Kevin's Original and Scratchbuilt Ray Guns

Here are some of my ray guns, starting with the toys, the two originals (Star Cops and Doctor Who), then some that I've made.

Take aim,

Kevin

Is that Greedo?

This simple Spanish pistola espacial has super card art. There's craters, saucers and planets.

And is that Greedo holding the gun?

And that big red S. Good old Shambers!

See Who Aims Best

Wow, we've seen this toy pistol before! This must be the cheapo est version of it and the Dr.Who one below the rarest maybe! 

Still I wouldn't mind finding one of these on a rack somewhere! 

Have you any toy Ray or dart guns? 

Arto's Dan Dare Cosmic Ray Gun as advertised by Telex

Whilst delving deeper into the history of the Finnish toy manufacturer and importer Telex, I came across this advertisement in our main newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, date November 18th, 1958

The grainy illustration is clearly taken from the box of the Palitoy Dan Dare Cosmic Ray Gun (1953).

(Palitoy Dan Dare Cosmic Ray Gun photo - courtesy of internet)

Incidentally, this discovery may shed some light on the surprise find I made last summer at the Loimaa car boot sale. Laying among all the bric-a-brac on a simple plywood table in bright sunlight, I spotted the same Dan Dare gun (yellow version)

(Loimaa photo)

Missing some bits but with body intact, it really seemed so out-of-place not only in regard to all the other items, but also in regard to everything I previously knew about Finnish toy imports. My first thought was that the toy must be a homecoming gift from Britain for some lucky lad.

The ad above, however, puts the question in a different light. Was Telex importing the original Palitoy gun, box and all, or did they produce their own box for the toy? The gun is marked "Made in England" on the grip.

The Finnish launch comes full five years after the gun first came on the market in Britain, which is a long interval between issues. 

Dead stock perhaps?

Arto

Helsinki Base

Lunar Sparkling Space Gun

 This ray gun by Larami has an interesting backing card.  The art looks like a gallery of actual space paintings. They're hard to see.

Does anyone know what they are? 

Classic Japanese Space Ray Guns | toykarma

Years ago we covered all the fab toy Japanese guns that had Thunderbird's Zero-X on them. 

Here's another different medley of amazing Japanese ray guns from other TV shows like Ultraman and Godzilla.

The toy are sumptuous and the box art just terrific. See what you think.

https://toykarma.com/2012/06/22/classic-japanese-space-ray-guns/ 

THE OVNI ESPACIAL TOY RAY GUN BY JYESA

 I keep seeing this ray gun design.

Here's the Ovni Espacial by Jyesa of Spain.

I'm sure there are many versions of this toy.

Maybe even a Dr. Who one?

The box art on this Jyesa is quite fabulous. Even the black rubber glove!

Have you got anything like this?

Barbarella's Starcruiser Mission Kit Ray Gun

We've spoken about Barbarella's pistols before.

One of her lesser ray guns - pictured above - appears to be the same one in the fabulous Gerry Anderson toy Star cruiser Mission Kit by Thomas Salter featured yesterday ( just had a thought, is this a water pistol?)

The identity of Barb's ray gun has perplexed many a toy mind over the years. 

Here's a great discussion from a way back on the superb Alphadrome, including many versions of the toy weapon.

http://alphadrome.net/forums/topic/15808-my-barbarella-ray-gun/?page=2 

Have you got ray guns like this?

Do you like Barbarella?

I would have loved that Star Cruiser Mission Kit for Christmas back in the day. You too?

ARTO'S ATOMICS

To celebrate my first two original darts for the Tudor Rose Atomic Ray Pistol, I took this group shot of my arsenal by far. The green one and the black ones are 1950's Finnish clones by Deborex.

Enjoy!

Arto

Helsinki Base

PLAZER RAY GUN

I have just come across this, the Multiple Toymakers Transistorized Plazer Ray Gun, from the 1960s. Wow.

It is a massive ray gun, that needs both hands to operate, and uses two D Cell batteries, which are installed under the long red panel at the front. It reminds me of the head of K-9.

Made of red, white, and light blue plastic, with the name of the gun, Plazer Ray, in chromed lettering on the right side. The name of the maker appears under the rear section.

The box is made of corrugated cardboard, with full colour paper labels glued on. The ends say Multiple Toymakers, Bronx, N.Y., and A Division of Loral Corporation. Made and Printed in U.S.A. The copyright date looks to be 1966.

You look through the rear scope. Line up on your target, and pull the rear trigger. This operates the aiming laser and beeper. The colour of the laser can be varied - red, blue, or green - by turning the red wheel just in front of the scope window. Then pull the forward trigger. This fires a cap, which destroys the target. The caps are housed within a solid metal magazine, which fits inside the forward handgrip.

