Nomura – Three Stage Rocket 

From time to time I ran into toys that make my heart beat a few beats faster. When I found this Three Stage Rocket in an old toy/antique shop in Napels ( Italy ) I was MORE than happy because I know in a glance I had something special in hand. I hear you think now… hmm special !!?? have we all not see this toy before ? YES, correctly but I will explain what makes THIS example so special.

First, the toy was protected VERY well by a layer of 40 years of dust, dust combined with Nicotine and dust. The color of the toy was brown and not silver anymore. I can not remember I EVER saw such a dirty space toy 🙂 The toy looked complete with the original box and I bought it for ONE reason: The toy is simply near mint to mint AND, most important, this one is COMPLETE and then I really mean complete !
I had this toy several times over the years but they all suffered from the same problem: broken release pins in the front and the back of the toy and because this toy can simply NOT be opened without damaging the toy, its simply impossible to find a working example. I searched auctions and history and I never saw a complete example that actually worked as the day it left the factory.
To understand this better I will describe the exact sequence of how this toy is intent to work:

The toy has a build in “clock” which is operated on top of the toy. After installing batteries you have to click front and back to the body of the rocket and turn the clock in the ON position.
The rocket starts to run with flashing lights in the wings AND in the tail section inside the body but also at the rear exhaust is a light installed. The Knob starts to run automatic clockwise and when position “A” is reached, the tail section is separated from the body. The rocket runs further and when the Clock reaches the “C” position, the front section is released. when the clock finally reached the OFF position, the rocket stops running automatic.

This is how the rocket should operate and this is exactly how this example still runs 🙂 The main problem for these toys is that they many times suffer from a non working clock ( which can not be reached without damaging the toy ) but more important, both release pins are always broken and can not be repaired from the outside. For all the examples I ever had in hands, it was always a NOT working example because of these faults.I have talked to other collectors about this toy and they all seem to suffer from the same problems. also in auctions, nice ones were sold but always with broken pins or non working mechanism.

Well, the mystery has been solved now and I was able to enjoy a real working Three Stage Rocket as it was meant to be working 🙂 I spent some hours to sit down and clean the toy completely and get rith of the many years of dust and I was right, underneath was a near mint awesome shiny spacetoy hidden 🙂

The condition of THIS example is near mint with an excellent original box. The toy is complete and PERFECTLY working !! The automatic Clock works fine, the toy runs strong, all lights are working, and the release mechanism is intact and works fine. Cristal clean battery compartment, NO damage to the plastic wing lights, and clean shiny litho. The toy is accompanied by its original box in excellent condition with some little damage to the toplid and a small piece of missing paper on one of the side panels.

Extremely and almost impossible to find space toy in working condition. Impossible to ever upgrade example !

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