Ajax 80mm Space Figures and Space Sets - Pt 10 Ajax #50784 Missile Set

Shown in the book 'Blast Off - Rockets, Robots, Ray Guns, and Rarities from The Golden Age of Space Toys!' by S. Mark Young, Steve Duin, and Mike Richardson, this is the Ajax #50784 Missile Set. Right up front I have to tell you - I cheated! Unfortunately, I didn't buy these pieces as a 'set', but rather gathered the components from my collection of Ajax spacemen and Processed Plastic missiles/rockets. As a fatter-of-mact, this was the only missile/rocket in my collection with the correct second stage.

Looking at the first two photos below, you'll notice the 2nd stage is tapered, but most of my PP examples are nearly perpendicular except for the one I used for the set. Also, the extract from 'Blast Off' shows the upper stages without any kind of firing or launch mechanism. On my sample, the original had a launching final stage as well as a teeny-tiny satellite (not used in the photos). Moreover, the peel-&-stick appliques' are different on mine than those shown in the book extract.

This isn't the end of my Ajax coverage as I still have to photograph all those other figures I discovered out in The Cave this past week. That said, it might still be a few days/week before I start posting those.

Ed

Extract from 'Blast Off'

(L) Tapered 2nd stage (R) Nearly perpendicular 2nd stage

My sample has the launch lever and different appliques on the 2nd and 3rd stages. 

Still, it's a decent representation of the Ajax set.

Processed Plastics No. 5759 Laser Rescue Team Set

Now here's a really cool set I purchased during the lockdown, and - if I'm not mistaken - came from The Netherlands (or was it Belgium??). Anywho, while it did take a while to get here, the wait was worth it. This set comes with a 'ray gun' (flashlight), a ray gun rifle which makes clicking noises, and one of Processed Plastics iconic spaceships with two astronaut figures measuring 1.5"H (3.81cm). Enjoy! Opa Fritz

The battery compartment is on the side facing the cardboard and I did not remove the rifle to test it out.

This appears to be the heat shield from the capsule

My Very First Attempt At An 'Artsy' Diorama

This photo was taken in 2007 - 3years before the blog was started! I was starting to get really interested in collecting toys and photographing them. Doing a blog hadn't even entered my noggin then. This was cobbled together using printouts culled from the Internet. The cratered moon surface and the photo of Saturn were printed out, cut out, then attached to pieces of black foamcore. The rocket I could've sworn at the time was MPC but it turns out it was Processed Plastic. It was the kind of rocket ship I had as a kid and spurned me on to collect ever more space toys and to figure out who actually made them because it was apparent my memory sucked! The two figures are modern era Made-in-China astronauts. The whole affair was set up out in The Cave and a bunch of photos taken with this being my personal favorite. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

Processed Plastic Co. Titan Rocket aka ICBM Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

With this addition to the Processed Plastic Spaceship / Rocket Ship fleet I believe I have all the major variations in regards to the styles they made BUT not in regard to the type and placement in applique's. I'll explain in a second or two. If you've been following the mini-series I ended up doing on Processed Plastic rocket variations. The below photo shows pretty much what I've covered to-date. This latest addition differs in that the final stage of the rocket has a very small spring-loaded nose cone with a teen, tiny satellite! Good grief those things had to have gotten lost pretty soon after buying one of these!! The rocket measures 11 1/4" (28.57cm) H overall and 2 1/2" (6.35cm) wide fin-to-fin. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

Processed Plastic played pretty fast and loose with that 'Titan' designation, plastering it on larger rockets as well as my smaller version. Look at the wide variety of applique's and how they're used on the different variations. As usual with toy companies, historical accuracy was not a prerequisite for designing and selling toys!

As you can see in the photo below of one of these rockets in its original packaging, this thing was also called an "#920 Unbreakable Atlas Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic Missile'  - whew! what a mouthful LOL

Photos courtesy of Charles Davenport

The #920 designation was also used for this version of the smaller rocket:

My 'Titan' version

Processed Plastic Apollo Moon Rocket v3

It seems like every time I turn round Processed Plastic is throwing a curve my way. Masters at recycling toys they swap out an applique' here, a color there and voila' a 'new' toy!

Here's a pic culled from eBay showing a carded version of what PP calls the "Apollo Moon Rocket", yet clearly it is a Gemini capsule not an Apollo! I've labeled this 'Processed Plastic Apollo Moon Rocket v1' because I have a photo of a known packaging calling the toy an 'Apollo Rocket'. Notice it uses the 'USAF" applique' in vertical script on the rocket.

 My sample is in the same colors however the first stage is different. On my sample the rocket nacelles are flush with the outside of the fuselage. Notice the applique's do not mention 'Apollo'.

Here's another sample that I refer to as Processed Plastic Apollo Moon Rocket v2. In this one the plastic parts all match up to the carded version shown above. Here you see the engine nacelles are flared. The biggest differences are: -The flip-flop colors 

-The applique's is clearly labeled 'APOLLO" in bold, horizontal script on the first stage

-The capsule is closed. There are no openings to show off the two astronauts

Now let's get on to the latest sample which I've labeled Processed Plastic Apollo Moon Rocket v3. All the castings are the same as v2 however in lieu of the 'APOLLO" sticker, on the first stage there's an American flag on the capsule. After looking at my v2 version there doesn't appear to be any residue from a sticker on the capsule so this may be one of PP's inexhaustible hocus-pocus acts.

 The Processed Plastic fleet as it stands today with size, color, and applique' differences.