Marx Battleground, Training Center, and Other Military Playset Pieces - Bomarc Missile Launcher

This was an oddity for Marx in that, unlike other projectile firing toys they made which were all fired via springs, this one was rubber band powered. First appearing in 1960's Cape Canaveral playset, it then showed up in a 1961 Combat Set. The platform is 11.5" (29.21cm) square x 1" (2.54cm) H to top of railings x 9.5"L (24.13cm) overall with launch rack in down position.

Ed

1960 Cape Canaveral Set with Bomarc Missile Launcher

1961 Combat Set with Bomarc Missile Launcher

Deluxe Reading Missile Defense Base Clone in HO-ish Scale - Pt 4 (Final) Figures and Set-up

This series of small missile base toys was included in a purchase of Tri-ang's Spacex Earth Launch Pad Set #1176-20 (which will be the subject of our next series). They are not Tri-ang, but rather extras the seller included with the sale - Yay! With them came three 35mm figures which is definitely larger than HO scale (which would be 25mm/1"). However, the launch pad, missile battery, and truck do look a bit better with smaller figures. Be Blessed and Relish Life! Ed

Here's the set of figures included in the original. full-size Deluxe Reading Rocket Base U.S.A. set. I believe these were 54mm, but verification is needed.

(Culled from  eBay)

Here's the set the clones were included with (but are not original to), as well as a few photos of everything set-up

Unk Mfr - Deluxe Reading Missile Defense Base Clone in HO-ish Scale - Pt 1

Two years ago, this set of toys was included as part of  a boxed Tri-ang Spacex Earth Launch Pad Set #1176-20 that I got off of fleaBay and has yet to be blogged (my bad!). The set itself was nearly complete but the seller threw in these Missile Defense Base clones as part of the deal.  The best way to describe this is to let the expert - Paul Vreede - describe it:

Missile Defense Base Clone

By Paul Vreede

LP command centre | Triang Spacex & Golden Astronaut toys (triangspacextoys.info)

"The origin of the LP command centre is the Missile Defence Base that's part of the Rocket Base by Deluxe Reading Toys, which is twice the scale as the LP toys. It dates from ca. 1962 and was also made in the UK. Despite the soft-nosed tips on the rockets, the powerful springs launching them would have this toy considered unsafe by today's standards!

The Deluxe rocket base was copied in H0 scale by an unknown Hong Kong manufacturer. The example above is missing the firing platform, but it's identical to the one below which was made in Singapore by Blue Box, and which clearly shows what the LP command centre is based on.
Moonbase Central has a picture of the box for the Blue Box version, which they sold on its own with a few astronaut figures (opens in new window)."

Fortunately, I was able to get the Missile Launch pad in the deal and so have all three major components - albeit a bit worse for wear. However, I only have one of the three missiles. In addition, my haul had three figures, none of which are shown in Paul's photo but may represent a larger compliment of figures. As usual, I'm gonna break this down into several separate posts, so stick around for the ride! Be Blessed and Relish Life! Ed

Processed Plastics Co. No. 920 USAF Surface to Air Missile - Or Not

Uh-oh, what happened? Waaaay back on 16 Oct 2010 I posted the photo below as an MPC Rocket Ship. This was one of my first posts after starting the blog. At the time I had no idea who actually made it but it was one of those toys I had as a kid and fondly remembered. My faulty memory, along with no reference books to help in my endeavors, made me attribute it to MPC of which I had many toys as a kid. Well, since then of course that error has been rectified and now know it to be Processed Plastics.

Okay fine. So the other week I was taking photos of the Processed Plastics fleet and after digging out all the No. 920 missiles/rockets I could find this is what I came up with: two each missiles that match in size and proportions to the mint-on-card sample I have, and two each missiles which are shorter!

Okay, what's up wit dat??

This begs the question: Are the shorter missiles later production modified to cut down on materials used, or are they knock-offs? 

Oh good grief. 

Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

Processed Plastics No. 920 USAF Surface to Air Missile - S'More

Got some more (S'More) pics for you of Processed Plastics No. 920 Surface to Air Missile. You'll notice the colors are the same but applied differently on each stage of the missile as the one shown in yesterday's post. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

This was a quick-&-dirty photo set-up using the backdrop I painted several years ago and a B&W print-out of the Moon's surface (a pic I culled from the Net) that I simply cut-out and placed on top of a sheet of black foamcore. The figure is an MPC astronaut.