Per Bill Hanlon's "PLASTIC TOYS Dimestore Dreams of the '40s & '50s":
The first documented mention of an injection molded airplane was in 1938 and was a DC-3 made by the Kilgore Mfg. Co., USA..
In 1941 Dillon Beck followed up with a P-39 Airacobra for their Wannatoy line. Popular at the time, the P-39 turned out to be a hit but by 1942 Dillon Beck turned its production to wartime efforts. Ideal then bought the molds of the P-39 from Dillon Beck and started producing the plane in 1944 ending production in 1947.
The plane measures 4 1/4"L x 5"wingspan x 1 1/2"H and is apparent when comparing to photos of the real plane that it is a somewhat loose interpretation. But I'm okay with that as it's a nice wartime era toy that goes perfectly with the Warren Paper Products Built-Rite Army Hangar and is an example of one of the earliest plastic toys offered.
I have both a blue and a gray version of the toy and one 'slightly used' box.
Enjoy!
From Vegas Army Airfield
Ed
USA
Wow, Ed, that's a museum piece! Toy history or what! I love the moulded plastic look! What a thing to own. Great stuff and thanks for showing us.
ReplyDeleteThanx Woodsy - this was a lucky find on fleaBay - and at a reasonable cost!
DeleteA fascinating piece of toy history. The Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter had a nosewheel undercarriage, while the toy has a tailwheel. The XFL Airabonita version built for the US Navy did have a normal tailwheel undercarriage, but only a single prototype was built.
ReplyDeleteThe hangar is also very interesting. Thanks for giving us a chance to see these old-timers.
Thanx Paul! Th eP-39 was always one of my favorites - even though it's not held in as high esteem as Spitfires or Mustangs I always liked it. The toy is great m but the real ones look beautiful in real life as well
DeleteThis is an amazing piece of history, both for the plastics industry and the toy world. I’m sure it looked like something from another world to kids brought up on wood and tin toys! Ideal was such a great company. And plastics was such a “modern” tech back then, I even had some magazines on the industry from the era, discussing how they were going to take over the world. I’m strictly a child of the plastic age. Thx4Sharing! SFZ
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Growing up in the '50s and '60s I had plastic, tin-litho, stamped steel, wood, etc and I love and appreciate it all
DeletePosting this over at the FB group, MARX PLAYSETS. Thanks, "ICE"!
ReplyDeletePosting this over at the FB group, MARX PLAYSETS. Thanks, "ICE"!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDeleted the last comment - I wuz multi-tasking and goofed a little.
DeleteDokie Okie! Got a question - does it still take forever for posts to be approved and posted to the group or has that debacle changed? That's why I dropped out years ago. I would submit a post and - if I was lucky - it would only take a week or two or three to show up!