THE TOLTOYS VANGUARD SATELLITE KIT

I recently came across some kits made by the Australian toy manufacturer Toltoys, in either the late 1950s or 1960s. Including a US Vanguard Satellite.

The first successful launch of Project Vanguard was on 17th March 1958, making it the second American satellite to go in to orbit. The US company Hawk was already working on their model of the satellite when the real thing flew, so it did not take them long to get it out - several other companies produced the Vanguard launch rocket.

The Toltoys model looks to be either the Hawk Vanguard kit, or a copy of it. The Toltoys version is not mentioned on Scalemates, but the Hawk version is.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/hawk-515-100-satellite--138186

The Hawk kit, number 515-98, has a copyright date of 1958 on the instruction sheet, and came moulded in either silver-grey or gold, with clear plastic end caps to show off the interior detail (not a feature of the real thing). The box art was by Bill Campbell, who would go on to create the Weird-Ohs.

It was re-issued, still as a Hawk kit, by Round 2 in 2015. The instructions for this version, HL 603, can be found on Scalemates.

The Toltoys kit is moulded in gold plastic, and one part has PlastiKits Melbourne moulded in. Note that the parts say PlastiKits, rather than Toltoys.

The box art is very similar to the Hawk original, but the image area is larger, and the wording is different. The name in the upper right corner is Toltoys Authentic PlastiKits.

There are not many listings for this Toltoys kit, and it is a lot rarer than the regular Hawk version.

Four photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Dr.Who's Rifle Finished!

My DIY Anti-Dalek Neutron Exterminator bazooka is done.

Not perfect by a Dalek mile but it'll do.

Made from a toy bazooka and two hoover pipes. A few junky bits too.

The original colour was tricky to pin down. I opted for this blue, since I had it in.

More pictures to follow of it complete with brand new packaging on the blog's birthday! 

Now where's Davros?

TRIGGERED!

 

The Whozooka is coming together. I've just glued on the trigger. They won't work, just for show. I'm a bodger!

A little more painting and a clean-up of the metal barrels and bingo!

Skaro beware!

Alien Impersonator

It's downsizing time at Marsbase and clearing out the holds has uncovered a stack of old comics, including the very short lived Fleetway venture 'Wildcat'. Designed as a similar vehicle to 2000ad, Wildcat followed a team of adventurers in deep space aboard the starship Wildcat. Lasting just 12 issues before being subsumed into the utterly dire 'new' Eagle comic, it had some lovely artwork from aeronautical artist Ian Kennedy, as well as Judge Dredd regular Ron Smith and some great international line work from Jose Ortiz. Backed up with the usual filler rubbish from early reprints, sales weren't exactly stellar.

Looking through the issues prior to putting them on ebay, I was reminded of the similarity in Ron Smiths interpretation of the (presumably) cyborg character, named (ridiculously) Joe Alien. Joe has a robotic body with a detachable organic brain, but his visible innards and outfit bear more than a passing resemblance to our old friend Callisto.

It's especially noticable on this cover, where Joe has a distinct green cast to his limbs and shows the trademark high top boots.

The hairless head and heavy eyebrows are also a giveaway, so perhaps a Callisto figure was stood next to Smiths drawing board in the late 1980's?

'Jemima' from BBC children's television series 'Play School'

Do you remember Jemima readers?

Did you like Play School?

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8104659/jemima-from-bbc-childrens-television-series-play-school-toy-recreational-artefact 

WHO'S BAZOOKA!

With a project in mind, a while back I bagged a cheap toy bazooka at a boot sale.

I wanted to recreate the old Dr. Who Anti-Dalek Neutron Exterminator I got excited about the first time I saw it in an old Dr. Who merchandise book I have.

So, I began the project the other day.

The bazooka got new barrels courtesy of an old hoover in the shed and I turned one of its handles around. The basic shape is there but lots more detail to come.

In the meantime, I've a few Daleks trying to get upstairs. It should take them .... forever!

ALPHA:2014 GUESTS

 As it's getting close to 'Breakaway' day on the 13th September, and the first day of celebrations at the London Space:1999 Convention, I thought it's time to post a few Space: 1999 related  photos here.

Here's some photos I took of the guests who appeared at  Alpha:2014, the last big dedicated UK Space: 1999 event I attended .

https://space199950years.com/

Nick Tate who played Eagle pilot, Alan Carter

Anton Phillips who played Dr Bob Mathias 

Special Effects wizard, and creator of the Eagle, Brian Johnson.

Catherine Schell, who played the alien, Maya in the second season, and the Guardian of Piri, in the first season.

Scriptwriter and one the people behind Space:1999, the late Christopher Penfold.

Nick Tate, Catherine Schell & Anton Phillips

Nick Tate & Catherine Schell

The late Christopher Penfold & Nick Tate

Nick Tate

Back ground artist, Pam Rose  & Sarah Bullen who played Main Mission operative, Kate

Prentis Hancock who played Main Mission controller, Paul Morrow.

Focus puller, Robin McDonald, Barbera Bain stand in, Suzanne Peterson and stuntman, Paul Weston.

Suzanne Roquette & Prentis Hancock

The late German actress, Suzanne Roquette, who played Main Mission operative, Tanya Alexander.

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ANDY PANDY PONDER

This Andy Pandy saucer came my way a few weeks back when I took Moonbase Junior to a local car boot sale. He was looking for Pokemon cards. I got Andy.

Andy Pandy was part of my early childhood, as he was I'm sure part of many MB readers'.

The saucer's cute picture shows Andy, Louby Lou and an unnamed teddy. I don't recall the teddy. Was the ted a regular?

Andy's show is a bit murky in my memory now. I'm pretty sure it was part of the black and white TV programme Watch with Mother. But what else was in the programme? Was Andy it?

For some reason I get Bill and Ben skipping into my Pandy memories too. Did Andy and the Flowerpot Men team up? Louby Lou and Weed?

I could Google all this but I'll ask you, the real experts! You were there too!