Boostered! Atomic Rockets Run-Down

Here's a fabulous run down of Mars rocketships including our very own Project SWORD Booster Rocket on Moonbase Central!

Realistic Designs R-Z - Atomic Rockets

https://share.google/litPvv0AvSk6EJERO 

Blast-Off Space Rocket: Pumped Up!

 

There's a lot going on on the card art of this air and water rocket and that's just the bit we can see.

There's a powerful looking space plane bottom right, which looks great, but it's the two firing units further up that intrigue me. What are they? Nacelles? They look like they're contained within a gantry of sorts.

And I wonder what that craft is behind the toy. There's a hint of Thunderbird 2!

Do you like it? Anyone got one? 

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Postscript,

Mystery mostly solved!

Thanks to eagle-eyed Looey and Arto (thanks!) we now know the main image of the structures was by Patrick Woodroffe, as it appeared in his 1976 book, Mythopoeikaon (which I've got! Doh!)

It also graced the covers of Space Wars Worlds and Weapons.

And

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That just leaves to space rocket bottom right to ID now.

Piz Gloria: Double O Heaven

Piz Gloria is the revolving restaurant as seen in James Bond's On her Majesty's Secret Service with George Lazenby.

I visited it on the Swiss peak of Schilthorn a few years back. 

The journey to Piz Gloria begins with the unbelievably sheer Stechelberg - Birg cable car, a nightmare if you've height fright like me. Unlike the Missus, I kept my eyes shut! 

https://youtu.be/Rrq0viEiVFw?is=H3xxG_NWuKYoCsHb 

The restaurant is perched on the mountain top and is a must-see for 007 fans in the Swiss Alps. It really is the cherry on the cake.

I don't own any OHMSS toys, like the Corgi Rockets set, so I put together a few other Rockets with a Faller Alpine cafe by way of a albeit rickety tribute to the amazing summit restaurant that is Piz Gloria.

Have you been?

Have you any On Her Majesty's Secret Service collectables? 

Sky Ranger Airship: We're Going to be Golden

 I dunno, I kinda like this golden Sky Ranger. OK, it's not subtle and beautiful it ain't but there's enough space styling to give it a look.

Or do you think it's ugly? 

It's actually called an Airship. 

There detailing in the blister would sit well with LP or Project SWORD.

It reminds me of the Moonbus canopy.

Do you like this golden oldie? 

Cable Car Capers: the Rigi 900 and Co.

I recently saw a loose cable car set at a flea market. I've seen similar many times over the years and found them gracing model shop window displays too. 

They do look great.

The set I see the most is the Lehmann Rigi boxed toy like this I saw on Last Dodo. The simple box is quite lovely.

I think Blue Box made a version of this too.

I have visions of shoving Matt Mason in one. For some reason it reminds me of the Major. 

Whichever brand, folks love their toy cable cars, as you can see from the many videos on You Tube, where a Rigi set can be found traversing gardens and as shown in these two, a fab Christmas scene and an interesting old toy room.

https://youtu.be/zJx7zVDHe84?is=jqWfl7ZXhttps://youtu.be/35LJobilXgk?feature=sharedB7LjgvoZ 

https://youtu.be/35LJobilXgk?feature=shared

Checking for modern versions I found a fantastic looking set online by Jägerndorfer. I adore the big square box ( it reminds me of Aurora models) and the cable station building is out of this world!

There are multiple variants of this lay out available including a whole flotilla of cars going up and down.

See what you think readers.

Did you have a cable car toy? Do you still?

Do you like riding them? Where have you been?

Case in Point

 I like this International Secret Agent Set.

There's everything in there except the cloak and dagger.

The Clint Eastwood lookalike mashes up the genres too. Dirty Harry gets the case and is running point.

The Dinner Club and Bank Bright Star credit cards date it to 1979.

I'm wondering if Bright Star is the maker.

It's educational too. There's a world map and national flags!

Is this a set you would have enjoyed as a kid? 

Ed's Diorama: Dark Side of the Moon

 Woodsy,

Here's a few shots I did the last day or so on the new diorama base.

 I went into The Cave and pulled the easiest spaceship I could reach (Masuya's Moon Rocket) and snapped a few pics (more than a few actually - these are just the ones I like best). 

The very first photo I call "NASA's secret dark side of the moon launch post Apollo 17".

 The last photo is more-or-less to show the surface texture, but it works well as a spaceship landing. 

The stars are all Photoshopped in vs. me inserting a star field photo from the internet.

Hope you Enjoy!

From Vegas Base

Ed

E C L I P S E

Will you be watching the solar eclipse today?

Have you already seen it? 

I'll be trying the colander technique at tea time.

See you on the other side.

🌘