Definitely the largest toy on my list is the Space: 1999 Eagle Transporter by Mattel. At two-feet long, it was very difficult to play with without hitting something, but I was willing to make that sacrifice. I watched the show religiously (back then, any science-fiction on television beyond Star Trek repeats was a rarity), despite it being really awful and boring (and, yes, I have the Space: 1999 DVDs). I remember attempting to make a version of Moonbase Alpha using clay, but was forced to make a mug, instead.
Mattel’s Eagle was, quite simply, the greatest spacecraft toy ever built. Part of the allure was, obviously, the size. Most space toys were small (like all the Corgi die-cast ships) and weren’t really good for anything other than seeing how far you could throw them. The Eagle Transporter had a large central section that contained a working winch and a place to store all the spacesuits and miscellaneous equipment. The command pod in the front held two pilots and could separate from the center section and combine with the engine section (in the rear, also removable) to form a cute little scout space craft.
The set came with three astronauts, which were, to be nice, very very lame. They had very little detail, and came apart very quickly (their arms were prone to falling off). I lost the arms after a few months and no other action figures at the time were a good match for the set. As with most of the other toys, the Eagle ended up in my parents’ classrooms, with kids who never saw Space: 1999 or understood the coolness of the toy they were breaking.
- Restoration of an Eagle Transporter: using the original, this guy customized it to look even more like the show’s Eagle
- Retro Toy Flashback
Other Toys I Wish I Still Had
- #10: SSP Racers
- #9: Hot Wheels and Sizzlers
- #8: Microvision
- #7: The Six Million Dollar Man
- #6: The Star Trek Tracer Gun
- #5: Silver Knight/Gold Knight
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