The action man thread got me thinking (merge if need be mods, please). What other childhood toys did you have? What really sticks out for you? My brother and I never got anything (except for birthdays) throughout the year and then at Christmas my dad went mad. I remember 'Astro Wars' wish I still had it. Got one of these on the loft still in it's box and working great played on it last month to check if it was still working. On my loft i have also a space invaders, electronic battleship and an electric football game all in working order.
Super Balls and didn't those blighters bounce over houses http://the60sofficialsite.com/Toys_and_Games.html
You are mostly much too young to be house monitors. I remember a crystal set with moving iron headphones of high impedance with the earth connected to the pipe leading to the gas poker ( for lighting the coal fire ) and the aerial connected to the socket for the V.H.F. television aerial on the roof. Received a BBC station. Also the gang which owned Triang electric train sets with two rails and a grey plastic base versus the boys who had the Hornby sets with three rails and a metal painted base.
And don't forget meccano....spent hours with this stuff, should have kept it based on these prices Joel Perlin, Metal Construction Toy Specialist
Anyone remember the Chad Valley Projector with slide show? Keith Oh yes, my Auntie & Uncle gave me that for Christmas one year, wow, totally forgot about that until now. Cheers
I never had one but I remember being fascinated (and spending hours playing) with a relative's helicopter toy. As far as I can remember it was an electric heli which rotated about a central pivot with a metal arm. There were (I think) 2 controls, one must have been rotor speed, the other rotor pitch or heli angle, probably the latter. Idea was to take off, fly a circuit or two then land on a small helipad. Might even have been a hook underneath to pick up small objects. Anyone remember this or similar - what was it called?
I never had one but I remember being fascinated (and spending hours playing) with a relative's helicopter toy. As far as I can remember it was an electric heli which rotated about a central pivot with a metal arm. There were (I think) 2 controls, one must have been rotor speed, the other rotor pitch or heli angle, probably the latter. Idea was to take off, fly a circuit or two then land on a small helipad. Might even have been a hook underneath to pick up small objects. Anyone remember this or similar - what was it called? http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/02/500x_custom_1266441430236_ww2.jpg this maybe ? or http://www.sprinklerdoc.com/vertibird.jpg
That looks like it - brilliant! A Vertibird eh? In my memory the heli body looked different and the controls don't seem quite right - it was either an older version or my memory is playing tricks again. What was the question?
Just said to Owen - wonder how much they are now if you can find one on ebay? One available now 2nd hand, one from Italy 1970 fctory sealed £447.47! mattel vertibird | eBay
Had that. And that (flawed, deeply flawed). And one of them. ZX81, Just retrieved from loft, bought it for my daughters in the early 80's, see photos taken a few minutes ago, will have to see if still works later. Ken. Prepare to be disappointed, Ken La-di-da, bet you had a BBC micro as well. http://www.play.com/Gadgets/Gadgets/4-/14398006/Big-Trak/Product.html# And that is why you were spoilt. I still retain a mild hate for all owners of bigtraks in the 80s, I wanted one so much. Even seeing how rubbish they are now hasn't cured me. Now you're talking. Nostalgia attack. I loved this game... Still good - remember the tank battle one by the same company? Here we go: Tank Command: RETRO 1975 Ideal Tank Command Game 2 Players - Boxed | eBay Though I really can't remember if it was rubbish or not, seem to recall pulling strings to blow 'em up... and a vague feeling of disappointment. Careful revisiting your heroes, feet of clay and all that. I was at the Space centre in Leicester and they had a display of all the original space lego I had & loved. I will never slag my boys' Lego off for having 'too many special bits' again, theirs is blindingly good and the old stuff looks frankly dull by comparison.
After a brief spell in hospital my parents got me these for being so brave - bless. Argh, another nostalgia attack. I'd totally forgotten about those camp Lone Ranger figures. I'm starting to wonder if our parents shopped in the same toyshop, Drew.
Hahaha I was just thinking of that game and how you blew the tanks up. I got it as a present one Xmas and nearly wet myself when I unwrapped it.....My parents always said I was spoilt. 35 years on I'm finally begining to believe them
Meccano came one night in a large bag made of heavy curtain material with lots of Dinky bulldozers missing their rubber tracks. Came from the brothers opposite, one of whom built the crystal set with an iron heated in the fire. As for Helicopters, they came from Standard Fireworks and were 6d or 9d and were a rocket head without the stick and two cardboard wings stapled on. They were the big brother of Standard Fireworks Aeroplanes complete with RAF roundels which were 4d, but they only had one wing. Place on a flat smooth surface, light the blue touch-paper and it took off and went over into next door's and set something on fire. Then chuck a jumping jack into the crowd. All good fun. A Whirly-Bird was a kite with a plastic body and two metal wires like sparklers wires set out at a dihedral of about ten per cent and a piece of plastic wing in an aerofoil shape with the wire as an axle which whirled as the wind blew it and gave it lift. Welsh seaside, Aberfechan?, circa 1959. Bit tricky to unravel the string from the rotors after a crash.
