1994 Apollo 11 Turtles Figures

[Bill]

“That´s one giant leap for Mutantkind”…Hello Dear Tmnt Followers, back in 1994 Playmates decided to play homage to the 1969 Apollo mission in the form the Apollo 11 Turtles featuring: Lunar Leonardo, Moon Landin´Michaelangelo, Retro Rocket Raphael and Touchdown Donatello.

Unlike others variants considered “useless” in the original toyline, this one proved to be worthy and I´ll tell you why later. I believe this figures were very good in terms of sculpt, details, colours and cardboard art.

Each figure would have the same new mold, and each would have a different face expression, all came with accessories (that were accessories and pretty much the same indeed) and no weapons at all. Each figure also came with an exclusive Tmnt collector card.

The carboard art was very nice, we got four illustrations, one for each of this new set of Apollo 11 , I also love the theme backgroung, with the moon, and the footprints.

We can also say that this figures were a sort of “spin off” of the 1990 first ever disguised Turtles from the original toyline (being a spin off in this case of Raph, The Space Cadet).



Let´s start with the Mission Leader, Lunar Leonardo, The Moon Leapin' Mutant Master

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/lunarleo_zps78011bfe.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/lunarleo_zps78011bfe.jpg.html)


http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/lunarleo2_zps5e840701.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/lunarleo2_zps5e840701.jpg.html)


Lunar Leonardo was a nice figure, we got a whole new mold, with some nice details, but not the ones we were used to in a Tmnt figure, you may notice that this figures don´t have the traditional Tmnt details (like ragged clothes, bugs, dirt, improvised accessories, battle scars) being more serious if you know what I mean.

The accessories were an Astro-American Flag (can´t leave the earth without one), 25th anniversary Moon Landing Moonbase, Self-contained Environmental Pack with Hero Hose, Super Seal Space Helmet and of course the exclusive Tmnt collector card.


Here´s a review on youtube of Lunar Leonardo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd73y_gcOww




The Second figure in this space mission is my favourite Turtle, Moon Landin' Michaelangelo, The Saucy Space Explorer!

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/_57_zps4f8c4f2e.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/_57_zps4f8c4f2e.jpg.html)


http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/_572_zpse04f8084.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/_572_zpse04f8084.jpg.html)


Moon Landin' Michaelangelo was a good figure, love Mike´s eye wink expression (always cool) we got the same mold of Lunar Leonardo, with the same details.

The accessories were an Anti-gravity American Flag, Cool Commemorative Moonbase, Portable Lunar Life Pack with Turtle Tubing Oxygenating, Space Helmet and of course the exclusive Tmnt collector card.


Here´s a review on youtube of Moon Landin' Michaelangelo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd73y_gcOww




The third member of this Apollo Tmnt Mission is the mind of the group Touchdown Donatello, The Surface Surfin' Space Dude! (maybe this should have been Mike´s nickname).

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/_57_zpsd7b07109.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/_57_zpsd7b07109.jpg.html)


http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/touch_zps4b2c2419.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/touch_zps4b2c2419.jpg.html)



Touchdown Donatello, was a nice figure, love Donnie devilish smile, we got the same mold of Lunar Leonardo and Moon Landin' Michaelangelo with the same details.

The accessories were a Ninja National American Flag, Footprint Moonbase, Backbreakin' Backpack Survival Unit with Tubular Tubes Anti-vacuum Space Helmet and of course the exclusive Tmnt collector card.
I still haven´t found a review in youtube of Touchdown Donatello



The Final figure of this Apollo Turtles Series is the hothead of the group, the one who could transform Apollo 11 into Apollo 13, Retro Rocket Raphael, The Propulsion Powered Pizza Pal!

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/rocket_zps4b3f5767.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/rocket_zps4b3f5767.jpg.html)


http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/_57_zps5c0d080e.jpg (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/_57_zps5c0d080e.jpg.html)


Retro Rocket Raphael was a nice figure, we got the same mold of Lunar Leonardo and the others with the same details.

