BigToyTalk

Tonner Doll Company Miss Piggy dressed character figure

by Eleanor de Bruin
She’s a style icon, a feminist icon and a role model for curvy girls everywhere, and now thanks to Sideshow Collectibles you can own a 16-inch high version of her. We refer of course to the legend that is Miss Piggy.

This Tonner Doll Company Miss Piggy is dressed for a glamorous night out, wearing an elegant sparkly dress and, according to Kermit, matching sparkly knickers. She’s sure to hog the limelight, as she has accessorised the outfit perfectly with long purple gloves and her signature pearls, and we’re pleased to see that despite her fame Miss Piggy still has a regard for animal welfare, as her little high-heeled shoes are made of faux leather.

In recognition of the fact that different people prefer different looks in a lady, Miss Piggy comes with custom-made changeable wigs to transform her into whatever you find most attractive, be that blonde or... very blonde.

The doll is also multi-jointed to allow her to indulge in a few of her famous karate chops, and changeable wings make this pig look like she might fly.

The Limited Edition Miss Piggy is available for pre-order at around $99.99 and is expected to ship in the next few weeks.

Corgi Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth, Colin McRae

by David Smith
Corgi’s 1:43 scale Colin McRae tribute collection now includes this Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4x4, which Colin and Derek Ringer drove to a 6th place finish in the 1990 RAC Rally.

McRae might have done better had he not damaged his car’s suspension and doors in a collision with a gatepost. A blown head gasket didn’t help either, but McRae still flashed the ability that would see him become a legend in the rally world.

The Colin McRae collection will run to 14 vehicles. The Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth is priced around £19.99 and further releases will continue until the end of 2011.

Sideshow Collectibles Coruscant Clone Trooper action figure

by David Smith
Sideshow Collectibles’ clone army has expanded once more with the recruitment of the Coruscant Clone Trooper of the 41st Elite Corps, under the command of Jedi General Luminara Unduli and Senior Clone Commander Gree

This 12in. action figure comes in a limited edition of 2,500 and features more than 30 points of articulation, detailed armour, a Clone Trooper Long Rifle and Carbine Blaster and comes with a display base.

You can pre-order now and shipping is expected in Q2 of 2010. The figure is priced at $89.99.

Corgi Fokker DVIIF

by David Smith
The Fokker DVIIF, flown by Hermann Göring in the First World War, is the newest addition to Corgi’s Aviation Archive range.

Having been forced out of the infantry due to rheumatoid arthritis, Göring joined the Air Force and developed into one of Germany’s finest pilots, scoring 22 victories.

He took over Manfred von Richthofen’s JG1 squadron (the ‘Flying Circus’) in 1918 and flew this white Fokker DVIIF, with a modified cockpit to make it easier for him to get in and out with his arthritic joints.

Corgi’s model, priced around £38.99, is in 1:48 scale and has a wingspan of 181mm.

Revell Prince of Wales

by David Smith
The brief, violent life of the battleship Prince of Wales can be recreated in the latest model kit from Revell.

The HMS Prince of Wales was one of five battleships in the King George V class, with armaments including 10 14in. guns. Launched in 1939, she took part in the clash with the Bismarck in 1941 and suffered heavy damage. In December 1941, the Prince of Wales was sunk by Japanese planes off Malaysia.

The Revell model is rated as skill level 4, with 120 pieces. In 1:570 scale, the model measures 397mm in length when completed. Three of the big gun turrets are moveable, as are eight 5.25in. gun turrets.

With a catapult device and Walrus plane, lifeboats and instructions for painting the camouflaged version of the ship, the kit is priced around £10.99.

Medicom Toy Flying Ace Snoopy vinyl collectible

by David Smith
Snoopy is celebrating his 60th anniversary this year, and the new Flying Ace Snoopy vinyl collectible from Medicom Toy is a pretty good way to celebrate this.

Standing 4.5in. high, Charlie Brown’s dog is kitted out in his WWI flying helmet and scarf, ready to take to the air in his trusty Sopwith Camel (well, kennel) to battle the Red Baron.

Snoopy is priced at $54.99 and you can pre-order now from the Sideshow Collectibles site.

Also available for pre-ordering is a vinyl collectible of Schroeder, standing over 8in. high and also priced at $54.99. Both figures are due to ship in Q2 of this year.

Toy Fair 2010

by David Smith
The Toy Fair, held this week at Olympia, always offers a great chance to get a sneak preview of some of the big new launches coming our way.

This year was no different, and after two days of strolling around looking at all the new stuff it’s safe to say that there are some exciting new products on the horizon.

