I recently got this 80’s re-issue of the old Fairylite Stingray water pistol, will go well with my 80’s re-issue Fairylite Fireball XL5 water pistol.
While the original blue 1964 Stingray Fairylite pistol might be a little harder to come by, the reissues which come in yellow or red plastic turn up more frequently.
The original blue version has a black bung at the back, and the word Stingray moulded on each side, moulded into the plastic. The water jet comes out of the nose.
Obviously, in spite of the differences between the re-issues and the original blue Fairylite pistol, plenty of collectors are happy to pay out a lot less, and simply clip a replica header to a re-issue for display purposes.
The original came in a clear plastic bag with a header card, The red and yellow obviously have their own generic header cards. There are also red (and possibly yellow) examples sealed in a carded bubble pack.
TV21 competition to win one from 1965.:
I had the original blue Stingray water pistol.
ReplyDeleteMy dad cut the pistol bit off, after I requested this, and that left a Stingray which, when put in the bath, filled with water and submerged itself like the real thing !
Great fun.
Ah, happy care free days, Mish, not something I suspect you'd think of nowadays, if you still had one. I've just been told there's an original blue version on one of the auction sites currently at £600 including buyer fees. Crazy!
DeleteMy economically-challenged parents made a who-knows-what level of sacrifice to provide me with one of these in the days when "Stingray" was new, and residential accommodation came without water meters. God bless them (my parents -- not the water meters). On every level, however, it was a disappointment.
ReplyDeleteI thought it looked ridiculous. As a seven year old who loved "Stingray" more than anything I had ever known, I was immediately struck by the fact that the pistol bore no resemblance whatsoever to the weapons used by W.A.S.P. personnel in the show (while the "Fireball" water pistol was spot-on). I also found its appearance bizarre -- a representation of the titular submarine stuck on a conventional gun butt? You were supposed to SIT in "Stingray" -- not squirt water through it! It wasn't even a GOOD representation of "Stingray", lacking (as it was) both its stabilisers and hydroplanes. Although it must be admitted that if they had been present, and an attempt was made to conceal the weapon in clothing -- a trouser pocket, say -- they would undoubtedly have led to the weapon snagging and therefore prevented any possibility of a fast draw.
More importantly, perhaps, the toy failed to fulfill the function of an effective water pistol. The fact that the stopper was located in the rear of the notoriously baptised "contra-rotating eddy damper" -- effectively at the lateral mid-point of the reservoir -- meaning that the pistol could be charged with no more than two thimble-fulls of water at best -- otherwise it leaked. It was therefore totally ineffective when matched against a more conventional, non-licensed Baretta -- which sensibly had the stopper where the hammer would be and could therefore be filled with the a considerable proportion of the contentions of Lake Windermere.
I remember using my "Stingray" water pistol a couple of times -- but having to run back to my parents' kitchen to rearm after only one and a half pulls of the trigger. This reduced its effectiveness in combat to the point where I regretfully had to abandon it in favour of more traditional water-arms. This saddened me enormously. I expected more from an item associated with something close to my heart. What made matters worse was when "Thunderbirds" came along, their water-pistols was a pretty close match to the weapons used by the Tracy brothers -- but then the manufacturers did give them that ridiculous "multi-directional" nozzle which spoiled the look of them completely...
And don't get me started on "Captain Scarlet"...
You're not the person bidding on that £600 one, are you! It sounds like it scarred you for life.😉 Maybe, like Mish you should have got your dad to remove the handle and watch it slowly submerge!🙃
DeleteHallo, Scoop.
DeleteNo; I'm not bidding on one. I know you're joking, but you did pique my interest, so I had a peek on eBay and couldn't find one currently listed -- for £600 GBP or for anything lower. As you guessed, it isn't an item I'd want, much as I still love "Stingray"...
The point I made at the start of my waffle is genuine, though. My parents always struggled to make ends meet -- and yet I had some wonderful toys.
I had the four WADDINGTON'S "Stingray" jigsaws -- which I loved -- and the annuals.
And, like you, I had the AIRFIX "Stingray" -- and the Kitmaster "Fireball". It really makes me quite tearful to think about how obtaining these things for me must have weighted their outgoings.
I was very lucky.
You were indeed, Anon. Like you, my parents were always struggling to make ends meet, but they still managed to give my brother and I some good toy memories.
DeleteBTW The original blue Stingray waterpistol isn't actually on eBay. As it involves buyer fees I imagine its on an auction site like Vectis or one like that.
You mentioned you had the Stingray Jigsaws as a youngster. Although I don't have a set , I have a couple of those which, prompted by your memories I'll do a blog post on later in the week.
Cheers, and thanks again for your recollections.
Those are very interesting Scoop and a neat addition to the Stingray collection!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ed, and would you believe it only cost me just over four quid!
DeleteThat is a great price! A quick search of fleaBay show prices all over the place - generally starting around $5 with one I noticed at nearly $100. When I was young my favorites were the water pistols that looked like German Lugers. It would be cool to get one of those still in the packaging.
Deletemy favourite pistols were die-cast cap guns from Lone Star, Ed. I remember having several P38's which annoyingly were generally part of James Bond sets, instead of a PPK and Mausers instead of P38's for the Man from Uncle sets. i think Lone Star did do an UNCLE Luger, although they did one for The Saint too, however TV's Simon Templar wasn't generally noted for carrying a gun! (it was actually throwing knives in the early books)
DeleteLone Star also did a Stingray gun which was just a repainted and slightly retooled 1950's Dan Dare cap gun. It wasn't remotely anything like the guns seen in the series, but I'd love one just the same!
I loved Westerns and Army as a kid and had plenty of cowboy and Army men toys. I remember the rifles and bazookas from Marx, Mattel, and Remco but don't remember the brands of pistols I had. I do have a few diecast Western cap pistols now as part of my collection.
DeletePossibly the most outre bit of C21 merchandising I've ever run across, but if I had seen one in the shops in '64, I would have certainly begged to have it! Just for that sublime design! SFZ
ReplyDelete