Black Hole Invaders

Another game new to me is this Black Hole Invaders.

I like the box art but they missed a trick with simple tiddlywink playing parts.

Anyone know this game?

KELLOGGS SUGAR SMACKS THUNDERBIRD FIGURES

 

Photos of my old plastic Thunderbirds figures, that were given away free in packets of Kelloggs Sugar Smacks breakfast cereals towards the end of 1966.

There were six in the set, and came in four different colours – red, yellow, green and blue, although there are slight  colour variations. I’m obviously missing a blue example.

Here's Scott Tracy, although the figure does bear a passing resemblance to Gordon Tracy  to me.

There's no mistaking that's Brains.

Jeff Tracy. Not that the best likeness, but his coat gives it away.

Lady Penelope, who is actually an imposter in the collection. The same figures could also be found in packs of Tom Smith’s Christmas Crackers. The only difference is the name and date stamp under the stands. So, it's no problem to mix and match.

A pretty good likeness for Parker, thanks to the original puppet being  heavily caricatured .

The Hood in a familiar pose.. Again, a fairly good likeness in my opinion.

Advert in TV Century 21 issue 97, dated November 26th, 2066.

Fushin Toys Starsky and Hutch

 I would have adored this plastic Fushin Toys Starsky and Hutch roadster as a kid.

I think that's a police walkie-talkie on the back.

A Taiwan classic!

Did you like Starsky and Hutch? Any collectables? 

CORGI CLUB VW RALLY CAR WITH CHARGING RHINO

Another model from the Corgi Club, this time the impressive Volkswagen 1200 in East African Safari trim. (Corgi 256)

Presented in deluxe packaging with a painted diorama display plinth, it comes with a Rhino charging the hapless rally car.

The model features East African Rally stickers and decals, and can be steered using the spare wheel mounted on the roof. It also has an opening boot and bonnet.

The original model was released in 1965, and stayed in the Corgi range until 1968, selling in excess of 760,000. Corgi also used the same casting for a police version, using the hole left by the spare wheel to fit an emergency light.

Although I didn’t have the model as a youngster, I did have the Police version. This is another model I vividly remember from back in the sixties, mainly from the colourful adverts in TV Century 21 for both the Volkswagen Rally car, and the Police car.

Colours of the Spectrum

The passion for Gerry Anderson's TV shows in Japan is so evident in their countless toys bearing his trademark vehicles.

This is just one example of a Anderson Kaiju mash-up in what is almost a lucky bag. There's so much in there and I for one would have adored it as a kid. Just the card art would have been enough!

I don't know the monster but the beautifully coloured chopper is a Spectrum Helicopter from Captain Scarlet.

There's even a little plastic snap-fit model of it in the bag!

Anyone ever made one up?

On Safari

 I've had quite a few Action Man jeeps come through Moonbase, but never a yellow one.

This is the Safari Jeep by Roly Toys, who I guess are German. 

Not sure if Palitoy did a Safari uniform for Action Man but this European keep would have suited Big Jim and his passion for the great outdoors. 

Maybe Action Man Adventure Team too?

You have anything like this?

So, Tron we go...

Hello Moonbasers!

What do the movies Tron, Tron:Legacy and Tron:Ares all have in common apart from their names?

They were all box office flops. Yet Disney keeps making them!

I just caught up with Ares on DVD.

Disney made the decision not to realease physical product in the Australian market any more. Unfortunately as they also own Fox, this means a significant array of titles are no longer available.

I used to trot along to a JB HiFi shop and buy my DVDs there. Now I have to buy from eBay and as I'd prefer the cheapest price, some of these might just be Chinese bootlegs, so Disney isn't making any profit from their change in marketing strategy.

...but I digress.

I was absolutely amazed at how good I thought Tron:Ares was. The idea of bringing the world of The Grid into ours was a clever variation on the established formula.

Does anyone else have an opinion?

Looey in Oz

CORGI ADAMS BROS PROBE 16

 Corgi Toys ‘Whizzwheels’ Adams Bros Probe 16, Produced between 1970 and 1973.

My example is finished in metallic green-gold, blue tinted windscreen with sliding roof panel, a white detailed interior, and jewelled rear lights.

Corgi also produced a smaller junior version.

The toy was based on the 1969 M-505 Adams Bros Probe 16, designed by brothers, Dennis and Peter Adams. It was powered by either a 1.8 litre Austin in-line four engine, or a 1.9 litre Janspeed tuned engine variant, giving it a top speed of only 115 mph.

Only three cars were ever built, one left-hand and two right- hand drive. It’s only 34” (86cm) in height, so it really is low slung. Despite it’s futuristic look, it used traditional handcraft techniques, having a wooden chassis rather than metal.

The car (chassis no. AB/3) appeared in the Stanley Kubrick film, A Clockwork Orange (1971), in which it’s renamed the Durango 95. The Durango 95 was used to transport the film’s protagonist, Alex, and his gang of criminals called the Droogs. after they steal it.

Only two of the three vehicles built have survived, including AB/3. The first M-505 Probe 16 built was sold to an American, and at some point, is believed to have caught fire and burned beyond repair.

My photographs  of one of the surviving M-505 Probe 16's (Chassis No. AB/4) were  taken in 2019 at the Design Museum Stanley Kubrick Exhibition. The car at that point had undergone a complete rebuild and restoration by it’s owner, Colin Feyerabend.