FORD’S SKYLINER GAVE YOU THAT '93 MILLION MILE HEADROOM' FEELING

1958 Ford Skyliner Retractible Hardtop
by DwightFrye

Report by Mat Irvine
It may be a chilly December day here at SMN Towers, but the sky is blue and wouldn’t it be nice to have a folding hard-top to see more of that sunshine? Such cars are available and all owe their ancestry to the Ford Skyliner, the first car to feature a ‘convertible hard top’. A way-out idea in the 1950s, the concept has since become standard fare from manufacturers such as Peugeot, Ford and Vauxhall-Opel.

The Skyliner’s folding system was mega-complex, involving no less than seven motors, ten power relays, eight circuit breakers and nearly 200 m (600 ft) of wiring, all to move the hardtop roof completely in and out of the trunk. The video above demos you the lot in full working order.

The full-size car was produced from 1957 to 1959, and Revell made a kit of the last year of production, with a completely working roof. OK, you had to move it by hand, but given that this was in the early years of model kit production, it was still a masterpiece of engineering. It has been reissued a few times over the intervening years – including the ‘Skip’s Fiesta Drive In’ series and was later reissued in the Selected Subjects Program Phase 9 (Winter 1995). Revell-Germany’s 50th anniversary range also featured the car, so examples could still be around.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 Kit boxes from top left anti-clockwise - original, followed by more recent issues and most recent top right.
2 Roof retraction sequence of the Revell kit.

The kit is not made at present, though we tracked down a reasonably priced one on offer at eBay here.

SHADES OF RENWAL’S VISIBLE MAN - CLEAR PARTS LET YOU LOOK INTO THE SOUL OF YOUR MODEL

Decades ago, the US Renwal company came up with the bright idea of making a transparent model that revealed the insides of its subject, a 3D version of the traditional cutaway book illustration. The Renwal Visible Man was a big success, and was soon joined by the Visible Woman (though without private parts to allow her to give birth), the Visible Engine, and others that included even a Visible Dog.

Apart from these early stalwarts, transparency has been largely ignored by manufacturers over the years, but the magic of ‘seeing inside’ is still there, and the latest convert to the idea is Trumpeter. Its big 1:32 scale Fairey Swordfish is absolutely a gem in this department, with a transparent port fuselage section that allows you to gaze inside the ‘stringbag’s portly form. You can mask off parts for painting, to reveal more or less of the interior, as you wish.

The recently introduced MkII Swordfish joins the already available MkI, and is packed with detail, has a wingspan of some 433 mm (17 in) and has a box stuffed with no less than 373 components. Wire bracing on biplanes has become a near-standard fixture on ready-built models such as those of Corgi, but here on Trumpeter’s Swordfish, you get to do it yourself with a supplied wire bracing set. Never the easiest of jobs, at least the big 1:32 scale helps, though this reviewer will pass on the job to a more nimble-fingered craftsman.

All in all, a fine addition to the ranks of see-inside models, and an excellent kit of a World War II classic aircraft.

Visit Trumpeter here.

You can buy the Trumpeter 1:32 scale Swordfish MkI here.

FAST JET FROM ASIA - TRUMPETER COMBAT AIRCRAFT KIT TO 1:48 SCALE

Two of Asia’s important powers - China and Pakistan - are locked in a techno-race in many areas, especially in nuclear weapons, but they also join hands on various projects, including the combat aircraft called the PAC JF-17 Thunder in Pakistan, the Chengdu FC-1 Fierce Dragon in China.

The ThunderDragon (as we’ll call the single-engine jet here for simplicity) looks much like a cross between the US-designed F-20 Tigershark and F-16 Fighting Falcon, but there the similarity ends, as design and development have been carried out in-house, and the engine is a Russian Klimov RD-93.

ThunderDragon’s first flight was from a Chinese air base back in 2003, but development went well and the first production aircraft was handed over to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) just last month. The first squadron is due to be fully operational with the PAF early in 2010.

