BLOG HORN: INVESTIGATING GERRY ANDERSON'S AMPHIBIOUS CAR

I've always liked Gerry Anderson's Investigator boat. 

                                                                                                                    Sylvia and Gerry Anderson

I didn't have it as a kid but have grown to admire its design as I've grown up. Fortunately you can often pick up one the Dinky rendition of this vehicle at toy fairs and car boot sales.

Below is the actual show's prop and what a glorious craft it is. There's just something about it that I love.

 

                                                                                                                                                   Vectis

The prop, sold by auction in 2018 first by Sworders and then in 2019 by Vectis, here's the Vectis description, which gives lots of great info about this iconic but less well-known Gerry Anderson vehicle.

Gerry Anderson The Investigator speed boat original film prop, 1973, would have been towed for the live action sequences, used in a twenty-three minute pilot episode of a new project that did not continue to further production; designed by Reg Hill, who had made many of the props for Gerry Anderson's other productions, including Thunderbirds, Stingray and Captain Scarlet. 

This boat, along with the Investigator car, lot 4539, were manufactured by Space Models of Feltham, boat has storage damage and missing some parts, would benefit from sympathetic restoration, 98.5"/250cm long. 

NB: The Investigator was to be the final Supermarionation production. Three Thunderbirds voices were used- Peter Dyneley (Jeff Tracy) as The Investigator, Shane Rimmer (Scott Tracy) as John and Sylvia Anderson (Lady Penelope) as Julie.

You can see close-ups of the cockpit on the great Downthetubes blog.

Earlier in the year I got hold of a very cheap Dinky Coastguard toy and after some restoration it turned out quite well and ready for investigating our glass table.

Ten years ago both Scoop and I were lucky enough to get hold, with different boxes, of large-scale plastic clones of the Dinky Coastguard car. A truly obscure but amazing toy, it came remote-controlled and looks awesome with the boxes.

For more info, there are tons of sites covering the Investigator's two vehicles including the Sylvia Anderson page. 

I wonder if the two Dinky toys were available across Europe and the States?

Anyone got any Investigator toys or merchandise readers?

 

RANDY RAYDER IN OUTER SPACE: BLOG STANDARD

An annual staple of Moonbase Central birthdays, the strange Randy Rayder in Outer Space LP record featured a ship almost exactly the same as the Project SWORD Probe Force 1.

The cosmic tale of ATHENA, Randy and the aliens is far out man. If you can cope here's the whole thing courtesy of You Tube. Let us know what you think!

PROJECT SWORD ADS IN GAMAGES CATALOGUE 1967 [ALPHADROME]

This summer I stumbled across some fascinating Project SWORD entries in toy catalogues I'd not seen before, a perfect Bloggiversary titbit.

They appeared on Brian Hayes' fabulous Alphadrome site and were posted by "Joe K". Joe includes a link to this very blog in his write-ups, so I'm returning the favour.

The SWORD 'ads' appear in the 1967 Gamages toy catalogue. Have a look.

Zero-X https://www.alphadrome.net/forums/topic/25272-1967-zero-x-by-century-21-project-sword/

Apollo Saturn https://www.alphadrome.net/forums/topic/25271-1967-apollo-saturn-rocket-by-century-21-project-sword/

Moon Prospector https://www.alphadrome.net/forums/topic/25270-1967-moon-prospector-by-century-21-project-sword/

Enjoy and thanks Joe K!

ITS GOT MY BACKING: MY DIY DR.WHO ANTI-DALEK NEUTRON-EXTERMINATOR TOY RIFLE ON BILL'S REPRO BACKING CARD

With Bill's fabulous graphics skills he was able to recreate the backing art for my Dr. Who Anti-Dalek Neutron-Exterminator rifle.

I glued it down onto some big card today and fixed my home-made toy rifle and DIY missile to it for the bloggiversary.

If I say so myself, it don't look half bad on its backing card!

By way of comparison here's the original toy.

What do you reckon?

BLOGGIVERSARY MYSTERY: WHERE DID THE CANDY AND ANDY DOLLS COME FROM?

 

I saw this big doll in a Hornsea Charity Shop window and had to look twice!

Is that Candy? my brain shrieked!

Candy as in Candy and Andy, Gerry Anderson's photo-story kids comic featuring these two large dolls.

Ignoring the fact that Andy looks like the Good Guy doll from the later Chucky films I got to wondering if Candy and indeed Andy were commercially available dolls at the time, like April Showers and Tiny Tears et al.

I've read a lot about Candy and Andy over the years, including just recently Alan Dein's great short history of the comic and the hardbacks, Village of the Dolls  [Alan is also the discoverer of the lost transparencies and author of a new book].

Alas, there's been no mention of where Century 21 got the dolls.

Where they made by Century 21? Does anyone know?

THREE SATURNS: BLOG ROCKETS

I've always loved the Saturn V and its crawler. Housed in the biggest building in the world at the time, the VAB, its a NASA rocket that commands respect.

Three contemporary Saturn V's and crawler plastic toys spring to mind, one of which, the Cape Kennedy Set, I had as a kid.

See what you think. Did you have a Saturn V?

1.

Saturn V

Countdown/ Cashulette kit

[NASA gift shops]

1966

                                                         Worthpoint

2. 

Project SWORD Cape Kennedy Set

Century 21 Toys

1967

18 5/16 inches/ 46.5 cm tall

                                                  Moonbase Central

3.

SpaceX Mobile Launch Pad [MLP]

Tri-ang

1970

11 inches/ 28cm tall

                                                                                   Moonbase Central

A Card from Tony K