Matchbox Amundsen-Scott Station!

Sometimes manufacturers get things wrong. Here is a howling example from Matchbox.

The Amundsen-Scott Station is a US scientific base at the South Pole, in Antarctica. Not to be confused with New Zealand's Scott Base. The South Pole base was first established in 1956, and a new building complex was built in the 1970s.

This Matchbox set, 38160, is one of a series of Famous Places Around the World devoted to major construction projects that used CAT vehicles. The set includes a tracked Challenger tractor, a trailer, and a plastic hut which even has a coating of snow.

It is a very nice set. The problem lies with the artwork on the front of the backing card, which shows a couple of Polar Bears outside the hut.

There are no Polar Bears in Antarctica. In fact, there are no Polar Bears in the Southern Hemisphere at all, except for a few in various zoos. Polar Bears are confined to the Northern Hemisphere, and the northern Polar regions. Someone did not do their homework!

Two photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Mini-Trac in Antarctica

Hi

Here is another weird and very wonderful video from You Tube about vehicles used in Antarctica. 

After a few shots of the tracked Swedish Snow-Trac and American Weasel, and the amphibious DUKW truck, we launch in to the main subject of the film. 

A tracked version of the Mini, called the Mini-Trac, built in Australia, and actually sent out to the ice for testing. 

What a great model that would make, although the suspension would require a fair amount of work. A wonderful piece of history.

"The Mini-Trac" - Antarctica's Weirdest Tracked Vehicle - YouTube

Paul Adams from New Zealand

THE MATCHBOX SNOW-TRAC: A DOSSIER BY PAUL ADAMS

Hi Woodsy,

A little while ago you mentioned the Matchbox Snow-Trac model. As a boy, this was one of my favourite Matchbox models, so I thought it deserved a write-up.

The real Snow-Trac was a Swedish vehicle, with a Volkswagen engine, built from 1957 to 1981. It was widely exported, and saw both military and civilian use. It could carry an impressive seven people, with a single entry door at the rear. There is a Wikipedia article which includes a section on toys, and this led to a couple of other Snow-Trac items which I thought might also be of interest.

I had always thought that the Snow-Trac was a fairly large vehicle, until I actually saw one in a movie. It is only about the size of a Jeep. Space Invasion of Lapland, or Terror in the Midnight Sun, is a Swedish science fiction movie from 1959, with several good shots of the vehicle, clearly showing just how small it is. The film was later re-edited, with new scenes, and released as Invasion of the Animal People. Both versions are available on a DVD by Something Weird Video in America. It seems there was also a Snow-Trac in The Shining.

Snow Trac - Wikipedia

The Matchbox Snow-Trac came out in 1964, and was the second model in the 1-75 series to carry the number 35. The first was the ERF motor horsebox. The Snow-Trac was retired in 1969. There was only one colour scheme. Red body, with a silver base and grille, black plastic rollers, white rubber tracks which seldom survive today (although reproductions are available). There is a towing hook. The windows were tinted green, but there was no interior. The Snow-Trac name appears on the body sides, below the windows, either as white decals or cast-in.

The base carries the words Snow-Trac, "Matchbox" Series No35, Made in England, by Lesney.

The site vintagebritishdiecasts.co.uk goes into great detail on all the early Matchbox variations. This is 
the entry for the Snow-Trac. Lesney matchbox 35b Snow Trac (vintagebritishdiecasts.co.uk)

There was a series of eight jig-saw puzzles, one of which featured the Snow-Trac. All depicted one or two Matchbox models in a realistic setting. According to this item on Worthpoint, the puzzles were released by the Fred Bonner Corporation in the US in 1969, so I am not sure if they were available in Britain. Size 5 in by 7 in, 40 pieces contained within an outer frame. There is a circular hole in the top of the frame, so I assume these were intended to hang on a peg.

RARE!! COMPLETE SET OF 8 1969 LESNEY MATCHBOX 5X7 PUZZLES EXCELLENT! | #429924540 (worthpoint.com)

The Australian company Rosenhain and Lipman included a Snow-Trac in their line of cereal toys. These were very small snap-together kits. They were re-issued by Aurora in the US in sets (usually of four models) as Snap-a-roos. Was the Roo part of the name a reference to their Australian origin ? The Snow Trac was included in the Antarctic Explorers set, along with a dog sled and figures.

AURORA SNAP A ROOS 1975 ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS SEAL PENGUIN SLED SNOW TRAC MINT | #1843793009 (worthpoint.com)

As my own model is a little battered, the photos here are from Ebay.
Paul Adams from New Zealand