STARCRUISER

I've discovered another less well-known Anderson concept, STARCRUISER from 1977. It really does remind me of how Project Sword waxed and waned at the Anderson HQ. Created by Gerry Anderson and Fred Freiberger, 13 x 30 minute episodes were planned but never commisioned. No pilot was made either. Although never making it to the screen, the concept eventually materialised, like Project Sword, in the form of a comic strip, this time in the childrens TV magazine 'Look-In'.

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According to Bill Earle on the net, Airfix made a Starcruiser 1 kit and '..the model was originally conceived as a die cast toy (is there a die cast too?), but the manufacturing process presented many technical problems and though the prototype (displayed in the Blackpool exhibition for some years) was used for reference, inevitably many parts had to be changed to suit die casting requirements When the toy reverted to a model kit, these changes were transferred. Two crewmen are included, though interior detail is limited, but the instruction sheet is excellent with "Typical Mission Sequence" art and detailed background information concerning the craft.'

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There is a beautifully written blog piece about discovering STARCRUISER by John Kenneth Muir.

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But by far the most awesome toy from the concept has to be the Thomas Salter STARCRUISER MISSION KIT (above pic), which I only stumbled across this week! What a brilliant toy - space gun, radio, charts and flight console! If only they had made a PROJECT SWORD MISSION KIT 10 years earlier! Hmmm, now there's a thought!

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Posted previously on the side-bar. Now joining the main blog.

PROJECT SWORD RE-ENTRY TASKFORCE COLOUR VARIATIONS

PROJECT SWORD TASKFORCE RE-ENTRY SHIPS 1, 2 and 3

COLOUR VARIATIONS

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PICTURES COURTESY OF WOODSY, WOTAN AND ASTRONIT

(the green ship is a Tarheel Nova)

SPACEX DIORAMAS: MLP, HAWK, CRUISER 1, ROCKET TRANSPORTER BY MIKE BURROWS

Hi Paul,

I've done a quick ink drawing of what the Transporter might have been like if we assume it carried rockets in a similar way to the Scud carrier. I imagine that the V shaped gantry was used to place the rocket in position acting as some sort of lifting gear or winch . The Wire object might be something that attaches to an upright rocket and acts as a cradle as it is positioned horizontally on the back of the Transporter.

I also done a few more diarama pics for you. Please feel free to use them or any pics I send you on the blog.

BTW I loved Wotan's altered Spacex stuff, especially the Long Range Needle Probe.

Cheers
Mike Burrows

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Wow Mike! Stupendous or what! Spacex meets Thunderbirds! Awesome, Woodsy

SPACEX ROCKET TRANSPORTER MODEL - DRAWING BOARD

With so much inspiration from Wotan's and Mike's fantastic models and dioramas I have decided that my own new project over the next month (or longer!) will be an attempt in some form at the elusive Spacex II Rocket Transporter. No idea how or where to start but my working 'notes' are pictured above - the micro machine and scud carrier look a little similar. I just can't figure out what's at the back of the Transporter and how it carried a rocket - was it vertical or horizontal? And what is that white object at its rear - the base of the rocket? The other puzzle is whether a second inverted V frame was also on the side we can't really see? ( and what was the V for?). If only there was a better picture tarn it!
y
Woodsy

SPACEX NUCLEAR PULSE DIORAMA BY MIKE BURROWS

Hi Paul,

Thank's for the email - I've certainly no objection to you posting the space station pic and the message (posted earlier. Ed). I'll try and rattle off a picture of the Rocket Transporter for the blog as well if you like. As you say though, it's a bit tricky as between us all it seems we've only got one little picture showing one angle to work off. I have looked on the net to see if there was any designs or vehicles that Tri-ang might have based it on but nothing so far. The shuttle crawler is probably nearest but that wouldn't have been around at the time - see bottom pic.

Anyway, best of luck with your scratch building - who dares, wins etc. - whatever the result it is very therapeutic - and it's inspiration for others. I'm slowly working on my Earth Base Spacex diorama at the moment and to be honest most of it is just bits of wood and plaster, and odd plastic bits and pieces I've hoarded over time, and of course, liberal amounts of acrylic paint. It might not be up to Derek Meddings standards but like you say it's lots of fun.

I've attached a preview piccy showing a Nuclear Pulse .

Cheers
Mike

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That Pulse diorama is just soooooo cool Mike! You and WOTAN should get together! Woodsy

SWORD DREAM SHOP: PHOTONIC PROPULSION SPACE STATION CARD ART BY MIKE BURROWS

Hi Paul,

Love your scratch built Photonic Space Station. It really is an unusual and fascinating toy shape. It does lead you to think that something inspired it. Theoretical ideas on Photonic drives do exist so maybe there's a drawing out there that the SpaceX bods turned into this elusive toy. Anyway, your efforts did inspired me to rattle off a bit of box art for you. Hope you like it.

Cheers
Mike Burrows

Nice one Mike! I love it! Woodsy

SPACEX CUSTOM FACTORY: WOTAN WORKS WONDERS

From WOTAN: Ebay can certainly make work for idle hands and fat credit cards too - having gone from having a box of battered childhood toys from the sixties, im now in the fortunate position of having enough Spacex toys to be able to happily pull them apart and remake them to my own design. Needle Probes, Explorer MEV2 and Crickets seem to appear in abundance on ebay, either battered and broken and only useful for bits, or minty on a card. I found myself a couple of summers ago with a few spares, a bottle of superglue and an overactive imagination. Consequently, I ended up with the above pictured models.

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The large Spacex Major one with the balloon tyres came about in response to seeing the fuel-carrying balloon-tyre trailers in the Marx Moon Base sets. Its basically a set of Capsela Monster Truck wheels, a bit of Robotix construction set, a spinning top and a few bits of a Micromachines oil rig. Hardest bit is matching the colours in paint! I find now that car paint works a treat if you can get just the right shade - trouble is you dont see many lime green cars these days!

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My gob is officially smacked! Wotan, you're the Man! Where can I buy these wonderful toys!Woodsy

MINIATURE X-PLANES IN THE SPACEX FLEET

Top - Nuclear Ferry carded

2 - Booster Rocket carded

3 - Booster Rocket loose

4 - MLP Rocket loose

5 - Nuclear Pulse loose

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From the collections of Wotan, Ferryman, M.McClellan, Ebay

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Having identified the mystery jet in the Space Station Ad as the MLP rocket shuttle, I got to thinking what other miniature jets are there in the Spacex fleet. Above is a rogues gallery of these diminutive but streamlined mini-spacecraft. If I've missed any do let me know.

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PS. This works for Project Sword too.