So Trumpeter’s 1:48 scale kit of this aircraft is well timed for modern jet combat model fans. It’s a biggish model, scaling out to some 297 mm (11.7 in) long with a wingspan of 199 mm (7.8 in). There are 235 plastic parts, plus some components on a small photo-etch sheet. All in all, a kit that will sit interestingly next to its contemporaries from Russia and the West.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 Chinese aviation magazine cover.
2 Trumpeter box-art
3 Three of the nine component runners.
4, 5 Pre-production cgi images.

Visit Trumpeter here.

You can buy the JF-17 Thunder/FC-1 Fierce Dragon from model stores and online suppliers here.

CORGI 1:43 A40 FARINA - A DIECAST FOR NOSTALGIA BUFFS

The square-cut Austin A40 Farina was first introduced in 1958, when the British car industry was riding high. Even so, the styling was given to the Italian design house Pininfarina, to add some fizz to the looks of the dumpy and curvacious model that preceded it. The A40 was a pretty good handler, and was entered successfully in races such as the trans-Europe Monte Carlo Rally, which was a big event of the time. Still, half a century on, the A40’s not exactly a charisma queen, though it has its followers.

But for anyone who has an interest in cars of this era, Corgi’s 1:43 diecast is a pretty fair rendering of the Mk 1 ‘Countryman’ version, which can lay claim to being one of the first (maybe the first) hatchbacks on the market. Corgi’s car has the smooth bonnet (US readers note: ‘hood’) design - the other style had twin flutes which added some visual interest - and is finished in a mid greeny-blue which matches the original shade of Sutherland Green pretty well.

Should you add one to your line-up? Well, it’ll fit in nicely with a 1950s-1960s collection, and as A40 Farina models of any sort are something of a rarity, it’s probably a must-have for the completist. As for me, I’ll take a Ferrari or a Mustang!

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 Corgi 1:43 Austin A40 Farina.
2 A40 Farina showing the fluted bonnet design.
3 An A40, modded for racing work.

Take a look at the Austin A40 Farina Countryman at Corgi here.

Corgi’s race and police versions of the A40 are also available, here.

EXPERT GUIDE TO THE IPMS SCALE MODELWORLD 2009

Above and top right you'll see the Expert Guide Library box - and in here is Mat Irvine's view of the IPMS (International Plastic Modeller's Society) UK Nationals, held at Telford a while ago.

Just click on the Expert Guide cover image - NOT the 'Shelf by Issuu' tab, which goes somewhere else entirely for some reason (we're still experimenting).

Assuming all goes well, you should find that the Scale ModelWorld Expert Guide should pop out in magazine-style double-page spread form. Navigate with your mouse according to the instructions and enjoy. There's also a 'superzoom' button at the top which gives you even bigger closeups.

Tip: For best viewing, after you get into magazine mode, click the 'full screen' button at top left.

MORE TAMIYA EXCELLENCE WITH THE R/C DELTA INTEGRALE

It’s Tamiya time again, as the Japanese company rolls out its 1:10 scale Radio Control Lancia Delta Integrale (top pic above). If you like Jeremy Clarkson’s ‘Top Gear’ TV series, then you may have seen the recent edition featuring Lancia’s many oh-so-desirable cars, including the square-cut Delta Integrale. It was a rally winner many times over, and still runs as a modern classic in events such as the 2007 Deutschland Rally (middle picture).

As for Tamiya’s R/C Integrale, it comes well up to the mark, scaling out at some 407 mm (16 in) long, which makes it a chunky beast indeed. It’s fair to say that the lightweight plastic body is nowhere near as detailed as an injection-moulded kit, but from a short distance away, the effect is very realistic indeed. And with such a low centre of gravity, cornering is likely to be roll-free except in the most extreme manoeuvres (erm, confession time - the SMN Crew really, really likes bad things like that).

