CAPT. LAZER

Although I had a couple of Major Matt Mason toys when I was young , I never got back into collecting them when I was older. One figure I never owned was the Action Man - sized Captain Lazer.

NEPTUNE HOUSE

 Sadly, I don't know who took these photos,  including the last one showing what looks like a scene from 'Identified', and has been flopped, or reversed for some reason. 

Red Planet Transport

Hi Woodsy

         Back in 2021 and 2022 Hot Wheels released a model in their Super Rigs series called Red Planet Transport. 

This series comprises a large transport vehicle, and a smaller vehicle as the load.

In this case it was a space exploration vehicle, which closely resembles the Matchbox S.E.V./Chariot. 

The main differences being the Hot Wheels tractor unit has a longer cab, and only four wheels instead of six.

It is towing a large, two-wheeled trailer, with a lift-up rear end. There is therefore no loading ramp for the smaller vehicle to drive up.

The load is a regular Hot Wheels Mainline model called Da’Kar, which came out in 2003, and was modified in 2014. It is described as a futuristic Paris to Dakar rally car.

The original Red Planet Transport models were mainly white, with orange and black trim, and orange tinted windows. The base of the tractor unit was chromed, the base of the trailer was black plastic, and the Da’Kar was orange.

In 2021 there was also a darker version, which appears to have been mainly gold (?) and black. This had red and black trim, with red tinted windows.

As these models came out during all the lock-downs, I never saw them in the shops, since most shops were closed at the time. However the set has been re-issued as part of the 2025 Super Rigs line.

There are some differences in the card; and the name Red Planet Transport is now in the lower left hand corner, rather than the lower right hand corner. The finish of the actual models seems to be the same, and I do not know how to tell the re-issues from the originals.

This makes a great companion piece for the Matchbox S.E.V./Chariot models. But all these Matchbox and Hot Wheels space models tend to be short-lived and hard to find – so grab them when you see them, or miss out.

Here are the regular and Matchbox Collectors editions of the NASA S.E.V./Chariot six-wheel model.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-nasa-moon-chariot.html

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-nasa-sev-chariot.html

Four photos of my 2025 Transport set; with two photos of the original versions from Worthpoint.

Anyone got any?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

FILMING AT HARLINGTON - STRAKER

 As Mish mentioned BBC Elstree Studios earlier, and that he was lucky enough to work there from time to time, here's a shot of the Century 21 team filming there. It shows what looks like General Henderson's Rolls Royce leaving the building.

Lunar Sparkling Space Gun

 This ray gun by Larami has an interesting backing card.  The art looks like a gallery of actual space paintings. They're hard to see.

Does anyone know what they are? 

REVELL CYLON RAIDER BOX

 I love the box artwork on the 1997 Revell release of the Cylon Raider.

The Convair US XFY-1 Pogo Fighter Kits

Hi Woodsy

The Convair XFY-1 Pogo was a US Navy experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing fighter of the 1950s. It was powered by a single Allison YT40-A-6 turbo-prop engine, driving a six-bladed contra-prop (two three-bladed units rotating in opposite directions to cancel out torque).

The first vertical flight was made on 1st August 1954. The idea was that it could operate from escort ships, to protect convoys, without tying up aircraft carriers on such duties. The planned armament was four 20mm cannon, or unguided rockets.

The aircraft proved difficult to fly, and landing was a problem with the unconventional design. The programme was eventually cancelled, but the prototype still survives.

There have been several kits of the Pogo, including kits by Aurora and Lindberg from the 1950s. Both were 1/48th scale.

This is the 1/72nd scale KP kit from the Czech Republic. No.33 in the KP series. According to Scalemates it was released in 1993, and has been re-boxed several times.

I recently found this example in a model shop, on a shelf of older, second-hand kits, and snapped it up. It is moulded in light grey plastic, with a two-part canopy in clear plastic, and decals for the prototype.

There was also a 2021 version of the kit "In Services", which included fictional markings for operational aircraft in service with the US Marine Corps, Royal Navy, and Japan Air Self Defence Force. A Japanese aircraft adorning the box top.

I look forward to building this model once I get a few other projects finished off. It certainly fits in to the Wow Plane category.

Five photographs - three of my kit; and two of the "In Services" version from Worthpoint.

Is this a kit or a plane you know?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Takatoku Space Toys

I'm so impressed with the unusual designs of these late-1970's Japanese toys. Not a range I know. Have you come across them readers?