If you got the 1990 Raph Space Cadet version, you probably would feel weird about how much all have change during these four years.

In one hand it`s an improvement in terms of seriousness (this one looks like a real Astronaut), on the other hand it lacks of that Tmnt feeling and lovely details.

In my humble opinion I thank there was a 1990 ancestor, just like I thank that there was a 1990 Don The Undercover Turtle before the 1994 Undercover Turtles. The first ever disguise Tmnt from 1990 set the base for all there was yet to come and there are the benchmark in the disguised Tmnt variants universe.


The accessories were a Long May She Wave American Flag, Kowabunga Mutant Moonbase, Super Circulating Space Helmet, Field Space Support Pack with Pizza Piping and of course the exclusive Tmnt collector card.


I still haven´t found a good review on youtube of Retro Rocket Raphael.



The Apollo 11 Turtles, I mean the Tmnt using the space suit did not appear in the original tv show but they did travel in a rocket in Season 4, Episode 70 “Shredder´s Mom” and we learnt that one of Leonardo dreams is to travel to the moon in Season 6 Episode 135 “Nightmare in the lair”.

Since they are not pricey and hard to find, I believe you can go for them. I always thought there were worthy cause the Tmnt may need those suits anytime they travel to Dimension X.

Here are featured in the 1994 Playmates toy catalog, still in the drawing stage(Photo Courtesy of Vaughn Michael)

http://i1341.photobucket.com/albums/o760/Martha0301/199417_zps21ce079f.png (http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/Martha0301/media/199417_zps21ce079f.png.html)


I wish that a Space Shuttle were made to fit all 1994 Apollo 11 Turtles instead of the 1992 Muta-Raft which I have talked in this thread http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=41973. Imagine if something like this would have been made instead (maybe I am asking too much)

http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p523/mlabrador/space_shuttle_orbiter-illustration_zps22fd43c3.jpg (http://s1154.photobucket.com/user/mlabrador/media/space_shuttle_orbiter-illustration_zps22fd43c3.jpg.html)


What do you think about these Apollo Turtles? Do you got them? Did you see them at the toy shelves back in those days?

Any memories you wanna share from where you bought and saw it the very first time?

Anyone remember if there was a Tmnt Toy commercial for them?

Thanks a lot for reading, get ready to take off.

[Seedkiller]

I recently bought the raphael at a local toy store for like $20 carded. I opened it anyways. I've always liked the space stuff. Actually, one of my prized books is a smithsonian (don't know if I spelt that correctly)museum book of space suits! I always thumb through it and wonder how anybody can just walk by the exhibit and not be in shock. I mean, these things left the planet! Go to a normal museum, and you just see art. I do art myself so none of that really oohs and ahs me that much. Mona Lisa? Pfft! Neil Armstrong space suit with moon dirt still on the boots? Jeez, that's just crazy.
By the way, there's one dude on YouTube that talks about turtle figs all the time (I think it's combi.... or something like that). At first I just thought he was some lame goth dude, but in all reality, he's a legit dude. He really likes the turtle stuff and tries to give you some insight to the stuff, rather than always stating the obvious. Anyways, I do remember he talked about these, and that's what made me ultimately want to get one......well jus Raph. I'm tired of being the constant completist of turtles these days....

[DVD]

The space guys are great.
I bought a set a year or so back. They are on display beside the Gold Knights. I like the contrast.
Great revue there. Love reading your thoughts on the classic figures.

[Bill]

Thank you very much for the memories. i didn´t have this babies when I was a child- Imagine how great might have been to put them all inside a space shuttle to "travel" to Dimension X

[Mzx10484]

In Germany, the late stuff was never available. Never had an idea of what Sumo Turtles are, or Undercover Turtles, or Apollo 11 Turtles. Later, via the internet, I got to know the late figures. In contrast to much unnecessary stuff from that time, the Apollo 11 Turtles are really cool ! 8)