Enjoy the video too, and crank up those speakers for a suitably rock n roll sound track!

The Delta Integrale will be available soon, and is of course only one of many Tamiya R/C vehicles, some of which you can see here.

FIGURE IT OUT WITH TAMIYA’S 1:35 AND 1:48 MILITARY SCULPTURES

Tamiya has long been well regarded for the excellent sculpted figures included in its kits. And now there are two more sets for model fans to enjoy. First off is a group of World War II US Navy figures to 1:48 scale. You get a trio of kneeling pilots poring over a chart before a mission, plus a pair of standing pilots looking on. In shirtsleeve order are two groundcrew lugging an ammo box. And to finish the set off nicely, an aircraft tug is provided, complete with driver. All in all this group will do a lot to enhance any 1:48 scale US Navy scene of the era.

The second Tamiya set is to military 1:35 scale, and the main feature here is a 109 mm (4.3 in) long Volkswagen Kubelwagen in desert sand finish, complete with officer and driver at the wheel. Three more figures set off the little Kube nicely, and as with the US Navy set, this group will enhance any North Africa combat diorama of the era.

Incidentally, the name Kubelwagen was short for ‘Kubelsitzwagen’, meaning ‘bucket-seat car’. The rear-engined vehicle could reach around 80 km/h (50 mph), and was widely used by German forces throughout World War II. It was designed by Ferdinand Porsche for VW to assemble - more than 50,000 were produced from 1940-45.

These two sets will be available through model stores and online suppliers; meantime there are various Kubes available already, including those shown here.

THE HAMEX MODEL EXPO - H-DAY VIDEO RELEASE

The HAMEX (Hanslope Model Expo) went off OK, and for a first-time event it really seemed to do the stuff. Mat Irvine demonstrated Doctor Who’s K-9 robodog and showed groups of science fiction enthusiasts various props and models from BBC TV series that he has worked on, including Blake’s 7 and Moonbase 3.

We made the quickie video above with an iPod Nano, which gives pretty good results bearing in mind it’s little bigger than a stick of chewing gum. The tiny machine is particularly impressive for its closeup abilities - even in fairly dim lighting the pimple-sized lens can give sharp results when recording objects as close as 20-30 mm (1 in) away. Simply amazing, especially when paired with the iMovie video editing software that comes free with any Apple computer.

Take a look at iPods here.

WHAT-IF? SPACECRAFT FROM FANTASTIC PLASTIC

We’re great fans of ‘what-if?’ scenarios at SMN, so the latest 1:72 scale kit from Fantastic Plastic really hits the spot. It features a spacecraft design that was certainly real enough, but that may - or may not - have been built and flown. During the 1960s, the US Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory (AF-FDL) built several small test models to discover the optimum shape for hypersonic re-entry from Earth orbit. Some reports suggest that several of these FDL concepts were blown up to full-size test vehicles. Among them was the FDL-6, a 10 m (33 ft) long spacecraft built under contract with Lockheed.

Drawn from official USAF documents, this new FDL-6 kit depicts the manned version of this top-secret test vehicle, as it may have been carried in (and flown out of) the Space Shuttle's cargo bay in the early 1980s. The 23-piece kit was created exclusively for Fantastic Plastic by BLAP! Models and includes a detailed cockpit with ejection seat, landing gear and markings for either a NASA test craft or operational U.S. Air Force version. The final model measures 114 mm (4.5 in) long.

The 1:72 scale FDL-6 is now available for $70 USD, plus shipping. Find out more at the Fantastic Plastic Virtual Museum Store here.

The pictures above show:
1 FDL-6 kit art
2 Parts laid out
3 One of two possible marking schemes.

HAMEX MODEL EXPO - H-MINUS ONE DAY...

The HAMEX co-hosted event is on tomorrow Sunday, November 29. If you’re in reach (there’s a map on the link below), it’ll be well worth coming.

