MOONBASE CENTRAL

Friday, 9 May 2025

RETURN OF DEATH PROBE

Fifty years ago, on March 31, 1972, days after the successful launch of Venera 8 on the surface of Venus, the Soviet Union launched a second Venera probe. Something went wrong and it got stuck in Earth orbit instead. It subsequently was post-designated Kosmos 482 by the Soviets. Half a century later, part of the craft is still in orbit, but it won’t be for long anymore. This object is 1972-023E, the Kosmos 482 Descent Craft, the car-sized capsule module of the Venera in its approximately one-meter protective shell.

The capsule is expected to land over the weekend, but could possibly crash somewhere in Southern England! Its a slim chance, with expectations placing it to land in the sea.

The TV series 'Six Million Dollar Man', which featured Lee Majors as the astronaut who survives a crash landing of a lifting body, but with major bionic replacement parts (leg, arm and eye) ran for several series and pitted the hero against a variety of threats and enemies, including a robotic Bigfoot and a runaway Venus Probe!

Kenner produced an Action Man sized figure, with various accessories, which was massively popular in the seventies, with a range of playsets, including a nifty Venus Probe. The TV series had a notably dodgy two part episode called "Death Probe" with a car sized rover running crazily around the US, leaving a trail of destruction, until Steve Austin rocks up to save the day. It was one of the most silly episodes of the series and only surpassed by the later two parter "Return of Death Probe" which featured an even more hokey looking vehicle that would have sat happily in a contemporary episode of Dr Who!

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

Needless to say, the Venus Probe toy never saw a British release, so we had to resort to our bionic buddies battling Cherilea Scorpion tanks and Barbie sports cars instead!

How many jet engines is too Many?

https://youtu.be/XOow2X48G68?si=IYUZVzvBVcAsBsZu

hi Woodsy, check out this bonkers Anderson style aviation project!

Regards

Southcoast Base

Thursday, 8 May 2025

Arto's Other X-300: The Pyro Box Set

Dusting off my Pyro 4 Space Ships set of the future, I ook this photo for your delectation.

Anyone else got any of these?

Arto

Helsinki Base

Wednesday, 7 May 2025

Toys Keep Swinging

Messing with my new F-111 Swing Wing, I'm amazed how big it is, at least 12 inches. I thought it was a model kit when I saw it in a suitcase but it's a friction toy alright.

Largely in great shape, its missing a tailfin and like my FAB1 last month, it's another old toy with a pesky cracked canopy. How does that happen so often?

To spruce it up I've cheated on the cracks.

A little bit of dark sticker from a sticker sheet has neatly covered the two of them!

As regards the tail, a modern spare came to the rescue. It's only on loosely and can stay white for now.

We're off!

Midweek Medley

This week's catch so far:

See what you think?

In Wetherby, a large David Bowie framed print £5

In Fitzwilliam, various: JR21 TB3 minus engine £1 ( I have a spare engine somewhere!) , Swing Wing Jet minus tail £1, Night of the Ghouls VHS video £1, diver roller 30p, Ryan's Spy Case £1 ...