hough it may be hard for young fans to believe, back in the 1950s and
early 1960s, SF toys were a relative rarity. There were
some simple products derived from various televised adventures, and a few
gadgets were gleaned from the emerging space program, but often the most
beloved science fiction trinkets were inventive tin spaceships imported from Japan.
Today, a company called Rocket USA is dedicated to recreating the magic of those vintage metal playthings. Best known among toy collectors for The Gang of Five robot series, the firm has recently introduced four fresh items under the Mars Patrol brand name.
The flagship of the new line is the battery-powered Mars Explorer. This saucer-shaped vehicle, which is about eight inches in diameter, features a Martian pilot and rotating radar dish, both visible under a clear plastic bubble, along with flashing lights, bump-and-go action and sound effects.
There are also two rockets dubbed the MP-1 and Raider X-1. These three-wheeled, friction-powered vessels are about 10 inches long and made almost entirely of tin. The spacecraft have detailed lithography which clearly illustrate laser cannons, hatches and cockpit windows. Production runs are limited to 12,000 per ship, and every toy comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity.
The other new novelty is Space Rocket Express, which is basically a small, unadorned wind-up vehicle that zips along a six-by-ten-inch tin tray in a figure-eight pattern. The track is covered with 1950s-style drawings of spaceships, planets and astronauts.
Real retrorockets
When the Mars Pathfinder beamed back the first austere images of the Red Planet, some science fiction aficionados were undoubtedly disappointed that there weren't at least a couple of little green men scurrying around the
surface. While the Mars Patrol ships obviously aren't going to make aliens miraculously appear, there's little question that the toys will stir fond memories for older fans and spark the imaginations of speculative
enthusiasts of all ages.
Watching the Mars Explorer scoot along the floor, maneuvering around obstacles while emitting electronic beeps that mimic the "Ack! Ack!" cries of the alien invaders in Mars Attacks! is sheer pleasure. Some adults might find the noise annoying after a few minutes, but the multicolored lights, spinning radar and careening action should briefly entertain even the most jaded SF devotee.
The two collectable rockets are also highly enjoyable, with the green-and-red MP-1, which features an imposing quartet of painted cannons, representing the good guys, and the dark blue Raider X-1, with a skull-and-lightning bolt insignia on the tail fin, delineating the forces of evil. Although not overly complex, these classically styled vehicles are inviting, and they should nicely accent any armada of toy spaceships.
Simple but elegant, the Space Rocket Express is pleasurable too, and like the other items, it inevitably brings out the child within everyone. These playthings are certainly not the most sophisticated SF novelties on the market, but for fans of old-school SF, the Mars Patrol tin toys are undeniably fanciful and fun.
