Some photos of the plastic Lone Star elastic-band powered Stingray bath toy which I imagine would have first appeared in 1964 or early 1965.
It’s around inches long (180mm), and for a simple toy, a reasonable representation of the super sub.
The underside has a large propeller attached to an elastic band which you obviously twist and watch the toy shoot across the water.
My example has a small propeller attached by a plastic support below the moulded rate-master. Later versions have a larger propeller attached the back of the rear hydroplanes.
For the completists, there’s also two distinct variations in colouring, one being a sort of sky blue, with simple sprayed silver and gold embellishments like mine, while the other is turquoise with silver embellishments.
I particularly like the box design and colouring. Mine is a fine replica box from Graeme Walker of the Big Red Toy box website. It even has an expertly cut fold out top piece just like it would have been back in the day.
TV Century 21 offered one as a competition prize in issue dated June 26th, 1965.
Lone Star also used the same mould for their wheeled clockwork version.
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| Lone Star clockwork Stingray |
What a wonderful toy! I had a couple of Paramount models that worked with rubber band propulsion - or should I say they were supposed to work! Not very powerful, in my experience. Great restored box too - those graphics are terrific! SFZ
ReplyDeleteI must admit I've not tried it working in the bath, but I imagine it will just shoot forward and bang into the side, Zigg. The replica box is excellent, and perfect for my Stingray toys display.
DeleteOne of my childhood memories of England, was my father taking me to Portobello Road so he could look at antiques. I was understandably bored until I saw a wind up Stingray in the window of a Newsagent. Of course the family budget wouldn't stretch to me taking one home, but it was etched into my mind. The packaging you show isn't quite like I remember, but let's face it, I was looking at the toy, not the box!
ReplyDeleteI vividly remember seeing a Lone Star clockwork Stingray in my local cycle shop, which doubled as a toy shop. In fact, it had lots of toys I didn't see anywhere else.
DeleteStingray was a favorite of mine as a young 'un. I don't recall that we had all of Gerry Anderson's shows but we did have Stingray. Alas, no toys made their way into the Berg house, but it's fun seeing all what you've uncovered Scoop!
ReplyDeleteThere's a few Stingray toys and a game that didn't appear to get sold in the UK, or if they did I never saw them, Ed. One toy I'd love is the Lakeside Stingray friction drive toy, which seems to just get sold in Canada and the US, and is an amalgam of the Lincoln International and Fairylite Stingray toys.
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