AMT USS ENTERPRISE REFIT PHOTOS

 Some photos of my A.M.T. Ertl USS Enterprise Refit, a kit my dad bought for me as a birthday gift way back around 1986 or ‘87.

At the time I was probably daunted by the time consuming ‘aztec’ paint scheme, and the kit was consigned to my stash in the attic for years. Nowadays, I’m a little bolder in my kit building, and dusting it off, I worked out an easier way of producing a reasonable look without going over the top, or, with one exception trying to track down aftersales add-ons.

Although the kit was released for ‘Star Trek- The Voyage Home’, and sporting the NCC-1701-A decals, I wanted to do the Motion Picture version, and luckily, did manage to find some excellent aftersales decals which allowed for both versions.

The box artwork for Star Trek-IV- The Voyage Home.

I like to add a little lighting to my models where I can, but for this kit I decided I just wanted to build it more or less as it was. I do have a couple of other AMT Enterprise refit kits, including the edition with lighting and sounds, and the first edition with lighting for the saucer section, so I’ll wait to see how those turn out.

I’ve always had a fondness for Star Trek – The Motion Picture, in spite of the fact that some like to dub it the ‘slow motion picture’. Each to their own, I suppose. Anyway, the stand out scene for me is the USS Enterprise refit reveal as Admiral Kirk and Scotty, aboard a travel pod slowly pass along her shiny new hull.

Some photos of the model on the bench.

The plastic kit adventure is just beginning!

Lone Star Phaser Rocket Gun

Hello Woodsy

I just saw this on ebay, it's new to me and possibly to MC?

Seen one before?

Terranova47

USA

Operation Lone Star Customs - The Five Toy Swords: 2. Steed

 The second of our Lone Star sword customs, Steed's Sword Stick.

Steed, a la The Avengers, always carried a cane or a brolly on TV, both hiding a lethal rapier blade. In Germany it even got a mention in its TV title, Schirm, Scharm und Melone: Brolly, Charm and Bowler!

Like all Lone Star's toy swords Steed's sword stick was inserted through the card header. They must have been quite difficult to display in shops.

Our cane has a bamboo handle from China (incredibly fast shipping!), a plastic eBay fancy dress 'shepherd's crook' scabbard (very long, in sections and enough for three scabbards! Result) and various bits from the moonbase bits drawer.

The blade, like Zorro and the three to come, were all supplied by an ever-reliable eBay cosplay stockist called RubberPlantation. Their plastic rapier is just the job and could be straight out of Lone Star!

As always, it's Bill's fabulous card art that once again properly animates these home-made creations and this one's another terrific backing card from Bill International! 

As a final flourish I've added a small baggy of red plastic balls to simulate the ammo bag on the original. Ours is a dummy though.

We hope you like this latest effort, our second in Operation Lone Star!

Three to go!

For fun, here's the original toy and reference courtesy of the ever-helpful John B of the fabulously comprehensive cult TV Murdersville Little Storping Museum website.

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The sword-stick is just one of hundreds of Avengers collectables, which John has painstakingly listed and described, not to mention every other UK and US vintage cult TV show and their merchandise. Well worth a gander! Click on Sword-Stick above.

More original toy shots from Hakes.

We've completed our sword but it's interesting to see the one part we didn't make, simply because I've only just seen it, a tiny instruction card inside the ammo baggy. I can't read it personally. Seen on Vectis.

Taking my cue from Looey's carnation comment here's the intro to The Avengers from You Tube showing Steed and his sword stick! 

∆

Till the next toy, one Adam Adamant.

He lives!

Operation Lone Star Customs - The Five Toy Swords: 1. Zorro

Propelled by our Tarzan, this is Operation Lone Star Swords!

This Spring Bill and myself aim to re-create Lone Star's three TV toy swords from the 1960's: Zorro, Steed and Adam Adamant.

  We will then attempt two far less well-known TV swords from the company, details of which were kindly supplied by the incredibly helpful John B of Murdersville: Sir Francis Drake and Dick Turpin.

So, that's Five in total. It'll be emotional!

So, with a big Z flourish, here's the first Lone Star sword custom:

Zorro's Sword.

Like all Lone Star's toy swords the toy was simply inserted into the header card. They must have been quite difficult to display in shops.

The sword, which I re-painted black, was provided by an ever-reliable eBay cosplay stockist called RubberPlantation, who supplied all my five swords.

As always, it's the stunning card art that once again properly finishes these home-made productions and this first one's another beautiful backing card from Mister Bill! 

As a final touch I've added the flocked mask that came with the sword and a rubber tip containing white chalk to emulate the original, so budding Zorro's could sign their three-stroke initial on the neighbours wall! 

We hope you like our debut for Operation Lone Star Swords!

For fun, here's an original toy ( showing the lovely patterned hand-guard but missing the chalky tip) along with more lovely Zorro-full stuff on an old auction site.

And as a final 3 flicks of the blade, you can see Zorro's Sword here, bottom left in this Lone Star products page I found online.

Of note is it's neighbour, bottom right: the fabled Lone Star Captain Scarlet Anti- Mysteron Rifle, featured a few times in MC. Rocking horses and poo poo spring to mind! You haven't got one so I won't ask! 

And as if that isn't enough, top centre is our next project: Steed's Sword Stick! 

Footnote:

For completeness, here's a later Lone Star Zorro sword backing card I saw this week on an old auction. I prefer the original design. You?

Our 'Lone Star' Tarzan Custom: Painted, Carded and Blistered

Here's our ' home made' version of the fabled Lone Star Tarzan set, the rare original a blog legend now.

From first seeing this set in black and white on a magazine cover nearly twenty years ago to making a custom, it's swung through the jungle and come full circle.

 Diarised here since starting this project, my re-modelled figures look better than I expected all painted up and Bill' terrific backing card really brings the whole thing to life.  

The sushi lunch box blister was the icing on the vines!

Not perfect but a decent go.

Happy days at Moonbase International Toys!

See what you think readers.

For fun, here's the the reference material, an original toy as seen on auction online.

Mighty Mike Trailers

I think these look fabulous, Remco/ Palitoy's 1967 Mighty Mike trailers.

Detachable and changeable, all individually and beautifully boxed and part of the big Mighty Mike toy line.

Do you like them?

KING OF KUSTOMS GENE WINFIELD R.I.P.

 Sorry to hear that car customizer and fabricator, Gene Winfield passed away on March 4th, 2025.

Winfield built many film and TV prop vehicles including the Reactor, seen in Mission : Impossible, 'Bewitched', 'Batman 1966; and Star Trek.

He worked for Aluminium Model Toys (A.M.T.) as a consultant style designer for their model kits, and that association led to A.M.T. building the full size Shuttlecraft prop for Star Trek.

He also made the Man from UNCLE Piranha car a star,  producing the car as a another A.M.T. kit.

He also had a hand in designing the gadgets on Maxwell Smart's  Sunbeam Tiger for Get Smart.

Our sincere condolences to his friends and family.

I Wish I was a Space Mouse

So, Mickey watches Fireball XL5!

I do like his scooter he borrowed from Steve Zodiac or was this design around before Fireball?

Not a toy I've seen in the flesh, neither Mickey's nor the various fabulous Steve Zodiac originals.

Have you readers?