TOPO THE MORNING!

 Bill has very kindly donated some old toy fixer-uppers to me

It'll give me something enjoyable to do whilst the Missus is recovering watching Judge Judy!

Here they are, battered and bruised, waiting for some TLC.

There's a lovely soft plastic Tudor Rose Tractor

A large interesting Marx remote-control Police car

A fabulous Clifford Joe's Diner van.

and last but not least, a marvellous Century 21 Topo Gigio Ice Cream Van.

Oh what fun!

Ed's Tin Linemar B-58

The first operational supersonic jet bomber to reach Mach 2, the delta-winged Convair B-52 Hustler was in operation from 1960 to 1970 when it was replaced by the F-111.

Marx, and it's Japanese Linemar division, ever wanting to produce toys mirroring the latest technology (especially aircraft), produced the B-58 in a large version with operating features (Marx) and this smaller version (Linemar).The larger Marx airplane now commands premium prices, but this little guy is generally more reasonably priced. It measures 7 1/4" (18.4cm) L x 6 1/4" (15.9cm) wingspan x 2 1/2" (6.4cm) H.

Unlike other tin-litho toys of the era, this one does not feature removable wings as the design of the airplane doesn't really facilitate that kind of construction. It's a simple toy with only a friction motor, but it is a must have for anyone interested in Cold War aircraft.

From Vegas Air Field

Ed

SLO MOBILE SPACE ALIEN SET

This set is new to me, seen online.

By GLJ toys of Syosset, NY [anyone know that town?] dated 1979.

Its one of four sets.

There's quite a few parts to the set. Anyone got one?

KOLCHAK: WHAT SLAYS IN VEGAS!

 

I'm watching Kolchak: The Night Stalker the film now. A film I loved as a kid back in 1972 and have seen many times, it can never be too many times to re-watch.

Set in Ed's Las Vegas the world-weary hack Kolchak is on the tail of a blood-thirsty killer.

This film went on to inspire a sequel, a series and ultimately the X-Files.

The Producer, Bridgeport-born Dan Curtis, made many 1970's horror films and is probably most famous for being Director of the influential Dark Shadows series and films in the late 1960's and early 70's.

Do you like Kolchak?

Moonships, Cabinets, Brown Paper Parcels wrapped-up in String.

Hi Woodsie, I wasn't aware of your Moonship legacy before your latest post. It seems this lump of plastic/tin has a long Moonbase history. Will you be rechroming your nosecone? I noticed you mentioning some mock up packages you'd made for it. Will you be doing the same for your new acquisition? Speaking of packages, did your Mattel Chitty come with one? My eBay buy isn't going to land until after Xmas, but I'll be able to make a repro pack if needed. I'm also trying to buy a Molto version from Todocollecion but it's proving difficult...

Anyway, I may have mentioned one of my favourite Antique shops in Mittagong is closing down because of stupid rent increases. This place has been there forever and is a welcome journey's pause whenever I'm heading to Goulburn, Canberra or Bowral. I'm really going to miss it. They're having a long closing down sale and Marilyn has bought two lovely Arts and Crafts (Art Nouveau) pieces of furniture on our last trips through. I was a bit miffed when she bought a large wardrobe and as we wrestled in into my SPV sized station wagon, I noticed a full glass display cabinet for only £40 -no room left!

The next week or so we were passing again, but of course it was gone. We walked through the thinning stalls and I spied a glazed cabinet with LED strip lighting for £10 reduced to £5!!! Could you believe it? It weighed a ton, but I got it into the SPV -of course Marilyn also had to buy an Arts and Crafts Smoking cabinet, but it was mercifully small this time.

£5... can you believe it? It needs work, but this gift horse would be great for my own design Art Toys.

Here's Marilyn's cabinet in our bedroom beside my self built bedhead.

And here's my bargain cabinet hiding in my home cinema until I can work on it...

P.S. as an idea of the stupidity I have to put up with for Australian Antique shop pricing, here's a Dinky at that very shop. Priced at an unreasonable £35, I Googled it and discovered it was a reissue, Code 2 all of nine years old!

Looey

Oz Base

SEE, SWING AWAY!

I watched Signs last night with the Missus as she fevers it out on the sofa.

You know Signs, the 2002 Mel Gibson alien actioner from the strange early pantheon of movies that is M. Night Shyamalan.

Yep, love him or hate him, M.Night's output is in part memorable and forgettable. Signs is in the former for me I'm glad to say.

Watching signs, and keeping my eye out for them, I couldn't help spot two local coincidences. Very local indeed!

The first was a News TV shot of a crop circle in Wakefield England. 

That's where Moonbase is! 

Not in the crop circle but in the Wakefield area! ha ha.

The second was our old chair! We inherited this chair and 4 others with a table from our Grandma as part of a set.

Here's our chair positioned in the Moonbase hall.

and here it is in the closing stages of the film in the farm living room after the alien has been home-runned!

and in close up. Its slightly different but the same old rustic reed-seat style

Our Grandma's table and chairs will be hosting their 70th Christmas this year, stretching way back into the 1950's.

I shall keep a baseball bat handy this year next to the jug of water!

Do you like Signs? Do you like Shyamalan's other movies like The Happening or The Sixth Sense? He's made many films more recently but I've not kept up to date. Have you?

PS.

Seeing Signs again I only this time noticed the 'signs' on the house's curtains, namely all the circles, clearly being a nod to the farm's crop circles that appear as a sign of the alien skullduggery to come.

Have you ever seen a 'sign' of things to come?

Mach 6 Nuclear Powered 600 Seat Jetliner

https://youtu.be/zx1iluQsJdE?si=TOWb8hefU16YpYqW 

Check this out!

MJ

Gotham Base

KEV'S TIN AIRLINERS

Here's my contribution to the subject. The TN toys (or Nomura), DC9. I've got a couple, the one in McDonnell Douglas livery is my original from childhood.

Must fly,

Kevin

UK