REVEL IN YOUR TIME

Back to classic catalogues again and the attendant problems of reproducing the fragile paper copies digitally. Initially I was trying to scan them on a flatbed, but it was proving tricky due to the central folds, but I have just found a great new app, called Adobe Scan, which when run from an iPad, automatically detects the size and resolution and creates a pdf version quickly and easily. So it should remove the bottleneck I have experienced with the process.

So without further ado - a classic late sixties Revell catalogue. I can't find a date on it, but its an English as opposed to US version of the catalogue and features some gorgeous artwork of some fabulous kits.

 

 

WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS

I saw on the news recently, that the JPL Mars rover 'Curiosity' has a large hole in the wheel, due to wear and tear, after clambering over the harsh martian terrain. It put me in mind of the many different wheel designs projected for the early moon missions, which were reflected in the various toys released over the years.

The early lunar rover prototypes favoured strange wheel shapes, which are echoed on many toys back in the day, such as the Space Turtle and MEV variations.

Originally shown in Ed Valigursky's illustration in the Time-Life book, 'Man and Space', the MEV is one of the most recognisable vehicles, being very common in Spacex circles and its variations.

Dome or bell-shaped wheels were favoured by the Space Safari set and other similar toys, whilst Schaper Stomper MegaStar series went for a full on chunky star shaped wheel for maximum climbing traction.

Whilst not strictly a 'moon rover' the LJN Dune Spice Scout does demonstrate a radical usage of the wheel as a driving force.

The smaller Apollo Moon Exploring toys used the chunky dome, with holes in the wheel, to allow the moon dust to flow freely.

Once more, the range of Non-Fall Space Traveller vehicles went for a similar style wheel, with cut outs in the face of the disk, rather than spokes. 

Britains StarGard approached the wheel idea from a number of perspectives, to ensure that the modular parts could be used in other ways besides locomotion.

Again, the larger 'sprung' wheel as demonstrated on the MEV proved a popular option for toys and was considered for the Grumman MOLAB, which was drafted into the SWORD pantheon as the 'Ant' transport vehicle.

Balloon tyres as used on the Prospector and Scramble Bug vehicles might not be such a great idea considering the state of poor Curiosity's mangled wireframe wheel though!

 

Splashing Out!

Whilst researching Dr.Who toy guns I came across a more modern prop that's actually a toy.

In 2005 David Tennant's Tenth Doctor, in an episode called The Fires of Pompeii, uses a transparent yellow water pistol with a blue grip to soak the season's monster, the Pyrovile.

Nothing new to Who fans nowadays, the water pistol was a toy commercially available at the time called the Splashinator by PMS.

Here's an orange grip Splashinator.

Finding this exact water pistol twenty years later isn't that simple. Maybe avid WHO fans have snapped them all up.

Much easier to find is the same toy but in different and also non-transparent colours and renamed SPLAT and released by Bland Brothers of Florida.

Naturally fans will go to great lengths to possess a prop. This example is an 'exact replica' of Tennant's toy I saw on Worthpoint, although the 'maker' has made it non-transparent.

As with most old water pistols the design persists even today and can now be found in party packs at Amazon and party suppliers. Here's a single colour blue version bottom left and nicely see-through. Maybe there's a party pack version in yellow too?

Woodsy