Bachmann Solid Paints: Lumps of Modelling History

While visiting a model shop recently, I came across this set of Bachmann Plasticville Sitting Figures With Paints, Item No.2914. It includes a palette of solid paint cakes, along with a bottle of cement/painting fluid, and a brush.

This was similar to the paints that Bachmann included in their various Paint-by-Number kits in the 1950s and 1960s, which I have covered previously. Finally, a chance to see first hand what these paints looked like.

The fluid included is 1 1 1 Trichloroethane, but in the 1960s some sets included Carbon Tetrachloride – was this a replacement ?

I have no idea how old the set is, as there are no dates anywhere on the box or instruction sheet. My guess, from the box style, would be 1970s ?

The box says 24 sitting figures, and the instructions say 22. The difference is due to one moulding comprising two figures sitting side by side.

The figures look to be spectators at a sporting event, and the sole standing figure seems to be a Hot Dog salesman ? One standing male figure; seven seated male figures; and four seated female figures.

There are 12 different figures, with two examples of each. All were detached from the sprues in my example.

The glass jar has a black metal cap. The label is printed in red and blue.

BACHMANN STYRENE PAINTING FLUID AND GLUE

CONTENTS: 1 1 1 Trichloroethane (14 cc) Plus 1/4 % Oil of Mustard

CAUTION: Use in ventilated area. Do not inhale concentrated vapor. Do not take internally. Avoid prolonged contact with skin. Do not keep in warm area.

ANTIDOTE: If taken internally, induce vomiting.

BACHMANN BROS., INC., PHILA., PA 19124

The paint palette is made of dark grey plastic. It is only 2 1/2 inches across, or 63 mm.

There are eight tiny cakes of paint, each just over a 1/4 inch across, or 7 mm. The colours are White, Yellow, Tan, Light Blue, Light Green, Black, and Dark Brown.

The figures are moulded in a pink plastic, so that takes care of the flesh areas. The brush is far too large for painting such tiny figures.

Painting instructions are included, and state 'Allow approx. one minute for paint to dry'. Very fast - I should imagine the jar of 1 1 1 Trichloroethane would evaporate very quickly if the top were left off.

The address on the back page of the instruction leaflet is:

Bachmann Bros., Inc.

1400 E. Erie Ave.

Philadelphia, PA. 19124

A fascinating piece of modelling history!

Paul Adams from New Zealand

SONIC BOON: PROGRESS ON MY DALEK DISINTEGRATOR MOCK-UP

I've made some progress on my DIY Lincoln International mock Dalek Disintegrator.

The old Black and Decker hot are gun has been partly re-shaped with thick card tubing. The threaded pipe has been sawn down and moved forward. A milk bottle handle has been added. A coke can metal ring has been inserted and a final capping with some plastic bits including a tiddlywinks pot op top.

The white topper is half a milk bottle sprayed white. Its not stuck on yet.

Some final touches to come are to glue the white panel down, add the name of the toy to it and finally decide on some repro packaging with Bill the box art master.

What do you think so far readers?

Here's an original toy in all its fabulous glory!

There are many versions of this design but the Dalek Sonic Disintegrator is a rare toy and information is scant. Was it an American release? Did it make a sound and light up? Did it fire darts? Any clue readers?

Searching for Or

Years ago I bought a book on Space Toys of the Sixties by James Gillam. Inside the Major Matt Mason section was reference to an unproduced toy called the Orbitor. It included a small crustacean-like alien called Or from Orr I think.

I did one post on the Orbitor about 12 years ago and this is my second one. Last time I mentioned coverage of the toy on the Wildtoys website. Alas, this amazing site appears now to have gone from the net entirely.

My old post is one of just a few that actually mention the Orbitor now.

There's a reference to the Orbitor on Wheeljacks Lab, describing it as an 'educational toy', but no other information or pictures.

In fact I couldn't find a single image of this unproduced toy anywhere on the web. I know there is at least one image in existence, because its in my Gillam's Sixties Space Toys book. It shows the Orbitor as a sort of spinner with the creature sat on top under a dome. Its powered by a kind of vertical foot-pump I think.

Have you come across Major Matt Mason's Orbitor or Or from Orr readers?

