BLAKE'S 7 MEGA COLLECTOR GARY HOLLAND: R.I.P.

 The Blake's 7 fan community has been rocked to hear of the unexpected passing of Gary Holland. 

Over time I've featured  many photos and blog posts showing Gary's numerous  Blake's 7 props, both original and replica, along with his huge variety of original costumes,  preserving an amazing collection designed by June Hudson , which he was always happy to display for our enjoyment at various events, 

Here's Gary standing beside Jon Pertwee look-a-like, Scott Goodman at last year's Cromford event.

Here's some photos of Gary's varied Blake's 7 prop collection.

Gary, you will certainly be missed - Rest in peace, mate.

THE BP AUTOTANKER

Just spotted this very interesting video on You Tube, on the famous BP Autotanker, made by Thompson Brothers (Bilston) Limited. Only one was ever built.

The vehicle had a single entrance in the front, and once again people in the comments section keep saying that if this was blocked in an accident the driver could not get out. Ignoring the three emergency exits in the cab - one on each side, and one in the roof.

These are expressly referred to in the excellent Roy Cross cut-away drawing (I think it might be from the Eagle comic ?). (19) Ladder from cab to roof walkway (also acts as an emergency exit); and (23) Wrap-around windscreen, with sliding side windows doubling as escape hatches.

Matchbox did a die-cast version, although this had single wheels on all four axles - they should be twins on the two rear axles. The video even mentions the use of the model in Stingray and Thunderbirds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2DaOISNl4g

Paul Adams from New Zealand

TA KA RA BOOM DEE YAY!

Howdy Moonbasers! Digging through my stored papers, I came across the instructions for Takara's remote controlled R2-D2. 

As I was mentioning just the other day, it looks like radio control, but it's actually sonic clicker controlled with a dummy radio aerial to make it look cool!

If anyone is manic enough, they can run Google Lens over the typography and translate the text!

As an added bonus, here is the front and back sides of a header card for Takara's Sofubi style Soft Vinyl figure of C3-PO...

Curse my metal body, I wasn't fast enough!

Looey

OZ Base

Max's Models TV and Film Group Build Video

Hi,

Max has just put out his Group Build of TV and Movie Scenes video on You Tube. It runs for about 18 minutes. My Mary Rose diorama is in there. Another collection of great models and dioramas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EFvcOhiw2o

Paul Adams from New Zealand

SLEEK AND CURVED

 

A couple of cool toys I caught online. No idea what the top one is. The bottom one is an MPC slot car. I mean, wow!

Despite such fabulous concepts being around I can't understand why they didn't translate into real car design and I have always been disappointed with modern car designs.

You?

GREEN AND RED: THE JR21 LAND ROVER

 Looking into the legs of the JR21 Thunderbird 2 I couldn't help noticing the Land Rovers too [referred to as a Jeep as well].

The Land Rover was issued with the JR21 version of TB2 and not the initial British HPM TB2, which had a mole.

Its 2.75 inches long.

The colours I can find online are:

Green

[not sure if this is a real JR21 Land Rover?]

and Red

Back in 2012 over very own Scoop pictured both his green and red Land Rovers, together with the HPM mole.

Over at the Big Red Toy Box you can get three different coloured repro windscreens ...

and as is made clear there, the grey windscreen is for another TB2 Land rover, the Spanish version by MOLTO.

The Molto Land Rover is also 2.75 inches long like the JR21 original.

I also spotted this 'white' MOLTO Land Rover, but I think it may just be a trick of the light and its actually a grey one.

Are there any other Thunderbird 2 Land Rovers out there?

JR21 THUNDERBIRD 2: ITS STORY HAS LEGS!

I've been researching the legs of JR21 Thunderbird 2's of late, you know, the retractable part metal/ part plastic rods with those cute button feet.

As far as I can tell there are two colours, red and white. 

Having read up on the subject in various places, it would appear that the red ones were released with the HPM version of the toy - thats Herts Plastic Moulders i.e the initial and UK version [the one later partly filled with sweets 'cos they couldn't source the friction drives!]

HPM then lost the contract to a Hong Kong factory and the resultant JR21 logo'd [2 versions of logo positioning] Thunderbird 2 had white legs.

Is this your understanding readers?

Which one have you got?

PROJECT SWORD DAY THIS JUNE

JUNE 24th WILL BE PROJECT SWORD DAY ON MOONBASE CENTRAL!

TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH DAY OF PROJECT SWORD IN SOLO COMICs in 1967 WE'LL BE GETTING BACK TO THE BLOG'S ROOTS AND HAVING SOME SWORDY FUN!

IF YOU WANT TO JOIN IN I'D LOVE YOUR PICTURES, STORIES, VIDEOS, GAGS AND MEMORIES ABOUT PROJECT SWORD, ITS TOYS, STRIPS AND BOOKS!