Another piece of ‘Stingray’ memorabilia, and this time it’s something that didn’t actually appear in the show.
The 1964 ‘Stingray’ cap gun produced by Die Cast Machine Tools Ltd, better known as Lone * Star, remains a popular, and highly sought-after vintage item of ‘Stingray’ merchandise, although it has to be said, bears absolutely no resemblance to the hand guns that Troy and Phones use in the series.
DCMT came into being around 1939, and used the brand name, Lone Star Products, manufacturing toy cap guns following the popularity of Western films in British cinemas. it managed to acquire several TV tie-in licences during the sixties which included James Bond, Burke’s Law, and The Man from UNCLE using already existing tooling for their toy guns. The same thing occurred when it came to the Stingray cap gun.
In 1965, TV Century 21 offered a Lone Star Stingray cap gun as a competition prize, and in 1994, artist Steve Kyte included a Lone Star ray gun on this front cover illustration for Stingray Monthly.
I had one of these as a kid! I was slightly bemused that it didn't look like Troy's standard shootin' iron. I assumed it was a Aquaphibian design. I'd have been even more perturbed if I'd known it's previous pedigree!
ReplyDeleteI haven't Googled it, but I suspect it isn't even a faithful Dan Dare design either!
And you'd be right, Lewis! I've got the first ten years of Eagle 'Dan Dare' collected comic strips and I certainly don't recall Dan using a Lone Star Dan Dare ray gun, but like the Stingray version, I don't think it bothered us much as kids! ; D
DeleteFascinating bit of toy merchandising history! SFZ
ReplyDeleteYep, great post Scoop. A classic design. It reminds me of PIFCO's ray gun for some reason. It certainly had branding legs that design.
ReplyDelete