The Convair XFY Pogo in Brian's World

 Hello Paul,

My Convair XFY Pogo in 1/72 scale perversely landed on the roof of East Winchley Station when the RAF decided to test ths aircraft for British use.

In Brian's World it was decided that the P1127 Jump Jet would be more useful.

Brian B

USA

Ali nel Cielo! Wings in the Sky!

 I love this Italian box art!

The rear's not quite so fab.

Inside It looks like fairly standard model plane. 

Anyone recognize it?

What a box!

PS.

Tanguy and Laverdure book. Is it related?

Will's Hot Birds.

Hi Woodsy

You recently mentioned Mattel’s Hot Birds.

 Here’s my Air Race Set. 

A bit like an early version of Airfix’s Flight Deck! 

Will O

Anyone else got any Hot Birds?

Alaplan: Flying Wing

 This simple toy looks adorable. The Alaplan of Italy.

I love the box art!

It's a sort of plastic flying wing.

By Brevettato.

Propelled via a hand held thrower I guess.

Do you like it?

Para Jet

 There's something about red and yellow in toys. It's so handsome.

This Para Jet is a corker!

Part jet, part toy gun, There's a handle and a parachute. Wow!

Do you like it?

Wow! International Airways By Technofix!

This tinplate treasure looks a bit special. I mean, Javol!

By Technofix of West Germany it's a real avionic wonder. The finish and box art are superb.

Anyone got one?

The Convair US XFY-1 Pogo Fighter Kits

Hi Woodsy

The Convair XFY-1 Pogo was a US Navy experimental Vertical Take-Off and Landing fighter of the 1950s. It was powered by a single Allison YT40-A-6 turbo-prop engine, driving a six-bladed contra-prop (two three-bladed units rotating in opposite directions to cancel out torque).

The first vertical flight was made on 1st August 1954. The idea was that it could operate from escort ships, to protect convoys, without tying up aircraft carriers on such duties. The planned armament was four 20mm cannon, or unguided rockets.

The aircraft proved difficult to fly, and landing was a problem with the unconventional design. The programme was eventually cancelled, but the prototype still survives.

There have been several kits of the Pogo, including kits by Aurora and Lindberg from the 1950s. Both were 1/48th scale.

This is the 1/72nd scale KP kit from the Czech Republic. No.33 in the KP series. According to Scalemates it was released in 1993, and has been re-boxed several times.

I recently found this example in a model shop, on a shelf of older, second-hand kits, and snapped it up. It is moulded in light grey plastic, with a two-part canopy in clear plastic, and decals for the prototype.

There was also a 2021 version of the kit "In Services", which included fictional markings for operational aircraft in service with the US Marine Corps, Royal Navy, and Japan Air Self Defence Force. A Japanese aircraft adorning the box top.

I look forward to building this model once I get a few other projects finished off. It certainly fits in to the Wow Plane category.

Five photographs - three of my kit; and two of the "In Services" version from Worthpoint.

Is this a kit or a plane you know?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Mystery Model Spitfire

Hi Woodsy

The recent post from Lewis about his visit to the Hurstville Collectables Fair included a photograph of a mystery Spitfire toy. 

It is a pretty terrible model of a Spitfire – probably the Mark Vb, which had two long barrelled 20mm cannon in the wings, along with four .303 inch machine-guns which did not project from the wing.

The deep chin is probably meant to represent the Vokes tropical filter, intended to keep dust out of the engine. The Middle Stone and Dark Earth colour scheme was used mainly in North Africa.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2025/08/looey-at-hurstville-fair.html#comment-form

Lewis has mentioned Google Lens a few times, but I thought this was something you had to sign up for. It turns out I already had it on my computer, but have only just discovered it.

Using Google Lens I was able to find several matches for the model. It is marked under the starboard wing UNIVERSAL PRODUCT © 1977, and under the port wing SPITFIRE, with MADE IN HONG KONG under the starboard tailplane.

Although a basic toy, the undercarriage does retract. The colour scheme is original, and has not been re-painted.

Thanks to Lewis for explaining what Google Lens is, in previous posts. I think it is going to be very useful, now that I know I have it.

Four photographs from Worthpoint.

Paul Adams from New Zealand

The Cox Helldiver

Hi Woodsy

Following your 2024 discovery of an old knitting pattern, with a photo of a boy holding a toy aeroplane on the cover, here is a bit more information on the aircraft.

https://projectswordtoys.blogspot.com/2024/07/excerpts-of-exeter.html#comment-form

The Curtis SB2C Helldiver was a WW2 US Navy carrier-based dive bomber. The SB2C designation means Scout Bomber, 2nd type built by Curtis.

It first flew in 1940, and entered service in 1942. The US Army Air Force also adopted the type, under the designation A-25 Shrike, as an Attack aircraft.

Cox was a major US maker of flying model aircraft, and they produced the Helldiver in both US Navy and US Army markings. The models were the same, but in blue ..

or dark green plastic, with different markings.

Both had the number 511 in yellow on the nose, and post-1947 US national insignia. The Navy plane had a red spinner, and the Army version a yellow spinner.

The model had a 20 inch wingspan, and was powered by a 'real gas engine', the Cox .049. It carried rockets and long range fuel tanks under the wings, and a bomb under the fuselage that actually dropped.

It also came 'With Thrilling Bail Out ! Parachute Action' for the pilot. After leaving his stricken aircraft, the pilot descended by parachute.

I do not know when this model was introduced, but it was certainly available in the 1960s.

Six photographs from Worthpoint.

Anyone got one?

Paul Adams from New Zealand

Ed's Lever Action Tin-Litho F-104

Well Woodsy.

I met with a bit of frustration trying to locate that lever-action F-104 I recently commented about.

I have one in green (as shown in your photo) as well as a silver one. Yet - apparently, I never took photos of the green version as they're nowhere to be found on the computer - and I would need to mount a full-blown excavation into The Cave to locate it. 

Anywho, here's the same jet in silver.

From Vegas Air Field

Ed

PLANES

I picked these up last month, a bundle of old metal planes and copters.

The green jet is Japanese tinplate, the rest are cast metal.

The small headless plane at the bottom is a cap banger I think.

Most of the cast models have the names of the planes on the undercarriage.

An interesting bunch.

Toys Keep Swinging

 Messing with my new F-111 Swing Wing, I'm amazed how big it is, at least 12 inches. I thought it was a model kit when I saw it in a suitcase but it's a friction toy alright.

Largely in great shape, its missing a tailfin and like my FAB1 last month, it's another old toy with a pesky cracked canopy. How does that happen so often?

To spruce it up I've cheated on the cracks.

A little bit of dark sticker from a sticker sheet has neatly covered the two of them!

As regards the tail, a modern spare came to the rescue. It's only on loosely and can stay white for now.

We're off! 

Arto's Sears Super Sonic Jetliner

Re. your blog post on the subject, I sent you these photos of my orange Sears Super Sonic Jetliner back in 2022. 

It came up here in Finland, in great working condition and with a survivor original box. It is an imposing, sizeable toy in its 62 cm long box.

Sad news, the Suomenlinna Toy Museum which featured my space toy exhibition back in 2017 has closed down after 40 years. Still reeling from the shock.

https://www.hs.fi/helsinki/art-2000011053511.html

Arto

Helsinki Base

Kevin's Dinky Harrier Jet

I Picked this up recently, in remarkably good condition. What a great little toy.

Kevin

UK