Diamonds and Rust

 It's our Iron Wedding - and we're not going rusty just yet! Ha ha  

We're spending the day in the quaint town of Louth, a real diamond in the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds.

Louth boasts a huge number of shops including many charities, a myriad cafes and Tennyson even published here.

Today I was looking for Stephen King novels for a mate and found loads. I also saw lots of old kids annuals like Magpie, Roy Rogers and Champion the Wonder Horse.

One of the book was a gorgeous 1950's pop-up about cowboys with really lovely artwork. See what you think - this example is on eBay.

Vintage games go for a premium now and I saw an old Spears Spin Quiz and Ker-Plunk at a fiver each. A better deal was ForeThought in a great box at £3.50 but I passed.

Ever hopeful for Hong Kong plastic, I found none as usual, but I did buy a brand new electric shaver in Boots. Wet shaving recently caused me to nick my lip and it bled like you wouldn't believe! 

Still, a nice Italian should go down well. We dine at 6. Seafood pizza sounds good.

What's your favourite pizza readers?

Ciaio!

Brian's Kleeware Supersonic Jets Space Set

Hello Woodsy

This is the toy that got me hooked on collecting space plastic. 

The Supersonic Jets Set.

 It's another example of the English reuse of American moulds, in this case Marx and Pyro. I was addicted to tin robots at the time but a hoarder's instinct made me put this to one side.

The set comprises three Marx copies, the #1 Double Gun Plane, #4 A Wing, and a Car of the Future. The fourth spaceship is the odd-man-out, a Pyro copy Rocket Car that's a bit more solid than the others. For researchers the label is priceless, proving that all four belong together despite their different origins. The set comes in a plain cardboard box with a paper label.

The plastic is thin - they feel lighter than Tudor Rose spaceships, and they're very brittle. There's a translucence about them, unlike the more opaque originals. Out of the box I can't see them surviving for long. There's no maker's mark on the box though each vehicle is marked with a tiny Made in England in a circle. 

I'm fairly sure it's by Kleeware, though I'd welcome thoughts.

Regards

Brian H

UK

Cover Story: the T in a Circle Chieftain and Nichimo

Hi Woodsy

I saw your great Chieftain toy tank from Arto. Very nice.

I do not know if you have noticed, but the box top for this Hong Kong toy is almost identical to a Nichimo kit of the Chieftain. Nichimo being a Japanese company.

According to the Scalemates site, this was the original box design, and dates back to 1967. The kit was to 1/35th scale, and was available with Remote Control.

Compare the photos side by side, and they look the same except that the Saracen wheeled Armoured Personnel Carriers and helicopters have been eliminated from the background. The second Chieftain remains.

The tank commander has also been given a helmet rather than a beret, and the vehicle markings deleted. What do you think ?

One photograph from Worthpoint, and one copied from Moonbase !

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Tanks Arto!

 My good friend Arto recently sent me this gorgeous Cheiftain tank by T in a Circle, as he knows I love that old Hong Kong brand.

The red stripe is interesting, as if something has been blocked out. It's raised like tape but done in a factory I guess.

The T in a Circle ( Aka Tai Hong) brand is clearly visible on the box.

At some point I'll rustle up a turret.

There have been other plastic Chieftains too.

Here's BPP.

Clifford.

And Merehall I think.

Have you any tanks readers?

Kevin's SpaceX and JR21 Toy group Shots

Hi,

I've got these shots to hand.

Kevin

UK

*

Tri-ang SpaceX and SpaceX II toys

JR21 toys

Tufty Club Anyone?

Tufty and Zoo Quest!

Remember them?

I recall the Tufty Club but what was it? 

CABINET POST

 I'm in the process of adding another display cabinet in the front room, but before I started re-arranging things I thought I take a couple of photos of the what's in there at the moment.

 

Lance's SpaceX and Golden Astronaut Box Sets

 A bit of history on each set.

The Spacex Mobile Launching Pad: It is in gorgeous shape, has the instruction sheet and both gangways. I received it all wrapped up like in the pictures but it is complete. The other 3 examples I have of this are the Triang Spacex white rocket versions in various states of incompleteness. One just needs another gangway to be complete.

The Golden Astronaut Moon Exploration Set: It was complete but badly damaged bits. The box is the worse of the three sets. As I've encountered better pieces I've replaced the broken ones but all the extras are in the box so it is packed.

The Golden Astronaut Interplanetary Patrol Set: Box has seen some wear but is in better shape than the Moon Exploration set. It is complete with the missiles and the scout ship in a baggy. The Cruiser 1 is a replacement from my box of spares. The one that was included in it was missing the front wheel. I've a lot of the Cruiser 1s so I put a far better example in the box.

Enjoy,

Lance,

Houston, USA

COMING SOON - SMALLSPACE 12

 Just a week to go before Smallspace 12, the model show for all things space, science fiction and fantasy, and place checking out some excellent builds, original props, and most important for me, meeting up with some old  friends.

It takes place on the 13th July at Hanslope Village Hall, Hanslope Village, Buckinghamshire.

Here's some photos from last years event.

V.I.N.Cent built by Brian Jones

David Sisson photobombing my photo of the original Slomo prop from Space Precinct, which David is in the process of restoring.

The SFX boys from the Dwarf - Alan, Nick and Mike, with one of the Starbug filming props.

Imai Stingray kit built by Andrew Prentis

Studio 2 SPV build by Andrew Preston

Spectrum Helicopter built by Mamas Pitsillis

Blake's 7 Space Command space station built by Phil Stevens

Original Orbit Shuttle from Blake's 7, built by Ron Thornton.

A highly detailed model Martian 

Excellent Battle of the Planets, Phoenix kit build  

See you there!