After my Dime Store Astronauts post the rotors were still whirring so here are a few more dime store helicopters I've seen on auctions over the last six months. There's just something about these cheapo choppers and some of the header art ain't half bad either. I particularly like the Apollo Splashdown on the first one, which reminds me of my old Dinky Sea King. Alas, no more little Spacexers though!
And whilst we're on the subject, fellow blogger Maverick Collecting has some cool copters on his Small Scale World. More than a site, it's plastic heaven! Mav has a great free draw going too!
Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteThe first one is actually using the Airfix artwork and seems to be based on a Soviet design...must have seen them as Chinese People's Army copies in the sky's near Hong Kong!
Second one is Tim Mee, late though so maybe bought-in from HK, rather than US production?
Third is a copy of the Triang/Blue Box one, but well simple...I'd have bid if I'd seen it!!
The last is a copy of the little Corgi 'matchbox' one (Husky/Corgi Juniors)...was there anything that HK couldn't (or didn't) copy in low-grade polyethylene or HDPE!!
A nice selection of small helicopters Woodsy!
ReplyDeleteFirst photo - yes, the Airfix SH-3D Sea King artwork, but slightly modified. The side number has been changed from 63 or 66 (Airfix did retouch the illustration at one point) to 77; the star and bar insignia on the fuselage has been removed; and a jet added to the right of the picture. But the divers, the chap in the partly open doorway, and the orange marker smoke are all the same.
ReplyDeleteI would say the helicopter is a really bad Bell UH-1 Iroquois, with a very short tail boom. The engine is above the tail boom, suggesting an early version of the Iroquois.
Second photo - this is more likely to be an American Sikorsky S-55/H-19 Chickasaw, built in Britain as the Westland Whirlwind, rather than a Soviet Mil Mi-4 Hound. The triangular fairing behind the fuselage and below the tailboom was not found on the similar looking Mi-4.
Third photo - American Bell 47 Sioux, with the enclosed fuselage and tail boom seen on some versions.
Fourth photo - yes, a copy of the Corgi Juniors (not Husky) Sting helicopter, with the side panniers and solid tail boom. This was based on the French Sud-Ouest S.O.1221 Djinn (Genie) light helicopter. The lack of a tail rotor is correct for this type.