NASA STARFIGHTER KITS

Ed Berg recently mentioned the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a supersonic jet from the 1950s. Someone asked about NASA versions.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2023/12/eds-tin-f-104-starfighter-from-acs.html#comment-form

I do not know about NASA F-104 toys, but there have been a few kits with NASA markings. The old National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was established to carry out aviation research, and was incorporated in to the new National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1958.

NACA and NASA operated around a dozen F-104 Starfighters of various versions from 1956 to 1994, for research work, training, and as chase planes to monitor other aircraft. They carried a variety of colour schemes over the years.

All of these are standard Starfighter kits, with NASA markings. Most have NASA box art as well.

The kits are in 1/48th, 1/72nd, and even 1/144th scales. In addition, there are many Starfighter decal sheets that include NASA or NACA markings.

All dates from Scalemates, so treat them with caution.

The Testors F-104A Starfighter, in 1/48th scale, is from 1972. It is a re-issue of the old Hawk kit.

The Italian ESCI Lockheed F-104N N.A.S.A. in 1/48th depicts one of the three F-104N models built especially for NASA. Kit from 1980.

The 1/48th scale Ertl model was an American re-issue of the ESCI kit. The ESCI box art is re-used with some changes, 1983.

The 1/48th scale Hasegawa Lockheed Martin F-104G Starfighter 'NASA', is from 2002. The Starfighter was out of production by the time Lockheed became Lockheed Martin, so the kit name is incorrect.

The F-104G Starfighter 'NASA' in 1/72nd scale is another Hasegawa kit, from 2004. This uses the same box top photograph as the 1/48th scale kit, but the scales are only mentioned on the ends of the boxes.

The Platz F-104G Starfighter 'NASA & USAF' is 1/144th scale, and there are two complete kits in the box. A 2015 release.

There is also the 1/72nd scale F-104G Starfighter 'USAF/NASA' kit by Hasegawa from 1990. However, this kit has USAF box art.

Six photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

FRIDAY IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM

Yesterday I had the privilege of watching doctors and nurses at Wakefield's Accident and Emergency Unit, our local City ER.

Missus Moonbase had been unwell with a high fever for a couple of days and after an early morning visit to our village doctor, who was concerned about possible sepsis and an unfortunate misunderstanding, which sent to us to the wrong Hospital, we eventually sat down in Wakefield Pinderfields large ER around 11am.

There were 93 patients in there, with about another 50 people in the waiting room.  The average time spent in this ER was 7 hours, which was on a large screen.

According to the running tally the 93 patients and 50 waiting never really changed much, fluctuating around a little all day. Though it didn't last, the waiting room did go from full to half full after a few hours as the amazing staff ran around sorting everyone out in about 8 busy triage rooms. These were hot-roomed, with some medics simply waiting outside with a patient for it to become free. The same happened to us.

After an hour my Missus was seen by a very patient doctor and nurse. Being feverish she was slow and lethargic. We had tested for COVID at home the day before, which was negative, so the team tested her for flu, after which we sat back down in the busy and large waiting room.

Nodding off frequently, as neither of us is sleeping well, we waited for the flu result. At 2pm another doctor called the Wife's name and we proceeded to find an empty consultation room so he could speak to us. There wasn't one so we sat back down and he spoke to us in the waiting room. The fly test was negative so a blood test was required. The doctor momentarily considered taking blood there but said that he would be told off if he did. We followed him knocking on all 8 consultation room doors, with a brief trip into the ER proper, an indescribable space made up of dozens and dozens of the sick and injured lead on trolleys, which spilled out into all the corridors, with ambulance workers waiting with their patients.

After blood was taken we sat back down in the waiting area around 2.30pm, which was now, after a successful push to clear some folks, was filling up again.

A very heated family argument broke out at the front of the room, with various members standing, shouting and then sitting back down. It came to a head when an 'Aunt' slapped her grown-up 'niece', before screaming out to the entire room, "Sarah's bedroom is a brothel everybody!" and then stormed out. Some smart-Alec quipped 'Where is it?', before the room settling down again. This domestic flared up and died down constantly throughout the afternoon, reaching another peak when two police officers turned up to ask about a reported 'slapping'! Earlier two prison guards had sat down with a prisoner chained and cuffed to them. They witnessed the domestic too and the guards were asked by the police what they'd seen.

The afternoon dragged on with more and more injured and sick people arriving; hand injuries, bleeding heads and quiet ones, many of whom were elderly, escorted by family members. In the corridor I could see more ambulance staff turning up with more patients on trolleys and as the time headed for 5pm the room began to swell and the ER tally started to hit 100 being treated with a full room waiting.

At 6pm I asked a nurse of we were still on the system, as there had been a shift change. We were and she kindly went to find our consultant, as we had now been there all day. Our clearly-tired doctor came to see us and explained that the blood tests were a negative for bacterial infection and therefore it must be a less-concerning viral bug. Plenty of bed rest, paracetamol and lots of fluid were the doctor's orders and we left the ER at 6.30pm, seven and a half hours after arriving.

There were well over 130 people being treated in the ER when we left and Friday night revelling hadn't even begun.

We came away with nothing but respect for the incredibly overstretched medical staff of our NHS.

All pre-Christmas family plans are off now, including our daughter's birthday meal, as we hunker down at Moonbase so the Missus can recover in peace and quiet.

I do hope that Moonbase readers are all in good health and enjoying the unique early December atmosphere.

ED's ALPS PANAM 707 TIN AIRLINER

SFZ mentioned his childhood 707 which brought to mind the Alps PanAm 707 from my collection.

I remember having one tin-litho airliner as a kid but can't remember what type it was. It would have been something that preceded the Boeing 747 so I'm thinking 707(?), 727(?). 

