Hot Wheels In Spaaaaaaaace!!!

Hello again from the World O' Blogs where I get to write about pretty much anything I want to! This week, we are going to focus on another one of my collections; Hot Wheels! Now, although I have tons of the little spectro-flame red lines fron the 60's and 70's, we are going to look at a more rocketry related item (aren't you glad I got around to rockets?)

In 1998, John Glenn returned to space on STS 95. The Mattel company saw fit to honor him in that same year with the "John Glenn, Great American Hero Action Pack." I, of course, just had to snag one as soon as they came out!

Now to those of you who thought Hot Wheels just did little cars, may I point out that they have done planes and even spacecraft before (which makes the whole "wheels" thing a little weird) so this pack really wasn't as strange as it may sound.

The Action Pack comes with not one, but three Glenn figures (Astronaut Glenn 1962, Senator Glenn, and Astonaut Glenn 1998), the Mercury Friendship 7 vehicle, and the Space Shuttle Discovery. It also comes with a "U.S. Spaceflight" booklet, but I have no idea what it says because I've never opened it.

So, here are the pictures of my unopened Action Pack:

If you want one, you can find them on Ebay for about ten bucks, including shipping.

Until next time, fly 'em fast and high!

To Collect, Or To Punch Holes in the Sky?

Hello campers!
This week, I'm going to discuss a problem that haunts all Plastic Model Conversion nuts (and, yes, I meant to use that term).  The all consuming question is....well, it's the name of this article.

On one hand, if you love plastic models, you don't want to risk destroying them....especially if they are even the least bit "collectable." On the other hand, the thrill of seeing that heavy hunk of plastic ripping off of the pad with tons of fire and smoke....well, it don't get much better than that! So, what to do?

Case in point: my Lindberg 1/48 scale MiG-31 Foxhound A. On the collector side of the argument is the fact that it came out in the 80's and hasn't been made in several years. You can still find them on eBay, but you will pay between 30 and 50 bucks for one.

On the "let 'er rip" side, you have the fact that 1/48 scale is perfect for PMC (this baby would eat two 24mm motors for breakfast!) and it's just an all-around cool model. Also, it's pretty simple, so conversion would be straight forward.

Here are some pics:

The box art is pretty cool...

The instructions are a single sheet. 

The parts are high quality, and pretty flash free.

Yes, that's a D12 sitting comfortably in the business end...

So, there you have it. It would make a killer PMC, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to it. Maybe this year? Maybe not? I guess we'll just have to wait and see....

Until next time, fly 'em fast and high!

Retro Rockets From Florida!

Welcome to my 100th post!

This week we are going to feature a model rocketry catalog so rare that ever Ninfinger doesn't have it! (Ninfinger has just about everything, check them out at http://www.ninfinger.org ) So for your enjoyment, here is my 1988 Pine Cap catalog!

I don't live here any more....

So, there you have it! There are a lot of ideas for things you could clone. Most of these probably look pretty cool built up. Sorry about the coffee stain in the pictures. Since I don't drink coffee, I'm not sure how that happened!

Well, thanks for celebrating number 100 with me! Until next time, fly 'em fast and high!

Meet George Jetson!

We've been looking at some plastic models lately. Some converted to fly, and some not. This week, we look at a "not." In about 2004, Polar Lights released The Jetsons' Spaceship. I think I would have called it a "Space Car," but that's just me. I found one at Hobby Lobby soon after it came out and I snatched it up!

There are some kits that make you immediately start to plan about engine placement, nose weight, etc. There are others that are cool enough to be shelf- sitters. This is the latter. The huge bubbled saucer shape, with almost no interior, makes flight conversion pretty impossible.

That being said, it is a great model anyway. The kit is beyond simple. It only has about 10 parts, it is all pre-painted, and it goes together in about 30 minutes. For that complete lack of effort you are rewarded with a cool little space car that hosts the complete Jetson clan! (Come on, you know you want to sing that theme song!) My only gripe is that the stand is a little wimpy. Mine broke, but I was able to fix it, so no harm, no foul.

Here are the pictures!

So there ya have it! Until next time, fly 'em fast and high!