Gyrotron
The Gyrotron is a fictional vehicle in the Micronauts series introduced in 1976.
Micronauts
The Gyrotron was an unreleased Micronauts vehicle seen in early promotional photographs for Micronauts in 1976. It was based on the Microman Escargot.
According to the packaging for the Escargot it has four modes, including snail and ball robot.
Development
The Escargot designed by Iwakichi Ogawa. It was patented in the USA as the "mobile reconfigurable spherical toy" in 1976.[1]
The Escargot's design was inspired by the EVA pods from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Escargot was released in Japan in 1975 by Takara as part of their Mecha Cosmo vehicle line.
The patent for the Stratastation gives examples of combining it with the Gyrotron and other toys.
Gyrotron appeared in images of Micronauts toys from the 1976 pack-in Micronauts toy cataloy, including being combined with the Ultronic Scooter.[2]
In 2019 various Gyrotron replacement parts were released on Shapeways by Mathew Robert Ignash.
Comics
2003 Image Comics
A Gyrotron was seen among Baron Karza's fleet in Micronauts Karza number 4 by Image Comics.
2018 Micronauts Protectors of Inner Space
A box art mock up of the Gyrotron was produced in an art series by Brian Vox.[3]
Commercials
The Escargot appeared among Microman vehicles in a Takata Microman toy commercial.[4]
Toys
- Takara Microman Escargot (1975)
- Escargot was to be released as the Micronauts Gyrotron. It was remolded and recolored into the Microman Spy-Boy Baseball Machines.
- Mego Micronauts Gyrotron (1976, unreleased)
- Although seen in early Micronauts promotional photos, the Gyrotron was never released by Mego.
Gallery
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Takara Escargot collector card translated into English