In any case, I've been fortunate enough to acquire a few of these wonderful tin birds for my collection. Also, here's my YouTube video of this plane from 2021:

Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJnwuwI48Os

Ed B

Las Vegas Base

THAT SNOW BEAST

I'm currently watching a creature feature called Snow Beast from 1977.

Snow Beasts have a long and dignified history in popular culture. From the classic Abominable Snowman black and white original with Peter Cushing, the Yeti has been a staple of popular culture.

In my bookshelf is a well-thumbed copy of Snow Man by Norman Bogner, one of those iconic New English Library paperbacks made for a summer holiday read. My copy is from 1979 like the one pictured but I think it was first published in 1977, a good year for Yeti's.

[pic: nastynels]

Snowbeast is also from 1977 and is a horror flick, which for a time in the 1980's courted the video nasties when Vipco released it on VHS. Its not a nasty at all and with the likes of Clint Walker and Bo Svenson and some decent sets is very watchable. I'm watching it on You Tube and with its large number of extras in the film's ski resort it reminded me of other holiday disaster films like Piranha and Jaws.

A much less able affair is a more modern Snow Beast movie I've seen on telly. From 2011, it has a cast of about five, three of whom are on the DVD cover [the beast ate the other and it makes five] who appear to sit around drinking coffee or driving SUV's most of the time. Avoidable.

Grab a coffee and watch the 1977 movie or read the NEL paperback.

Have you any Yeti's in the closet readers?

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ABOMINABLE TOYS

Brian's recommendation of this cool looking modern Yeti Playset by Animal Planet has prompted me to list a few Yeti toys.

Maybe the mother of all vintage Yeti toys, here's the Marx original from 1963

and video footage by Big Al of it on the Tube. Be warned, the mechanical Wampa shrieking is really unpleasant! 

Then of course there is that rarity amongst Sasquatches, the Mego Six Million Dollar Man Big Foot as covered on the US TV show Toy Hunter. 

There's also this 7m video on the Tube explaining the ins and outs of it as a collectable:

Although I don't own one, my own personal favourite, is this, the Snow Man from the legendary Tomland line of Monsters. He has to be the most handsome of all Yetis!

There are lots more Abominable Snowmen toys: Matchbox, GI Joe and so on. Anyone got any?

LOST MASTERS

I'm working on something at the present time ....from my past you might like to put across to your readers.....it has been found in my "archives"....thought it had been lost....but survived from the early 2000's.....

....."Masters of the Universe"......I was involved with the re-launched Toy Range back then....and also with the Comic that came out.....that lasted a year or so.....

.......anyway when I was doing the pictures for the Range to appear in the comic....I also did something interesting with the range....

.....I created the outline for a comicbook story using the action figures....images were taken on model sets and a script produced ....the comic with the "photostory" never was released....went into a box...."lost"....but now I have found it and going to put it on my website as a free to view webcomic.....in early 2024....

.....have mentioned that on "Twitter" yesterday and got over 800 views in a couple of hours....so looks like some fans will be looking in on my site shortly to see the story, the original images and some updated new ones will be coming along with the story........ - some of the originals unfortunately not in a good state anymore .

Anyway....some previews attached, your readers might like to see them....and in the early part of next year will send you some more from the updated elements from the story .

Will keep in touch ....have a good Christmas!

Regards 

Richard Dixon

TPD STUDIOS - LANCASHIRE , ENGLAND .

www.richard-dixon-tpd-studios.co.uk

SCROOGED AGAIN!

I've just watched the first of my fave Christmas flicks I watch every year; Scrooged from 1988. You know the one, Bill Murray as the obnoxious TV exec who renews his love on Christmas Eve.

Its a great film, directed by the late great Richard Donner. Donner made two of my favourite non-Xmas films as well, The Omen and co-produced X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

There's a stocking-full of fab actors in Scrooged. Bill Murray had taken a four year break after Ghostbusters in 1984 and came back with Scrooged. I think he was on superb form and was helped enormously with endearing foils like the gruff Bridgeport-born A-lister Robert Mitchum, the down and out who calls him Dick: New Jersey's Michael J. Pollard, Syracuse's Bobcat Goldthwait, he of the screechy voice and many more.

A particular favourite role is that of the excitable substitute Film Director brought in whilst Murray's character goes to pot. This Director has a line I never forgot, 'I'll have the California Health Plate' and I've wanted to order one in a restaurant ever since. The appealing actor, Kingston-born John Glover, also played 'Phil', the memorable assistant to Carter in Payback, another old flick I like.

When you talk about Scrooged you can't not talk about the fabulous female lead played by Illinois-born Karen Allen, who's most famous role is easily Marion Ravenwood in the India Jones franchise, most recently the Dial of Destiny this year [anyone seen it?]. 

My final mention is one David Johannsen, who plays the raucous taxi-driving Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged, perhaps his most famous non-musical role. Hailing from Staten Island, Johannsen was the glam lead singer of the important proto-punk band The New York Dolls. I remember first seeing them on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973 playing their classic Jet Boy. Years before Punk, only David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed were as edgy at the time.

Yep, Scrooged is a great and funny film, which I always enjoy re-watching. Is it a film you like readers?

Ed's Tin: F-104 Starfighter from 'ASC'

The F-104 is one of the Century Series of fighters and is among my all-time favorites (okay, I have about 50 'all time favorites' and? 🤣) and this version is quite large at 14"L with an 8" wingspan.

It has a friction motor, but unlike many toy airplanes of the era, lacks a sparking mechanism to give it that extra bit of flair.

The wings detach from the fuselage in the same manner as most tin toy aircraft of the era.

From Vegas Airfield

Ed

WILL'S B58

Loved Ed’s pictures of his voodoo . My favourite when I was young was the Marx B 58 Hustler. Screaming light up jets and all!

Will O.

UK