HAMEX (Hanslope Model Expo) model-master Mat Irvine, will be showing his BBC Special Effects models and props, including the Doctor Who K-9 robodog, the Liberator spacecraft from the classic Blake’s 7 TV series, and a world-first: space models from the 1973 BBC science fiction series Moonbase 3.

UPDATE Mat will also have some spacecraft models from the ultra-long running astronomy series 'The Sky at Night' hosted by Sir Patrick Moore CBE. Mat will also run question-and-answer sessions at 1130 and 1430, when K-9 will be rolling around!

HAMEX co-host Paul Fitzmaurice of Little Cars will be showing tools and accessories for model makers.

Scale Model News will display a range of items from the SMN vaults, plus a slide show.

Check out the Hanslope Model Expo here.

Check out Little Cars here.

If you like spacecraft models, check out the interesting Space Craft Science Kits site here.

1:700 SCALE QUEEN MARY 2 LINER KIT FROM REVELL

This ocean liner kit makes a nice change from the fleets of warships on offer - it’s Revell’s 1:700 scale take on the Cunard vessel Queen Mary 2. According to Cunard the real ship is the “grandest, most magnificent ocean liner ever built”. Ooer, that’s some claim, though inspecting the Cunard website does make the QM2 and her sister liners look pretty amazing, so we won’t quibble with the hyperbole here. And at 345 m (1132 ft) long, with a 151,400 tonnage, she’s a mighty ship indeed.

As for the kit, 1:700 has quietly achieved a ‘standard scale’ status in recent years, and gives an impressive but manageable size for ships like the QM2 - she scales out at some 494 mm (19.4 in) long. The kit has 323 parts with a two-piece hull, and plenty of detail that includes eight launches, 14 lifeboats and a pair of speedboats. The funnel includes the signalling horns which, by the way, can be heard for 16 km (10 miles) on a quiet night!

Overall then, an interesting model for liner lovers. However, a ‘kit of kits’ waits in the wings for some manufacturer. Just take a look at the interior detail in the cutaway drawing above. Wouldn’t that be a totally droolworthy item in kit form, especially if it had LED lighting and even some nautical sound effects!

ps. If you take your terrier on a QM2 voyage, your pampered pet will receive not only the services of a special Kennel Master, but also a complimentary gift pack of animal goodies. Hey ho, meantime for the SMN crew it’s beans on toast for lunch...

The pictures above show:
1 Revell 1:700 scale Queen Mary 2.
2 Cutaway view of the QM2.
3 The QM2’s Grand Lobby.

Visit the Cunard QM2 site here. There’s also a link to a webcam on the ship’s bridge which refreshes every minute.

The 1:700 scale QM2 will be available shortly from model stores and online suppliers. Meanwhile, the QM2 is already made in several scales, which you can look at here.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION ENGINES REISSUED BY AIRFIX

Report: Mat Irvine
The model companies have made not only trains and boats and planes, plus cars and tanks and the odd rocket, but also a wide variety of, shall we say, somewhat ‘different’ subject matter. One favourite has been the ‘engine’ itself, whether it's a car engine, aircraft engine or, in Airfix’s case, early engines that powered the Industrial Revolution.

The first release in the 1970s Airfix ‘Museum Models’ range (later the ‘Collector’s Series’) was a Beam Engine, followed by the 1804 Trevithick Steam Locomotive, then a Paddle Steamer and Four Stroke engines were added. And now Airfix has reissued two of them, the Beam Engine and Trevithick’s Loco.

Presented in Airfix’s new-style boxes, the kits remain more or less as they were three decades ago, except that mention of potential motorization has been removed. This may leave modellers scratching their heads as to what the extra ‘mystery’ parts are for, and this isn’t exactly helped with the Trevithick especially, as the first instruction is an error - it has been reproduced from the Beam Engine plan. But once you’ve got over that, construction is straightforward enough.

