Into the Jet Age

Well all this lockdown is giving me loads of time to pursue my interests. One of which is experimental aircraft and in this case, toy ones! I've always loved a good plane and my dad was a keen aero-enthusiast, so I think it rubbed off on me.

I've blogged some of these before, but I wanted to get all my diecast aircraft together to compare, so here goes.

Not a diecast as such and certainly much larger than the rest, with a seven inch wingspan, is the Majorette Squad Forces Jet Fighter.

This neat toy is one of series of larger scale military vehicles, produced by majorette who usually deal in Matchbox and Hot Wheel sized cars. It has folding wings, a dropping bomb, firing missiles and ejectable pilot. I like it as it doen't attempt to be a scale representation of a production aircraft, but is instead a sleek futuristic plane which could easily feature in a video game or near future sci-fi film.

From the same maker, a small future copter from the range of concept cars and vehicles released about five years ago. Its unamed and has opening cockpit.

Back in time now to the very first release of Matchbox Skybusters. A rather vivid MiG 21 and striking Dassault Mirage in brilliant scarlet. Both have seen some action, the MiG being my own from about 1973 and the Mirage was picked up at Doncaster toyfair. 

Skybusters again, but 2017 style, with the sleek Strike Eagle, a concept aircraft following the trend by modern Skybuster models to mostly produce fictional aircraft.

Two versions of the Skybusters Battle Bomber - diecast production model on the left and all plastic giveaway from Subway on the right. Slightly different molding on the plastic, with integral undercarriage. Both have been painted for a stealth camo finish.

When the stealth concept first hit the headlines, the F19 Stealth Fighter was revealed to be the next generation war machine from the United States. The F19 was however, entirely fictional itself and it was several years later that the F117 was revealed to be a radically different design entirely. For me though, the F19 is still a very pleasant looking craft with its curved hull and swept tailplanes. Ertl captured its likeness extremely well in their 6" model, with retractable landing gear and detachable Falcon missile payload.

The Stealth programme generated several pretend aircraft, including these two diecasts, by smaller makers. 

Not diecast and certainly not stealthy, these little planes first came to my attention at th end of the sixties, when I found the X15 (sans wheels) at a beach shop in Wales. The following year, I got the Starfighter and the silver Drakken. hese two both had Canadian Air Force livery, for some reason. More recently, I was delighted to find a new X15 and A Saab Draaken on ebay, in quite good condition. The Star fighter and silver (then pink) Draaken had lost tail fins, so I swiftly repaired them yesterday and gave the magenta Draaken a spray of silver to hide the joints. The little wheels are sprung suspension and run very quickly, so the early models used to sit happily on the old Superfast track - hence the damage as they left the sides!

Back to the present again and the rather slick Hot Wheels 'Sky-Fi' Helijet. Looking like something Daniel Simon might have designed for Oblivion, this little beauty is decked out in a futuristic police livery and accompanied by a slightly to large Mega Rig pilot.

And finally back to 1970 and Mattels very short lived Hot Birds range. Diecast planes which hung from tensioned cords, by a wire hook, so they could race like hot wheels cars. The idea never really took off (pun intended) and after six models and a handful of lovely playsets, the line was abandoned.

SKY SCRAPER

MACHING BIRD

REGAL EAGLE

STAR GRAZER

The Star Grazer has always been my favourite, ever since I saw it on the press ad in an american comic. This one was pretty beat up, but like the Maching Bird above, I managed to repaint it fairly successfully. Just need a good Cloud Hopper and a Ski Gull and ill be a happy man!