M is for Marx and Matchbox

While digging out the Marx WWII G.I's the other day from the 'Marx - Odd Sizes' box; I found my little 'space' fire engine, God knows where it came from, although I remember having other vehicles from the range as stocking-fillers one Christmas when we were kids. I seem to remember the guys over at Moonbase Central showed a few a while back, and a Google search might help find the article, although they are starting to add 'tags' to their blog now.

So here it is with the 30mm Space Commandos from the Matchbox 'Adventure 2000' series of 1977. There was a bit of a fad for this type of vehicle around the early 1970's, as I also remember small animals with similar wheels (mouse, puppy, kitten etc...) and others with wind-back-and-run motors.

Having enhanced the fire truck 'photo-shoot' with the Matchbox figures, we may as well have a look at them - all three from both sides, they are in a pale blueish-silver metallic polyethylene and are in the same rather dated style as the Airfix 54mm set that would follow these in 1981, not surprising as both lots were the work of one man - Ronald Cameron!

HG, a US play-set issuer in the 1980's produced several Buck Rogers sets with cheap Hong Kong rip-offs of the Matchbox figures, which were slightly larger, slightly cruder and a more greyish-silver, the HG figure is the left-hand one in both shots above. Click and enlarge the image and you'll see the faint 'HONGKONG' on the much fatter base.

A few lose-ends; A nice painted figures that came in with a mixed lot - top left. The connecting plate that held the figures in under the card liner to the box and the little spruletts - as I call them - on the base of the figures in the shots top right. All three can be found with them but only the two ray-gunners are joined.

We looked at similar nodules Here and the main perpose of them is to ensure that the figure itself moulds completely by giving the hot resin somewhere to flow to 'beyond' the product itself, rather like the channels in a hot-metal mould.

Being metallic, these figures are starting to get quite brittle now, a fate they share with the very similar coloured Marx navy and others, bottom left shows the detritus in the bottom of their tub! The final shot - bottom right is a comparison with other Matchbox products, showing how Mr. Cameron has his favourite poses, with two Battle Kings and a figure from the Super King airport crash tender.

Added 17th July 2012;

Courtesy of Gog over at Toys from the Past comes this image of the guys in situ, the box is actually a reproduction, but a good one! Might actually be an original...translation issues!