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COLLECTING 007 – UK CORGI Toys
WRITTEN &
COMPILED BY KEVIN HARPER |
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Roger Moore's next 007
adventure literally went out of this world in 1979, and with no cars
suitable for release as a scale model, CORGI looked to the title itself
and released a Moonraker Space Shuttle with retractable
undercarriage and opening cargo bay doors. The shuttle was accompanied by
a red and gold satellite with folding solar panels, which could be housed
within the model. The shuttle casing was repurposed by CORGI as a NASA
Space Shuttle in 1980, and available at the same time as the Moonraker
‘Junior’ version. Although not as iconic as its predecessors the
Moonraker space shuttle still became highly collectible in its own
right. A special mounted boxed edition was presented to His Royal Highness
Prince Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh at the Royal World Charity Premiere of Moonraker, held at
London's ODEON Leicester Square on the evening of June 26, 1979. The
presentation was made by Sasha Auerbach [son of United Artists senior
vice-president Norbert Auerbach (1922-2019)] who attended the premiere wearing a
silver space suit. |
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CORGI
649 – Space Shuttle (1979) |
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CORGI
E41 – Space Shuttle (1979) |
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The obligatory smaller
CORGI version of the Space Shuttle was issued simultaneously with its
larger-scale companion in August 1979 and was later released several times in different
packaging, eventually losing all reference to the film Moonraker
itself (although keeping the Drax decals). By 1979 the ‘Junior’ brand name
had now been discontinued by CORGI. The same model with different decals
was released as a NASA Shuttle, and again in 1981 to accompany a
Blake's 7 Star Ship ‘Liberator’ model. The smaller edition of the
Moonraker space Shuttle retained its retractable undercarriage and
opening cargo doors to reveal the fixed payload. These features were the
same on all editions of the shuttle. |
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In 1980 the smaller
CORGI Space Shuttle was available in a twin-pack (E2521) with the Drax
Jet Ranger. Unusually CORGI used the same packaging to sell surplus
stocks of the ‘Junior’ Lotus Esprit (E60) and Aston Martin (E40),
neither of which had any connection to the film Moonraker.
However, all four models were later packaged together again with the Jaws
Telephone Service Van in 1981 as part of another
James Bond Gift Set
(E3082). As these sets were primarily designed to be sold around
Christmas time the packaging was naturally discarded, and complete
examples are
consequently very hard to find in good condition on the collectors
market.
Joining the
Moonraker Space Shuttle in 1979 was the Drax Jet Ranger. This
model was the same as the Stromberg Helicopter released two years
earlier, but with a new colour scheme and decals. The 1979 edition
still retained the firing rockets, although this feature did not
appear on the helicopter seen in the film Moonraker (1979).
Like its Stromberg predecessor, the Drax Jet Ranger was only ever
issued in the standalone film-themed packaging, and withdrawn from the
catalogue before the release of the next film in the series.
In 1979 CORGI also
promoted the Lotus Esprit (#269) and Aston Martin DB5 (#271) which
were still available individually, and in 1980 were packaged along with the Moonraker Shuttle (#649) in
Gift Set No. 22, marking the
last time models from different films appeared together. |
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CORGI
930 – Drax Jet Ranger (1979) |
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CORGI
E73 – Drax Jet Ranger (1979) |
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In 1979 the Drax Jet
Ranger was also issued as a smaller model alongside the Moonraker
Space Shuttle and also joined by a new version of the Aston Martin (first
issued in 1967 as E1001). Although model number E40 is seen in the catalogue
and on packaging, the underside of the vehicle on some
later versions stated ‘Aston Martin DB6’, meaning it was the same casing
issued a decade earlier. The 1979 CORGI catalogue (pictured above)
illustrates the model last seen in the 1972 catalogue. This version
(E1001) has larger wheels than the 1979 issue which now appeared in a
smaller blister-pack featuring a blue gun barrel and contemporary Union
Jack 007 logo. This packaging was revised in subsequent reissues to
feature the generic Roger Moore artwork (seen on the poster for The Man
With The Golden Gun painted by Robert McGinnis), and then the
full-length pose used on For Your Eyes Only (1981) posters. The
CORGI Aston Martin (E40) has been reissued many times since first
appearing as a ‘Husky Extra’ in 1966/67; with 5-spoked or 10-spoked
wheels, and either a dull-silver or metallic-silver finish. The bandit
passenger figure was now crudely modelled in red plastic, and in later
versions lost its legs! |
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CORGI
E40 – Aston Martin (1979) |
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CORGI C1361
– Aston Martin Twin Pack (1982) |
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CORGI also issued the E40
1:64 scale Aston Martin DB5 in a twin pack (C1361) with the 1:36 scale
C271 version from 1978. This set was apparently only issued in very small
numbers, and consequently one of the hardest to find on the collectors
market. The packaging also had a detachable pictorial header card. Also
included in a little opaque bag were two spare blue bandit figures, and
one smaller red bandit for the CORGI Junior version. |
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Next... CORGI 272 Citroën 2CV &
Octopussy Gift Set |
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