R is for Rocket . . . USA!

That rocket I posted from Terranova the other month, which I thought might be MP for Mars Patrol . . . it was MP for Mars Patrol!

I based my assumptive presumption of a guess on the fact that the tail logo seemed to graphically represent two similar planets orbiting a larger sun, at similar -but different - distances from it!

Turns out it is a modern reproduction of an original tin-plate toy, although reproduction isn't the correct phrase, it's a re-issue from the original Masudaya moulds, commissioned by Rocket USA who set themselves up to source the Japanese toys of the 1950's and 1960's, committed to issuing toys from . . .

"America's Space Age of Innocence: a time when space exploration and robotics were in the beginning stages and every man, woman and child was full of fanciful notions about robots, space travel and galaxies beyond."

My cursory search has also thrown up licensed toys with Futurama and The Day the Earth Stood Still themes.

I don't know if they are still going, gone bust or just don't have a website, however, you can still get the MP-1, but in a different box - here and they'll be watching the orange Mekon carefully for announcements of forthcoming tariffs, if they are!

The figures turned out to be TMNT castings from Dark Horse Miniatures