The tooling has mostly survived the decades well (not always the case with old kits) and the moving parts still work, albeit with a bit of care. The finishing colour appears to be optional. One scheme is the all-black that appears on the box and on most replicas, but this does give a somewhat sombre look. My build was finished in the optional dark green, with a black funnel.

The Trevithick comes with a neat display base, which originally held the motorization components. Scale isn’t mentioned on the kit itself, but the Airfix website lists it at 1:32, which seems about right. At present it’s uncertain if the other two kits in the range will be reissued.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 Boxes for the Steam Loco and Beam Engine.
2 Trevithick’s locomotive in green and black finish.
3 Page from the 1976 Airfix 13th catalogue, showing all four Museum Models.

These models are available from model stores and online suppliers, including Amazon here.

SCI-FI FANS GET READY - MORE MASCHINEN KRIEGER INCOMING!

Hasegawa’s new take on the Ma. K (Maschinen Krieger) sci-fi universe, first created back in the 1980s by Japanese artist Kow Yokoyama, continues to expand, with a new combat craft soon to be available to 1:35 scale.

The Lunadiver Stingray from the Ma. K Mercenary Army looks to be a neatly crafted addition to the Hasegawa range, and a delight for all sci-fi buffs. It’ll fit neatly on a sheet of A4 paper, at 303 mm (11.9 in) long by 163 mm (6.4 in) across the bulging side pods. There are two well-sculpted figures included - and as it’s to the popular military 1:35 scale, you’ve got a wealth of choice for any extra figures you might care to add. A set of modern military figures, equipped with high-tech combat gear would complement the Lunadiver Stingray well, and of course they can be reconfigured in any way you like to ‘science-fictionalize’ them.

Incidentally, the Ma.K universe is set in the 2800s, and concerns the repopulation of the Earth as our planet cleans up after a nuclear war. The story concentrates on the fighting that happens between various factions trying to control gain control of this future world. So Ma. K’s creator isn’t looking for anything much to change in the human condition then...

The Hasegawa 1:25 scale Lunadiver Stingray should be available before Christmas.

Visit Hasegawa here.

Visit Kow Yokoyama here.

There’s a nice dirtied-up Lunadiver here.

THE HAMEX MODEL EXPO - H-MINUS 5 DAYS...

Here’s another trail for the HAMEX event we’re involved with this coming Sunday, November 29. If you’re in reach (there’s a map on the link below), it’ll be well a visit, so do come along and visit us if you can.

HAMEX (Hanslope Model Expo) is masterminded by Mat Irvine, who will be bringing along lots of his BBC Special Effects models and props, including the Doctor Who K-9 robodog, the Liberator spacecraft from the classic Blake’s 7 TV series, and a world-first: space models from the 1973 BBC science fiction series Moonbase 3.

Mat will be hosting two informal question-and-answer sessions, one at 1130, one at 1430 - and if you’re a dog-lover (or a robot fiend) then K-9 will be in rolling-robot demo mode!

HAMEX co-host Paul Fitzmaurice of Little Cars will be there too, with a galaxy of tasty tools and accessories for model makers.

David Jefferis (‘Mr J’) of Scale Model News will show a fascinating range of items from the SMN vaults, and with luck we’ll be showing some videos too.

Check out the Hanslope Model Expo here.

Check out Little Cars here.

Mat Irvine’s site is here.

LEIPZIG VISITORS VOTE FOR THE REVELL MODEL AWARD ‘SCALE 09’

The Modell Hobby Spiel (‘Model-Hobby-Play’) is held every October in Leipzig, Germany. It’s a show that features plastic kits, model rail, creative design, games and toys. And this year Revell-Germany decided to let visitors to the show vote for the winners in its annual ‘Scale’ model competition.