It seems there were problems with these guns not working, and it certainly looks as though it would have been a complex and delicate toy, even when it worked.

I only found a few sales listings for it, and an old print ad.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1966-wards-christmas-catalog-page-1809531804

Old TV commercial - the quality is not very good, but it is still fascinating.

https://www.google.com/search?q=plazer+ray+gun+toy&oq=plazer+ray+gun+toy&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60l3.8403j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:d5e6831c,vid:uK_XOBh6cZI

However, there is a You Tube video by ToyKingWonder which shows the gun in action. It also shows how to take the toy apart, the inner mechanism, and how to get the gun to work. It is very detailed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wDlcKBHs0Y

I wonder if it was sold outside the US ?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Chris's Cosmic Water Gun

Hi Woodsy

Something else I thought you might be interested in - the Cosmic Water Gun from B&E. Unusual in that it's both a water pistol and a clicker. 

I bought these two at huge expense from US eBay, because I had a flash memory of having had them as a child in the 70s (?), and had to find one! It took a bit of searching, but they must have been pretty common, though I should think most got broken (I vividly remember breaking mine!). 

I must have bought them here from Woolworths. I was pleased and a bit surprised to find a packaged one. I'm sure I had a blue one though, so the search continues!

Did you have one readers?

Regards,

Chris

ELECTRIC RAY GUN YAMATO ART?

Is that another Yamato ship on this box art?

GALAXY SPACE GUN SPACESHIP MYSTERY

The card art of this Galaxy Space Gun caught my eye on an online auction. I wondered just what that cool flying ship was. Fortunately there are two toy positions and you can see the image clearly on the left.

Anyone know what that ship is?

Do you have any space pistols?

MULTIPLE TOYMAKERS SPACE HAWK SET

I've never seen this 1967 set before, Space Hawk Arsenal. Its a Multiple Toymakers toy space weapon set. Its one I've not even noticed on Ebay over the years. In fact this is the only picture and reference I can find online, on Todocollecion!

Do any American readers recall this set?

MOON LIGHT RIFLE MYSTERY

Who on earth is that character on this old Daiya Japanese tinplate space rifle I saw on Ebay?

Moon Light?

MOLAB PISTOL

Couldn't help noticing the MOLAB in the left corner of the header art on this toy.

Looks like the original art lifted.

Have you any MOLAB art or toys?

SAUCERS AND STINGRAYS

I saw this plastic toy ray gun on auction.

It would make a nice Xmas stocking filler!

I saved the pictures.

There's just something familiar about it.

It sort of reminds me a little of the Lone Star Stingray Ray Gun.

Well, maybe not!

Seasonal Greetings!

FURTHER ECHOES OF UFO: STRAKER'S GUN

Kevin D has kindly let me know that the Echo Gun did feature in the TV series UFO. It appeared towards the end of the second episode, Exposed, in the Straker-Harlington backlot. Here's a screen shot I grabbed online with Straker holding the pistol.

And reader MJ emailed me: 

Hi Woodsy, this [below] is very similar to the games console I had as a child. You can see the similarities with the electronic gun featured earlier on Moonbase.

regards, MJ Southcoast Base 

AN ECHO OF UFO OR NOT?

Being a fan of toy ray guns and space guns I've been aware of the UFO Echo gun since the 90's.

I haven't seen many of them turn up on auction but recently saw one so I saved the pics [similarly, I once saw an Agent Nick Fury S.H.I.E.L.D toy pistol at a toy fair which I've never seen again at all! You?]

Its an odd 'toy'. There's no mention of UFO on the box. Not being an expert on UFO I'm unsure if the name Echo Gun stems from the TV show or not. Do you know?

The grip hilt wood effect is odd. What do you make of it? It looks like Blue Peter sticky back plastic!

Have any of you had or do you have this toy ray gun?

MONKEY BUSINESS

This bagged COMET toy ray gun I saw online has had a long tradition as a design.

One of the first vintage toys I ever bought as a collector was a version of it at the Normanton evening toy fair in the ear;y 1990's. It was a Monkey Division toy gun.= like this one I saw online.

It came in a closed box I think, The word Okinawa rings a bell but that maybe because Remco issued the name under the Monkey Division brand, which I might have wanted rather than what I got. Wishful thinking.

Remco were good at recycling. The same design ray gun popped up in the Hamilton Invaders  .....

and their Star Trek line, along with other recyclers like the 'cricket' style Jeep vehicle.

I do like this ray gun design for a toy. Do you?