LP made these figures in eight poses and three sizes - 1/72, 1/36 and 1/18 scale (or 25mm/1", 50mm/2" and 100mm/4" scale respectively). Depending on size, these figures are found in quite a few different colours as well.
Based on the graphics and specific contents of various LP packaging these figures are found in, I believe the following predate the gold-coloured Spacex figures:
- 1/72 silver-grey soft plastic, both with and without painted details
- 1/72 white hard plastic, both with and without painted details
- 1/36 soft plastic in silver-grey, white, red, dark green and (probably) blue with painted details.
The painted details can consist of just a painted face on the small figures, and a number of details (weapon/tool, belt, air tanks and hoses, face and eyes) picked out in several colours on figures of either size. Some painted 1/36 figures can also have bases painted in green.
In addition to the above, there are
- 1/36 soft plastic in silver-grey, white, red and blue without painted
details
- 1/18 soft plastic in white
- 1/36 chrome-plated hard plastic figures
for which I've not seen much if any packaging so far, so don't know where these might fit time-wise. The 1/36 plated figures I believe are contemporary with Spacex, but also exist in a version with trademarks removed, which is included in the copies and
clones section.
LP figures in 1/18, 1/36 and 1/72 scale.
LP figures in 1/72 scale: silver-grey with painted face, painted details, plain white, plated with yellow varnish.
Painted LP figures in 1/36 scale, with Spacex equivalent.
All eight LP figures in 1/36 scale without paint, with Spacex equivalent.
1/36 scale plated: original LP issue at left, recently-made copy at right.
Trademarks
1/72 scale: silver-grey, white, Spacex plated with yellow varnish and also non-plated underneath.
1/36 scale: silver-grey and red with painted details and base, white and blue.
Including Spacex astronauts, all figures mentioned above carry the LP trademark and the text "Made in Hong Kong" in capital letters. I also have two plated and varnished figures where the underside of the base has not been plated (fourth in top row, moulded in green plastic) and clearly shows yellow varnish spots.
1/36 scale plated: original LP issue at left, recently-made copy at right.
Gold sticker isn't always present on the copy figures.
Origin
Spotting the similarities between the NASA Mercury spacesuit and an LP astronaut is pretty easy, especially on the large figures. The helmet is similar in shape, and has a protruding edge at the base to represent the metal sealing ring of the real thing. The shape of the visor is identical (it's on top of the helmet in the open position, as seen in most official NASA portraits :) and there's the air extraction hose coming out on one side. The pressure suit has the air entry hose attached at belly level, and there's another connection socket just above the same knee (I think this might be for hooking up the biometrics system). The LP suit also shows ribbing at the shoulders, elbows and knees that's visible as sewn-on reinforcement straps on the Mercury suit. The anti-ballooning straps around the chest are identically placed, with buckles on one side. What looks like another strap at waist-height on the LP figure is probably intended as a pistol belt. Mercury astronauts of course didn't carry weapons, and didn't have (what look like) aqualung tanks on their back. The LP suit also appears to have a single vertical zip down the front (or possibly this is based on the number of smaller vertical straps on the real suit), which is the only real difference in the suit itself.
With NASA publishing pictures of the original seven astronauts in 1959, and the Mercury missions getting full publicity in 1961-63, we could take these years as the earliest for LP to produce these figures.
Packaging
Three 1/72 silver-grey figures with painted details in original unopened window box.
Amongst the bewildering variety of LP packaging for its smaller toys, the astronaut figures are always included. The pack above is typical, and will date from after 1966-7 because of the copy of Major Matt Mason's Space Crawler. There are a number of LP sets that do not include copies of any MMM toys, which will therefore be of earlier production. Further examples of LP packaging are included in the Copies & Clones section (use your browser's Back button to return to this page).
1/36 figures with painted details in original window box.
For the larger figures, I haven't yet seen that much packaging. The box found so far will date from 1969 at the earliest. It carries four pictures on the back that are in fact Mattel pictures used on Major Matt Mason packaging and folders from 1967, but the insert picture is lifted straight off the box of Waddington's Blast Off boardgame from 1969 (shown below). Moreover, the instruction booklet with this game shows a picture of the first moonlanding, which means the LP set can't have been introduced before the second half of 1969.