So, with no appointed experts in a judging panel, how have the results stacked up, now the winners have been announced? Well, as you can see from the pictures above, craft excellence shines through to expert and amateur alike, and there can’t really be any disputes as to the general quality of those chosen. The top winner is Peter Hofstetter, for his 1:24 scale Bussing 8000 truck (top picture). No arguments with this from SMN, and we particularly like Peter’s ripped canvas, which gives the model a nice used touch. Mind you, he had a good kit to begin with - many truck aficionados reckon this is one of Revell’s best-ever vehicle kits.

The other pictures give you a taste for the variety of winners, and it’s nice to see that this year Revell has introduced categories for younger model fans. Peter Hofstetter will be presented with the Scale 09 award on December 4, when he’ll also get the chance to meet the press and go behind the scenes at Revell-Germany. Great stuff Peter!

Pictures courtesy Revell-Germany.

Visit the winning entries page here.

Amazon has a wide range of Revell kits here.

SUNSHINE CALLS WITH REVELL SAMBA VEEDUBS

Now that dank winter's here (at least in northern climes anyway) we could all do with a reminder of those lazy, hazy days of summer...

And what better way than to dream about 2010's beach breaks in a VW camper van - so here's Revell's solution for model fans, the 1:24 scale Samba bus.

This pair of assembled beauties was spotted by Mat Irvine at the UK IPMS Scale ModelWorld show recently, so we thought you'd like a quick peep. It's also a trailer for the next SMN Freeebook which should be ready very soon, and these VWs, plus a host of other showstoppers, will be included for your delectation.

1:144 SCALE APOLLO SATURN V COMING FROM BANDAI

Ready-built models get bigger and better, and Japanese company Bandai’s 1:144 scale Apollo Saturn V just has to be the largest space item ever produced. The ‘full-stack’ Saturn is due in March 2010, and should have all space enthusiasts reaching for their credit cards, though it’s fair to say that the cost will likely be in the wallet-shredding $500-550 USD (£300-330 GBP) price band. Still, for something like this specialist mixed-material item, who’s complaining about price - after all the new Airfix 1:24 Mosquito is north of £120 GBP ($200 USD).

So what does Bandai supply with this 768 mm (30.25 in) high Apollo, produced in cooperation with the Apollo Maniacs website? Firstly, all sections separate like the real thing, including the cylindrical interstages. The Lunar Module (LM) can be linked to or separated from the Command/Service Module (CSM). As for display, the stand is mirrored so you can inspect the detailed Rocketdyne F-1 engine cluster at the base. There’s also an optional lunar surface base for LM, US flag and astronaut figures. A third stand allows the separated rocket sections to be displayed horizontally.

This looks like it’ll be a landmark product, and one we’ll be fascinated to see in closeup when it’s released.

Thanks to Apollo Maniacs for the video.

Visit Apollo Maniacs here.

Amazon Japan is taking discount pre-orders here.

Hobby Link Japan also features the rocket here.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING - AND THE POST WON’T COST YOU A THING

Here’s one for UK visitors only: an ends-on-November-30 offer from Corgi. It’s for free post and packing on anything you order. It’s something of a tempter, especially if you’re already thinking about placing an order.

Corgi’s online shop is full of interesting diecast goodies - the 1:50 scale truck range continues to be a success story, as does the 1:36 scale James Bond series. These are attractively packaged in book-style boxes, with the Pierce Brosnan set a nicely crafted vehicle duo. This one packs the Aston-Martin Vanquish and Jaguar XKR which featured in the movie Die Another Day, one of the best of the newer Bond movies in SMN’s opinion. Not that you have to agree of course - we all have our faves!

The set packs a nice addition, a set of four movie posters: Die Another Day, GoldenEye, The World is Not Enough and Tomorrow Never Dies. All boxes are individually numbered.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 Corgi 1:50 scale trucks.
2 Pierce Brosnan 1:36 scale Bond set.

Have a look at the Corgi online shop here.

And there’s a host of James Bond items here.

