranean ooze from Hell was great! A fabulous move from the small to the big screen. Give me more Dana and Fox! The pair is out there!

With joyous extraterrestrial anticipation I then watched the 2008 X Files film, I want to Believe. Made a decade later in 2008, Mulder and Scully had got older. Much older - to the point where they looked bored of the whole thing.

That's pretty much how I felt, bored. It was tedious. I felt like I'd been abducted by turkeys. I had no idea what the global conspiracy was, the same ham actors kept re-appearing with organ boxes and Mulder's basic reason to be in the film was to pester Scully into coming back to look at one more case. She didn't want to and neither did I. It was mind-numbingly pants. I had to switch it off. What were they thinking? Have you seen it?

So, its a return to Season 1 for me, back to the 1990's glory days of abductions and monsters of the week. Hallelujah!

Ed's Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet

Not all of my airplanes are fighters or bombers. Airliners also have their place in the collection.

I love the sleek, graceful lines of these birds and we see a ton of them fly over the house. Our airport (Harry Reid Int'l) here in Vegas is way to the south of us but often times the airliners get diverted to a path that is just over our house - that is when the planes from Nelis AFB aren't crowding the skies!

From Vegas Airfield

Ed B

USA

GORGO ROCKS UP IN NEW JERSEY FOR THANKSGIVING

Hi Woodsy. I'm taking a break from setting up Christmas decorations and thought I'd show you these two additions to Monster Base.

First is this beautiful Gorgo set I pre- ordered months ago from a company called Titanic Creations. Even the box is cool, looking like a scene from the movie, and the accessories are numerous.

I also saw this "Spider -Rex" at Walmart and snapped it up.

Also, here's a pic of a Thanksgiving dinner plate. Everybody enjoyed it!

Full menu is Roast Turkey, mashed potatoes, Sage and Celery stuffing, Green bean casserole, glazed carrots, peas, coleslaw, Cranberry-Orange sauce, Macaroni and cheese (not the usual addition, but my brother requested it) And Hawaiian butter rolls.

-Brian F

Monster Base

NJ USA

DAN DARE AND EARTH'S GREATEST MENACE: TERRANOVA47'S COMIC STRIP!

I have always had a love for the comic strip Dan Dare from it's origins in the 1950's.

I'm not alone in this and 20 years ago other fans started a magazine called SPACESHIP AWAY which licensed the rights to produce new Dan Dare material based on the original version of Dare.

This publication includes science articles on space, reprinting old science fiction comic strips, new art by original artists and new humour strips.

This summer with Issue 60 proclaiming 20 years of being published I decided to become a contributor, not just a reader.

Here is my two page contribution for the latest issue, art by Dave Windett

For readers not familiar with the UK's Dennis the Menace, he first appeared in BEANO a weekly children's humour comic in 1952. At almost the same time and unrelated, a comic strip with the same name began in the US.

While having the same name, the boys had far different behavior characteristics. The US one is an angel compared to the UK one whose early adventures often ended with a 'slippering' from his father.

My five year old grandson looks like the US one on the left, but acts like the UK one on the right.

I don't think this is the Best of Both Worlds.

Earth's Greatest Menace and Dennis the Menace art by Dave Windett.

Spaceship Away is published three times a year we have produced strips for next years first two and are about to start a third. Hopefully blog readers will find this one enjoyable and possibly can suggest who is Earth's Greatest Menace?

Terranova47

NYC

USA

Friday, 24 November 2023

Kung Fu Dolls From Hong Kong

From Toy-Ventures comes this You Tube video on Kung Fu and other martial arts 12 inch dolls. Mostly Made in Hong Kong. I thought this one would be exactly your cup of tea!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGeaodmiS4U

Anyone got any of these?

Paul Adams from New Zealand