Anyone of a certain age, who probably grew up in the 1960s and 70s anyway, will remember Letraset‘s “Action Transfers” (and similar products), offering the opportunity to create your own Doctor Who, Joe 90, Star Wars and Tarzan adventures with “rub-down” figures applied to “blank canvas” backgrounds. But until this morning, I had no idea they were still being made commercially.

1960s Letraset Action Transfers advertisement, featuring art by “Thunderbirds” artist Frank Bellamy. (Thanks to Lew Stringer for the attribution)

Sadly, the current line of rub-down action doesn’t offer the colourful range of SF and fantasy media-inspired products that delighted so many only a few decades ago. But the history-inspired range from British company Westair Reproductions Ltd does include dinosaurs, Vikings and castle sieges, and they are all available through Amazon, for around £4.50 apiece.

Westair Reproductions “Dinosaur Attack” Rub-Down Transfers

Westair Reproductions “Trench Warfare” Rub-Down Transfers

Westair Reproductions “D-Day” Rub-Down Transfers

Westair Reproductions “Viking Attack” Rub-Down Transfers

Westair Reproductions “Battle of Britain” Rub-Down Transfers

Needless to say, I’m sure there are some out there quivering with anticipation at the thought of being able to again get in on some rub-down action with these products. (No tittering at the back, now!).

While the Doctor Who VWORP! VWORP! magazine offered a facsimile set of transfers with one issue as a homage to Doctor Who Weekly, this Westair have been producing their transfers on an industrial scale for some years.

Formed back in 1972, Westair’s business started with reproduction maps, sold to Historic Houses for sale to tourists and visitors.

Today, Westair Reproductions Ltd. and its associated companies have grown into the leading company supplying historical reproductions to Historic Houses, Castles and Museums not only in the UK but also to over 36 other countries around the world.

Their products also include metalcraft, created by their own Centrifugal Casting division, Westair Metal Casting. Located at its UK offices WMC casts products in lead-free pewter and other white metals, such as miniature figures, coins and jewellery.

• Check out Westair Reproductions Rub-Down Transfer Lune and associated products here on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

• Westair Reproductions Ltd is online at www.westair-reproductions.com

Letraset Action Transfers: Star Wars – Battle at Mos Eisley

• ActionTransfer.com is a brilliant site offering information on treasures as Super Action Transfers, Patterson Blick Instant Picture Books, Waddingtons Panoramas, Busy Bee Instant Picture Packs, Super Action Heroes, Kalkitos, Action Replay, PrestoMagiX, Thomas Salter, cereal and comic Free Gifts (or ‘premiums’, for US visitors) & endless varieties of dry rub-down, rub-on, or rub-off transfers. They even have some tattoos, water-slide and iron-on transfers, and following great public demand, online Action Transfers games!

With thanks to Max Risk

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek Magazine) and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War and “Dan Dare”. He’s the writer of "Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies" for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: downthetubes News, Links, Merchandise, Other Worlds, Star Wars

Tags: Dinosaurs, downthetubes News, Letraset Action Transfers, Rub-Down Transfers, Vikings, Westair Reproductions Ltd