C is for Chopper . . . Ace!

Putting the images Richard sent away on the dongle I found a load of stuff from 2011, which came out of the last time I looked at Bluebird here (bottom left shot, but I think I'll re-do all those blue-bird articles, I cropped/collaged them very oddly? I was still learning how both Blogger and Picasa work I guess)! Sent by Ryan Davis as part of an image swap, I don't know why I didn't Blog them at the time, but I used to be bad at recognising 'contributions'; presuming private emails to be err . . . private! It's probably an Asperger's thing?

If you sent me stuff back then (2008-2012'ish) and wondered why I never posted it on the Blog - remind me and I'll rectify the omission! In the meantime here's something which looks like Zero Hour but isn't! From the 1992 (?) Bluebird catalogue courtesy of Mr. Davis.

The set got a whole page to itself in the Catalogue and I've further cropped the images out below. Most of it is imminently forgettable as a cheap 'placky' novelty, but it's the figures which caused the stir, I posted them on the original posts as 'can't find them in the catalogues Zero Hour', and Ryan kindly ID'd them as coming from this set.

Although a cheap plastic toy, removal of the rotors and a bit of a paint-job might give you some airborne capability for you 'Space Marines'; the rear landing-gear is quite Gerry Anderson'esque I think?

Sooooo . . . let's get this straight: One wrong move on the part of the pilot and you're going to be wearing a couple of tons of lifting hook as a face-ornament? Good luck with that then!

There was a rash of these toys at the end of the 1970's, Airfix and Tyco (?) to the fore - I seem to recall, some bombing, some dropping (one dropping parachutes), others picking things up, this drops and picks up!

I don't know if it can go backwards or if - upon missing - you have to go round and try again, but if it does (did!) go backwards you could pick up both chaps at the same time! When I get everything out of storage I'll have to check the odd & sods boxes, to see if I have some of the stores. Finally reads the blub - Yes it goes backwards!

Although the figures are Zero Hour compatible, the 'Red Angel' / Chooper Ace set is very civilian, in outlook/setting, which was a growing trend by the late 1980's as we know from the dearth of figures around at the time; at least there were these!