WILL'S PROGRESS: CECIL COLEMAN AND AIRFIX GERRY ANDERSON

The Cecil Coleman Supercar is now as close to the original as I can get. 

The Airfix Fireball XL5 is stripped and disassembled as much as I can. Hoping to build it back up with a better paint job. 

Fingers crossed.

Will O,

UK

SAMURAI SADDLES

I recently found this old plastic seated knight seen here on the right. He's got a shield and a lance.

As soon as I saw it it reminded me of a cast metal seated Samurai I got as a youngster seen above. He's got a long spear and remained unpainted.

Both riders require a horse and the Samurai's is waiting at the back. I can't recall exactly where I got the Samurai and horse from but it was definately mail order using a ..... postal order! I did it a lot in the early 1970's. 

It may have been the only way to remotely pay back then for a kid like me without a chequebook. Did you send postal orders?

Thinking about it, Argyle Models rings a bell.

I shall have a dig in my old stubs.

Did you have a Samurai or a Knight?

ED'S OUTERSPACEMEN

Honestly guys, I'm not familiar with the movie This Island Earth pictured above. 

I may have seen it once on TV about a hundred years ago, BUT if the Colorforms spacemen are considered a tie-in to the flick then I can offer this shot of my knock-off Colorforms.

It's a nice set I bought quite a few years ago. None of them have helmets, there are no separate weapons or gear, and at ca 2.25"- 2.75" are much smaller than original Colorforms. 

The 'Orbitron' figure actually looks like one of the aliens from "This Island Earth'.

Have you got anything like this?

From Vegas Base

Ed

WILL'S COLEMAN SUPERCAR AND AIRFIX FIREBALL XL5

My customer who bought me that box of bits awhile ago bought a few more things for me the other day. What looks to be a Cecil Coleman supercar and also the Airfix Fireball XL5 . I shall be attempting restorations on both. there are also lots of other bits which I will email to you in due course. 

Will O

UK

PENNY DREADFUL: GOTHIC SUPER-TEAM-UP

 Along with my older brother, I recently re-watched episodes 1 and 2 of Penny Dreadful, a TV horror series from 2014.

Rated 18, its quite gory, hence the age limit.

Its the story and in particular the characters that have me intrigued. Its like a Universal Studio monster reunion!

There's Mina, a werewolf, vampires, Frankenstein and his monster and a baronial fellow rather like Van Helsing. There's a sharpshooter too.

Set in foggy 19th Century London, the monster action takes place whilst Jack the Ripper is about and a demonical quest is afoot with Eva Green's sensational Mina and one-time James Bond Timothy Dalton's superb aristocrat at the helm. Josh Hartnet is the gunslinger and Billy Piper the tavern moll. Dorian Gray adds further weirdness.

The séance scene alone was astonishing.

This literary mashup reminds me greatly of the 2003 adventure movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. 

Described as a steampunk rendition of a well-known comic series, League was largely panned at the time I for one enjoyed it, largely because it brought together a ragtag of monsters and famous characters. Alan Quartermain, played by James Bond himself, Sean Connery, Tom Sawyer - a Secret Service agent, Captain Nemo, Dr, Jekyll, Dorian Gray and Mina.

These last two characters above all connect this flick to Penny Dreadful. Both are in the public domain as may well be other characters in both.

Many of the characters have literary lives elsewhere. Tom Sawyer featured as a detective in one of Twain's novels in 1897 and Alan Quartermain is the leading man in both King Solomons Mines, 1887, and The Lost City of Gold among others by H. Rider Haggard.

Its worth noting that the Granddaddy of Horror itself, Dracula by Bram Stoker [1897] contained a sort of super league and perhaps the very first one. Besides Count Dracula, theres Jonathan Harker the solicitor, Mina Murray his fiancée, Jack Seward the doctor, Quincey Morris the Texan gunslinger, Arthur Holmwood or Lord Godalming and of course, Professor Abraham Van Helsing, the Dutch vampire-hunter.

Here's the male cast from the 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula.

With all this extraordinariness in mind, I'm looking forward to the rest of Season 1 of Penny Dreadful.

Have you seen it readers?