MPC Clones: Unique Industries No. 8889 Space Cake Set

While we're still on the subject of MPC 54mm astronauts (ahem, were we? I thought I finished that up yesterday - oh well). Here's an interesting set from Unique Industries, the No. 8889 Space Cake Set. It is cake topper set consisting of a combination of candle holders, an LP Mobile Launch Pad (minus the wheels) and three MPC Astronaut figures. The set is undated and at the moment I couldn't tell you if these are clones made from different tooling or made from the original tooling which apparently was still somewhere to be had in Hong Kong??? Anywwho - Enjoy! Opa Fritz

The Falcon 9 Rocket With The Crew Dragon Capsule Has Launched

Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have launched from their Florida pad in the Crew Dragon capsule sitting atop the Falcon 9 rocket becoming the first Americans since 2011 to launch from U.S. soil! God speed!

Unfortunately I was so caught up with the moment I forgot to get screen grabs of the actual lift-off LOL - Opa Fritz

MPC 54mm Astronaut Color Variations

I haven't had a lot of time to take pics out in The Cave but thought it would be a good idea to cap off my series of MPC 54mm Astronaut photo essays by showing the various color variations.  These are all the variations I have and there may be more out there. I'm thinking yellow - did they make yellow? Yes they did - a quick search while I was typing this post revealed some yellow ones out there. I'll be on the look-out for anything different than what's shown here. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

1969 Multiple Toymakers Set No. 665 United States Spacemen

It's 1969 and Multiple is now a division of Miner Industries. Astronauts are now referred to as Spacemen - well, okay, at least in this particular set - and they've gone from 150 garishly colored figures to "Not less than 58 figures" in a more patriotic red, white, and blue. I don't know how many different bags and sets of figures were offered by Multiple during its lifetime but am willing to bet the two sample shown on the blog to-date aren't the only ones! Enjoy! Opa Fritz

MPC 54 mm Astronaut #10

This pose is essentially the same as #9 but with an outstretched arm. He's not a modified figure because I have a bunch of these purchased over the years from different sources (unfortunately I didn't have a lighter blue version of him to match all the others in this series. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

MPC 54 mm Astronaut #9

This astronaut is carrying a coil of rope and what appears to be a sextant. Okay, so if sextant's are used for celestial navigation then would his purpose be to map the Moon - or at least that tiny slivver he's exploring??? I can't imagine him wandering too far from his spacecraft so he wouldn't be getting lost where ever it is he landed. I dunno. Let's just chalk it up to cool astronaut figure. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

MPC 54 mm Astronaut #8

Here's a guy collecting samples with what appears to be a 'grabber' or third hand. Enjoy! Opa Fritz