Sunday, August 11, 2019

Tara Toy Corporation "Space City Vinyl Playset" with "Galaxy Laser Team" Figures by Timmee, Plus Buck Rogers Fighters by H.G. Toys & A Marx "Giant Martian Landing" Playmat!! WHOA


Very cool score: Dated to 1978 or 1979 just by the text on the cover stating it is "compatible" with figures from the Star Wars, Micronauts and Shogun Warrior franchises which were popular at the time.


Very interesting to see the Timmee Toys "Laser Team" figures reproduced as box art.


Still in business, now relocated to Happauge NY and one of their specialties is carry cases for Hot Wheels, Kenner Star Wars figures and other such smaller toy pieces which need a sturdy storage & carry case for young hands to keep neatened up.



Not sure yet if those fighter type ships are referencing the HG Toys "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" ships included with the "Lot", or if they had just been tucked in there by the original owner for lack of anything better to do with them.




Contents as shipped. And let's start with a look at that Giant Martian Landing playmat, as it was the final tipping point on my decision to acquire the bundle.





Not sure what one of these is actually worth monetarily, but consider it to be just as exciting of a score as the Space City set itself. Surface has become a bit "tacky" from years in storage and am currently airing it out flat on a table in my studio, with an ambition to safely hang it on the wall somehow. And indeed how to store such a thing safely is very much on my mind. Both of my Space Bucket set playmats are folded inside of ziplock bags and drawing a blank on a better method. If you have any ideas sing out in comments or shoot me a message!


Counting it as another step closer to the "Operation Moon Base" Moon Mountain terrain piece.




The components as shipped, with the playmat folded at upper left.


Top: Defense Directorate Fighters
Bottom: Draconian Hatchet Fighters

Both forms derived from the spaceship designs by Ralph McQuarrie produced for the 1979 "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" series. All produced by HG Toys, whether they were germane to the Space City set I doubt and am seeking confirmation. Counting it as another lucky score even though they weren't anything I'd have gone out of my way to acquire. I did watch the show as a 12 year old and it was all about Wilma Deering in her space spandex tights. The fighters were nice, I guess.


I'll just leave this here ...


Same outfit who made the Spacex "Pleasure Cruiser" copy. 


We watched every week ...


...


... and it wasn't because of Twiki.


The "Laser Team" figures which came with the bundle, some noticeably older, some made from differently textured plastic, and most suffering from expected play wear. These were somebody's toys, which is cool in that it gives them age your random Timmee lot up for auction can't speak for. Though sadly it is likely impossible to know which ones shipped with the Space City set from the Tara Factory and which ones may have been obtained by the owner separately. It's a safe bet that the colors of the figures differed from set to set so even finding pix of complete original Space City sets to compare the figures based on color or pose won't help.


But this is a fascinating turn: The two Timmee "Mailbox Robots" from the set. Black one has a hollowed out back ...


The white one does not, and am wondering if this is a way to possibly help date production of Galaxy Laser Team sets?

Here is a post from the "Secret Fun Blog" concerning the GLT reissue by VictoryBuy; The subject of the robot's retooling comes up in the discussion after the main article, with insights by the current director of the Timmee Toys re-issue crew.


Picture does not demonstrate well, but the tooling of the feet is also different: Much wider on the black robot -- Perhaps it was determined the design was top heavy?? Am itching to land one of the big sized Timmee robots even if I have to buy the whole set new.


These interesting objects were also included in the batch -- Immediately recognized the yellow pieces as Marx produced space playset components included in pretty much every scfici themed set they produced from "Tom Corbett Space Academy" thru the 1977 "Galactic Command" collection, possibly "Star Station Seven" set from 1979 as well.


So this is the only real mystery in the "Lot" ... Anyone recognize it? Am thinking it might be one of the random pieces included with Laser Team sets when they came with more than just the figures. It may also attach to the side of the case, haven't had time to fiddle around yet to see.


The telescope identical to the "Operation Moon Base" piece I'd already had, though these are cast in a more pale or lemony yellow. I would like to think they came from the "Giant Martian Landing" set that the playmat had been included with ... And that the vendor has more of it to offer up. Oh yes.


100% Marx. So these and the playmat will now being stored with my "Operation Moon Base" pieces, which hadn't included the camera stand form. Score!!


Now for the cardboard sections which I am leaving be for now, have not yet put the set together as pictured on the cover.



The "rocket", which I think works better on its side anyway and if you ask me is the weakest part of the collection in terms of design. Triangular section next to it would fit into the slots to be a side detail. I'm keeping it boxed up inside of the rocket itself.



Can't see the nice engine nozzles on the side.




Boxed back up until next time, and I decided that all of my Timmee figures go with inside there from now on. Will figure out what to do with the Buck Rogers ships and study the packaging for ideas on how to make my own Space Toy set.


(Unboxing mail video for completists. And warning: I hadn't had my coffee yet.)

No comments:

Post a Comment