AIRFIX 1:24 SCALE MOSQUITO BREAKS COVER AT IPMS SHOW

Report: Mat Irvine
The UK branch of the IPMS (International Plastic Modellers Society) held its annual National Meeting at the International Conference Centre, Telford the weekend before last. There were two main halls, plus a slightly smaller one used for the competition area. The main halls were packed with trading stalls and club stands, which incorporated SIGs (Special Interest Groups) the ‘Interests’ of which ranged widely - Korean War, seaplanes, NASA, Wallace & Gromit and much more besides.

One of the show's prime interests for aircraft fans was the sneak peak of what has to be the most anticipated model kit ever - the Airfix 1:24 scale de Havilland Mosquito. Airfix Product Manager Trevor Snowdon talked kits with customers, while in front of him stood the ‘wooden wonder’ (well, plastic in this iteration) itself, a Mosquito in part-assembled test-shot form. And very nice it looked, with pale-grey parts laid out around. The box was there too, and really showed off the excellent design trend exhibited by Airfix these days - brightly attractive for general buyers, yet clean-looking and serious for experienced ones. Just right.

The Airfix 1:24 scale Mosquito will be available shortly. Meantime, other Mosquito kits are available here.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 Box-art for the initial version of the Airfix 1:24 scale Mosquito.
2 Test-shot of the Mosquito on display.
3 Trevor Snowden, Airfix Product Manager and one of the driving forces behind Airfix since the Humbrol days, discusss models with a customer.

SMN note:
Mat Irvine took many pictures at the IPMS show, and we’re planning to release these in Freeebook form for you shortly. There are many tasty items, so keep checking for the Freeebook release.

CLASSIC SCI-FI COLLECTIBLE DIECASTS FROM A TOY FAIR

SMN chanced upon a handsome diecast two-vehicle boxed set last weekend, a cleanish example of a 1992 Corgi release featuring the lead hero from an old UK comic called the Eagle. Launched in 1950, Eagle was a mega-success, with weekly sales regularly exceeding a million-plus. Its quality production (half in full-colour) made the Eagle unique at the time of launch, as did its lead character: a ‘pilot of the future’ called Dan Dare, whose adventures battling evil aliens such as the ‘melon headed’ Mekon inspired an entire generation of young readers to look up to the stars. Sad to say, successive UK governments proceeded to trash much of the UK’s aerospace industry in the years that followed, but that’s another story...

The 1:43 scale Corgi set features Bedford CA and Volkswagen panel vans, emblazoned with pictures of Dan Dare and the dread Mekon. The diecasts themselves are of fairly average quality, but the bright decals and well-produced box packaging turn them into a charming collectible set for lovers of the genre. The images are taken from the year-long adventure Prisoners of Space that began in May 1954. It’s actually one of the less successful stories, with art that came nowhere near the levels set by Dan Dare’s creator, Frank Hampson, but no matter: Corgi made a fine job of decorating its diecast vehicles. The box works for its living too, with frames from a mini-adventure called Operation Triceratops running around the sides. This story was an eight-pager that ran in the 1954 Eagle Annual.

Is the set an investment? Probably not, as it’s worth only about £10-20 GBP ($17-35 USD) despite the limited 7500 production run. On the bright side, this price range keeps the set firmly buyable for Dan Dare and Eagle collectors.

Incidentally, in 1990 Hawk Books published a full-size reproduction volume featuring both stories. There are newer versions available from Virgin which are are cheaper, but reduced in size. Take your pick!

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 The boxed set, complete with numbered certificate.
2 Bedford CA van.
3 VW van.
4 Hawk Books hardback jacket.
5 Page from the Prisoners of Space strip.

Have a look at the Corgi sets we found on eBay here. If they've been sold by now, a fresh search may bring up some replacements, and also try looking for the Hawk Books hardback if you fancy one.

Copies of the reduced-size Virgin Prisoners of Space can be found here.