Now that the shops are full of Christmas displays, I was thinking about toys that I got for Christmas when I was a boy. The great thing about the internet is that you can now research the history of these items, get pictures too.
The years after the 1969 moon landing were magical. Between 1969 and 1973 there were seven manned Apollo lunar landings. The excitement surrounding these events was also evident in the toys available in the stores. I remember having a super Airfix Saturn V rocket, but one toy that eluded me was Johnny Astro. The box says it all:
Really Flies
No Wires
No connections
Full Spacecraft Control
I wanted this toy soooo much that I prayed every night in the run up to Christmas. The TV ads of the time showed a circular white balloon floating or flying gently in the air, guided by you onto the landing area. Unfortunately, it seems, the ads promised something entirely different from the actual product. I have now found out that the toy was nothing more than a variable speed fan which was used to blow the balloon onto the landing area. Apparently it was impossible and so it is with relief to discover, over 35 years later, that my disappointment at not getting this toy was somewhat misplaced.
OK so that’s one trauma dealt with and now just another three and half thousand to go.
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