Born in 1966, I was a child of the seventies. In those days we were so hungry for Sci-fi entertainment. There wasn’t much to be had: Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Lost in Space, etc. Then in 1976, along came Space:1999 and I was blown away. Because the show was in syndication, there was always a problem finding the air time on local TV. So every Sunday when the tv listing came out I would peruse the schedules looking for Space:1999.
Space: 1999 had a certain look or design to it I had never seen before. It wasn’t all gleaming and new. It appeared as you would expect a real moon base to look like. The Eagles were the star of the show. I greatly appreciated the utilitarian design and I spent many hours in class trying to doodle and replicate these unique ship designs.
When the Sears Wish Book came out, I was elated over the Mattel Space: 1999 Eagle playset. My parents didn’t have much money, but I “asked Santa Claus” for the Eagle anyway knowing that it probably couldn’t be afforded. This was absolutely my best Christmas as a child because much to my delight on Christmas morning there was an Eagle under the tree (picture attached).
The toy lived up to all the hype I myself had dreamed it would be. The playability was off the charts. The figures were the perfect scale for backyard adventures. A working crane and access door made it possible to lower Commander Koenig to whatever perilous adventure he was on while Victor Bergman piloted the ship from the cockpit and Helena Russell monitored the situation from the pod. The command and engine module s could be detached and combined to create a scout ship. Both side doors opened and there were lots of other accessories included. By far the Mattel Eagle was the best toy I ever had.
As the years past, I felt too old for such toys to be lying around as my interest turned to other things. So I sold my prized Eagle at a local flea market. I don’t remember much from my youth but I distinctly remember the boy and his granddad who purchased the Eagle walking away and the melancholy effect it had on me. I think at that moment I was saying goodbye to my youth.
Oddly enough the one thing I still have is the Victor figure in a seated position. It had been misplaced and not sold with the rest of the playset. Regardless I will never forget all the fun and enjoyment this one special toy brought me.