Tarzan, the English Lord Greystoke, was raised in the African jungle by the Great Apes (not mere Gorillas), after his parents were killed. He was created by the American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, and made his literary debut in 1912. He soon moved on to the Silver Screen, and later television.
Tarzan (1966-68) was an American television series, starring Ron Ely. There were 57 episodes, filmed in Brazil and Mexico - neither of which is anywhere near Africa. It was produced by Banner Productions. I remember watching this series.
Airfix were not a major producer of film and television models. But there were a few items, spread across various ranges, including the small HO/OO (1/76th scale) figure line.
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These were all moulded in a soft, flexible, nearly unbreakable plastic. It was also impossible to glue (welding with a heated screwdriver worked - if you did not melt the plastic too much), and it simply would not take paint, which just flaked off. It had to be washed in warm, soapy water, rinsed off, and allowed to dry. It could then be undercoated completely with a varnish to stiffen the figure, so it did not flex, and cause the paint to come off.
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The Airfix Tarzan Figures set contained 31 Scale Pieces (16 Human figures, 10 Animals, 1 canoe, and 4 shields), and was first shown in the 6th Edition Catalogue (1968). It stayed in the range for several years, and was last seen in the 12th Edition (printed January 1975).
Most of the catalogues showed only the box top, but earlier Editions did have a photograph of a painted-up set as well, clearly showing what was in the box.
It was originally numbered S33 (with the suffix numbers S33-50 and S33-59, which were the American retail prices in cents). Late boxes dropped the suffix. The S33 number was used in the 6th to the 9th Editions of the Airfix Catalogue. It was then re-numbered 01733-6, in the 10th to 12th Editions, in the early 1970s.
The set was shown in the News From Airfix page of Airfix Magazine, March 1968. The original British retail price was 2/6 (two shillings and six-pence, or 12 1/2 New Pence).
Plastic Soldier Review page on the set:
The parts were either the usual Airfix light yellow (also described as cream or ivory), or tan.
1 Tarzan, holding knife
1 Jai (orphan boy adopted by Tarzan)
1 Cheetah the Chimpanzee
1 Female figure
2 African Tribesmen beating drums
4 African Warriors, standing with shields
4 African Warriors, advancing with 4 separate shields
1 Canoe
1 African paddler for the canoe
2 White Hunters with rifles
1 Zebra
1 Elephant
2 Crocodiles
5 Assorted Big Cats, including a leaping Lion
Most of the animals were similar to those in the two Zoo Animals sets released back in 1966. The Zebra was very oddly proportioned. The Crocodiles are slightly different to the Alligators in the Zoo Animals Set No.1. The smaller of the Cats is new, as is the leaping Lion.
In the Airfix Catalogue two of the Big Cats are painted as Tigers, and the smaller cat has spots. The woman is also painted as an African, so she is not Jane. This series apparently deleted the Jane character entirely.
The box art shows Tarzan (a very good likeness of Ron Ely) standing with Jai and Cheetah, with various Natives, White Hunters, and Animals in the background.
The back of the box initially had a clear plastic window in it, so the contents could be seen, along with small drawings of the humans. The position of this window varied. Early boxes had the window on the left side, with the figure drawings grouped together in a single block to the right. This style seems to have only been used on S33-50 numbered boxes.
The window was then moved to the centre of the box, and the figure drawings were split in to two groups, flanking the window. Centre-window boxes carry both the S33-50 and S33-59 numbers.
The window was later eliminated entirely. There is a small copyright notice on the back of the box: 'C' 1966 Banner Productions Ltd.
Early boxes had the Airfix banner style logo, with the S33 number. Later boxes had the circular Airfix logo on the sides and rear of the box, but retained the banner style on the box top, still with the S33 number. The final box kept the mixed logo styles, with the number S33 on the box ends (no suffix), but with the 01733-6 on the back.
Airfix have not re-issued the Tarzan Figures since the mid-1970s.
This set was popular with Wargamers, as the African Tribesmen could be used either as intended, or for certain Ancient period troop types.
I did find a very curious set on Worthpoint - Tarzan in a mid-1970s White Box, with the figures in green plastic. This version does not appear in any listings of the set I have seen.
I am dubious about this item. I am not an expert on Airfix figures, but this looks like a fantasy box that someone has made up, and not a real Airfix box. The White Box style dates from about the same time that the Tarzan set was being deleted from the Airfix range.
Worthpoint listing, showing a box, and figures in green plastic. No mention of this being made-up.
This site shows Tarzan, and a number of other boxes, all of which are described as fantasy designs.
Much later the set was re-issued by Hat, who produced a number of other old Airfix figure sets. However, it was renamed the Jungle Adventure, set 7018.
Like other Hat sets, the box art was truly terrible, and there was no mention of Tarzan at all. The artwork showing only a couple of Tribesmen, and various animals, around a water hole. The scale was now given as 1/72nd. The copyright date on the back of the box is 2000 Hat Industrie Inc. Made in France.
I never had the Airfix Tarzan set, or even recall seeing any in the shops, only in the Airfix Catalogue. Again, it is just one of those 'odd-ball' sets that did not seem to make it to New Zealand, despite the TV series being screened here, although it might have been available before I got in to modelling.
Eight photographs. The first is from the Airfix Catalogue, 8th Edition, and the rest from Worthpoint.
Paul Adams from New Zealand
Another great article about lost plastic! I worked at a toy store in the late 1970s, and we had the entire line of Airfix figures, which were quite popular. They were really a collectible even back then, and some customers would return time and again to grow their collections. Fond memories. SFZ
ReplyDeleteAhh you Tarzan, me grievously offended! You couldn't get away with this set now. Very much a product of a lost age. Aside from the possibility of kids choking on the tiny parts, Airfix would be hauled over the coals for misrepresentation.
ReplyDeleteGreat article Paul. Greystoke never looked so good!
ReplyDeleteThe top box art Tarzan looks like Donny Osmond!
ReplyDeleteI never understood how Tarzan ended up on Mars!
ReplyDeleteHe got drunk with John Carter one night and led astray!
DeleteThank you. The Tarzan on the box top is a good likeness of actor Ron Ely, who played Tarzan in a 1960s TV series. I remember watching it on TV, many years ago.
ReplyDelete