Before the virus I was in a B&M store looking for Easter gifts for the kids. I couldn't help noticing a large selection of plastic toy guns and the biggest of all was this, the Huntsman, which I think is by Lanard.
When I was a nipper, like many others, we had the biggest toy weapon of all time, Topper's Johnny seven One Man Army. I still have one. My parents obviously bought it me one Christmas and I think it was the biggest selling toy that year.
I often wonder if they had any qualms about buying me, a 7 year old, such a huge toy gun? My folks both fought in the War and might very well have had their fill of guns and ammo, so did they hesitate when faced with Johnny Seven in the shop or did peer pressure prevail?
I ask because I'm just not sure I'd buy my Grandson, Moonbase Junior, the Huntsman. OK, he's only 3 and a half at the mo but even if he was 7, I'm just not sure nowadays.
I'd have fun with it though but I wouldn't take it in the street like we did with our Johnny Sevens!
What would you do?
Above: Wotan playing with MY One Man Army!
Never had the One Man Army but I had the Airfix FN rifle and that was a good one. Never got the impression that my folks thought anything of it, my Dad was a Bren gunner in the war.
ReplyDeleteI think I had one too Kev. It fired plastic ammo didn't it and had a large metal lever-type cocking mechanism?
DeleteYep, removable magazine and bayonet too, great toy.
ReplyDeleteYes! removable magazine and bayonet Kev! I deffo had one too. Its' on the blog as well. I'd forgotten! http://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2018/08/airfix-fn-toy-rifle.html
DeleteHmmm... flaunting the big weapon yet again! The pic looks like photographic evidence from Day of the Jackal or the Texas school book depository. I see you managed to get Bill's dabs all over the OMA, whilst instructing him to banjo the neighbour's greenhouse with the bunker buster missile. Only hope Bill had a good lawyer... shame of you, Woodsy :D
ReplyDeleteYes, Wotan's lawyer is from a Top[per] firm called Deluxe Reading Tone. They shall be pleading diminished responsibility as Wote mis-spent his youth peppering his Action Men with a pea shooter and a bag of dried marrowfats. Whenever he sees a Johnny Seven he becomes possessed by its spirit and takes out the garden gnomes next door!
DeleteI think the gun culture has changed massively since the 60s, we also had sweet cigarettes, for crying out loud! I think toy guns are kind of queasy these days, but I know the old adage, "If you don't give them one, they'll make do with sticks!" -Well fine! let 'em use their imagination!
ReplyDelete-Or you could do what my Mum did, make me a machine gun out of a cardboard tube, with an ammo belt of corrugated card that sort of made a noise as you pulled it through the slot!!!
Oh, I miss my Mum in so many ways!
I was amazed just how many plastic toy guns and weapons were on the shelves of a local supermarket Looey. Dozens and dozens, enough for a kids' army! Somewhere kids are still playing with toy guns but maybe not in public. You're Mum's corrugated ammo belt is pure genius, I can see completely how effective it would have been! Yes, good old Sixties Mums! I miss mine every day.
DeleteI seldom see toy guns on the shelves , guess I'll have to look harder.
ReplyDeleteI miss my old SLR's too - had the Airfix bakerlite model and a metal/plastic one from either Lone Star or Marx that held a roll of paper caps in the magazine (god I loved that gun !)
Fenton
Are you in the US Fenton? Are toy guns socially acceptable? What does that Airfix bakerlite model look like?
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