Perhaps most exciting for retro buffs is the imminent re-launch of Bigtrak. Dubreq, the people behind the original and re-launched Stylophone, have decided there’s more mileage in the nostalgia market and have revamped another legendary techno toy.

Bigtrak has been slimmed down to half his original size and re-dubbed ‘Bigtrak Jr’, but we reckon he looks pretty nifty in his new, svelte guise. His feature count hasn’t been shrunk – quite the opposite in fact, as you can now program in 32 movements instead of the original 16.

We enjoyed a great demo of Bigtrak at the Dubreq stand and can report that as well as the robot itself, we will also be getting add-ons including a camera and a missile launcher.

You can find out more at www.bigtrakisback.com and a snippet of Bigtrak Jr in action is included in our Toy Fair video on YouTube.

Also of interest was the news that getretro.co.uk has signed a deal to produce a range of action figures from the TV show The Adventures of Merlin. The 3.75in. figures will go on sale in the summer and will include all the main characters and the dragon.

We saw the prototype sculpts the figures will be based on but sadly were not allowed to snap any pics or video. Also showing was a video demo of a planned castle construction playset.

For those who like to add a bit of extra expression to their electronic communications, bajca is a fun keyboard that plugs into your PC via USB and adds 16 instant emoticons to your typing possibilities.

Traditionalists may prefer to master the multiple keystrokes currently needed to add a smiley face with its tongue sticking out, but most will love the convenience of the bajca system – and it looks gorgeous as well. In fact, you can pop the emoticons out and use them as jewellery, apparently.

Flying toys were everywhere and we had a demo of Bladez Toyz’ latest gyro-equipped helicopter (which also features in our YouTube clip), while on the Revell stand there were more helicopters (including the Snake attack helicopter) and a pair of remote-controlled tanks just waiting to be turned loose on each other.

The Revell stand was also home to some spectacular looking model kits and the 73cm long USS Wasp, a WWII aircraft carrier, is sure to challenge and delight in equal measure. For those who like a gentler approach to modelling, the new Leonardo da Vinci collection, which includes his famous Air Screw, Crossbow and Glider designs, is a striking and really original range.

A final mention must go to the re:creation stand, where a Monty Python collection took pride of place. If you’ve ever wished for your own Norwegian Blue to re-enact the Dead Parrot Sketch (honestly, everyone in the office would think it was just hilarious), a Biggus Dickus corkscrew or a Mr Creosote vomiting sauce dispenser, your long wait is nearly over.

Corgi Hawker Hunter T.7

by David Smith
This two-seater Hawker Hunter was part of No.229 OCU, operating as a training aircraft in the early 1960s.

The RAF ordered 55 Hawker Hunter trainers (designated T.7), but only received 45 of them, as the Royal Navy FAA was allocated the remaining 10.

An old Battle of Britain squadron (234 Squadron) was disbanded in 1957, with the number switching to a different unit flying Hunters. It was to this squadron that a few two-seater T.7s were delivered.

Corgi’s model of this rare aircraft is in 1:72 scale and has a wingspan of 142mm. It is priced around £46.99.

William Britain Royal Marine Commando

by David Smith
The Falklands War is the setting for William Britain’s latest release. The conflict against Argentina in 1982 saw Britain’s fighting forces deployed thousands of miles from home in a theatre that tested them to the limit.

Part of the task force were the famous Royal Marine Commandos and the British Royal Marine Commando figure, armed with the now obsolete SLR, is priced around £24.99.

Duncan Mg yo-yo

by David Smith
Fittingly enough, the popularity of yo-yos tends to go up and down, with the craze reasserting itself every 10–15 years or so. With the last peak registered in 1998, that makes us primed for another explosion. The arrival of Duncan yo-yos from the US has therefore been very well timed.

Available for the first time in the UK, the Duncan line includes the stunning Duncan Mg, a state-of-the-art, hand-made yo-yo constructed from forged magnesium and surgical-grade steel, with ceramic bearings that are five times smoother than steel.

Only 200 Mgs are produced each year and they come in a collector’s box. Hailed as the best yo-yos ever created, they are also the most expensive (the Guinness Book of Records will attest to that) at around £300 each.

For more modest yo-yo ambitions, the Duncan Pulse and Duncan Reflex versions are priced around a more wallet-friendly £9.99. The Pulse features changing light patterns while the Reflex uses springs and ball bearings to return the yo-yo to your hand, making you look like an instant yo-yo expert.

The Duncan yo-yo range can be bought online at the Wicked Vision website, or you can call 020 8870 1470 for stockist details. You can also visit YouTube to see the Duncan range in action with yo-yo champion Grace Barnes.