In the process of creating the Corgi catalogue that I publish online I have, over the last 7 or 8 years, bought at least one of nearly everything issued in the 1956-70s era but one or two models have not appeared here on my desk for some reason or another. This is one of them - or it was until today. I had seen these from time to time in listings but they usually had something missing or were as new in a box and expensive.
This one is a typical example of what I like to find - something that has been played with and is not immaculate but is complete, attractive, works as it should and has no broken parts. I am not too concerned with boxes, especially for this vintage, which came in quite flimsy window boxes and seldom do they survive well. I do see, however, that this one would have had a nice moon-crater style polystyrene base within the box so maybe I would have liked one of these after all.
I was surprised by the size. It always looked quite tiny in the adverts and listings. there is, of course, no scale as I understand that this was simply invented by Corgi's designers, probably using many sci-fi images as inspiration. It does look, to me, like something that might have worked and it has a rather cheerful look about it.
The wheels can be folded up and down so that it has a curious stance, whatever angle you place them at looking wrong and if you press down they fold up anyway. The wheels themselves are chromed and quite attractive and unlike anything else I have seen on a Corgi model although they would quite suit some.
There are two blue plastic wings which can be folded out, reminiscent of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Car. The rear door drops down and there is enough room inside to fit a small car although I have yet to find something that will fit. Maybe an Alfa P33 or Barchetta Runabout or something else that would have been around at the time. It does seem a shame to have this nice opening panel and nothing to go inside. Having thought about it, though, the moon's surface is no place for either of the vehicles I mentioned!
Inside is a blue plastic base and it is glazed with yellow-tinted windows to teh sides and clear at the front.
On the roof are two shiny chrome and red plastic jet engines.