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ASTROID ROBOT - DURHAM INDUSTRIES - HONG KONG282 viewsPlastic wind up Zeroid clone. One of the Sidewinder series. Rotating head and movable arms. Carded.
This is a simplified version of the original Zeroid line.
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NEW FLYING SAUCER WITH SPACE PILOT - YOSHIYA - JAPAN281 viewsA development of the earlier Flying Saucer with Space Pilot. This red tinplate battery operated flying saucer has a tin astronaut under a central plastic dome. There is a crescent shaped red spark grill behind the dome. The saucer has a bump and go action with space noise and flashing red and blue lights. The astronaut's hand moves.
The saucer has a distinctive large rear fin with a NASA logo. There are small metal antennas on either side of the dome and a small plastic rotating propeller style antenna at the front. A row of holes and a pattern of hatched litho lines around the base of the dome add to the distinctive appearance of this saucer.
KO. The New Flying Saucer by Yoshiya appears briefly in Santa Claus Conquers The Martians, a low budget kid-fi movie released in 1964. Featured in the 1965 Yoshiya catalog item #5018
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APOLLO SPACE PATROL - TPS - JAPAN281 views"With satellite ship". Plastic battery operated saucer. Bump and go action with a ring of square orange and green flashing "neon" lights. The satellite ship is the separate winged structure on top of the structure. Marked X-7 on decals either side of the dome.
Featured in the 1970 Tokyo Playthings Catalog.
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MARSMAN - MASUDAYA - JAPAN279 viewsAn unusual blue lithographed tin friction space vehicle. The small vehicle has an open cockpit with a tin astronaut behind a windshield. The back of the car is raised up in a tin hump that is covered in space related litho: Saturn, stars, rockets. MARSMAN wording on the top rear.
The box art is primitive but attractive, with a very limited palette of browns and blues. The same pressing was used for other non-space toys. Date?
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MECHANICAL ROBOT (WIND UP EASEL BACK ROBOT) - YONEZAWA - JAPAN278 viewsTinplate lithographed wind up easel back . Advances with stepping motion. Rectangular chest design with red circle containing two lightning flashes. Yonezawa link. Coiled spring antenna on the head. On sale November 1956.
This is virtually identical to the Linemar version except that the robot has a Yonezawa logo on the back and comes in a two-part box also with a Yonezawa logo.
ADD
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CHIEF SMOKY - MR CHIEF - YOSHIYA - JAPAN277 viewsTin battery op. Advances with bump and go mystery action as his head lights and his hat smokes. KO skirt
Based on the Chief Robot Man pressing, though the belly button is a lithographed circle instead of a plastic part. The arms are metal. The robot first appears specifically with the Mr Chief nameplate version in the 1963 Simpsons-Sears Christmas catalog. The Chief Smoky chest plate version on sale in November 1964.
The name confusion arises because the box calls him Chief Smoky and the art work depicts the robot with that name on his chest plate. The actual robot can have either Chief Smoky or Mr Chief wording. To make things more confusing, the box gives him the extra title of Advanced Robotman.
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MECHANIZED ROBOT, ROBBY SPACE PATROL - NOMURA - JAPAN277 viewsA large lithographed tinplate space sled or chariot. The metallic blue vehicle has tweo unoccupied seats. The top half of a Nomura Piston Avtion or Pug Robby sits on top of the front, looking as though his bottom half is enclosed in the sled. Battery operated mystery action with flashing lights. The mechanism is designed so that Robby turns in the direction that the chariot is moving.
Advances with mystery action as Robby turns, his dome lights and the red/green disc lights blink.
This remarkable space toy is a direct copy of the space chariot in the 1956 MGM film "The Forbidden Planet", though it is a unlicensed product.
Name on toy: Space Patrol
Name on box: Mechanized Robot
Globe type on toy and box: na
Pilots: none on toy, none on box
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FLYING SAUCER WITH SPACE PILOT - YOSHIYA - JAPAN277 viewsTin battery op saucer with bump and go action with space noise and flashing lights. The box art depicts a blue space background with a cratered moon at the bottom right. The distintive feature of this saucer is the large revolving spiral spring. Twin angled wire antennas tipped with plastic. Cragstan logo. Appeared in the 1960 Sears Christmas catalog:
"Flying Saucer. With its antenna revolving, motors screeching, saucer runs forward until it hits obstacle - then reverses. Pilot moves. 7 1/2 inch diameter. Steel. From Japan. Shipping weight 1 lb. 8 oz.
49 N 4223 - Order 2 "D" batteries at left.......$2.79"
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VIDEO ROBOT, BLUE TYPE 2 - HORIKAWA - JAPAN276 viewsBlue lithographed tin and plastic battery operated robot with white plastic TV screen in the chest. Power source: 2 "C" cell batteries. 24cm 9.25" Walks forward as a moving, lighted space scene is displayed on chest screen.
This version has more extensive lithography to the sides and top of the torso and lacks the word "VIDEO" beneath the screen. The panel below the screen has now features a row of dials. Described as new in the 1977 Horikawa catalog and still featured in 1979, art. 5038 However the robot featured in the 1976 Galoob catalog.
There is also a grey color variation with slightly different arms and a realistic space sound feature.
English and Japanese box versions. television
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2-XL ROBOT - MEGO - USA275 viewsPlastic battery op electronic robot game. Designed as an educational toy, hence "To Excel". Talking. Static games toy robot comes with a series of audio tapes.
Originally marketed in the 1980s by the Mego Toy Corporation. Later upgraded and re-introduced by Tiger Electronics in the 1990s. United States
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INTERPLANETARY SPACE FIGHTER, SUPER JET V-7 - NOMURA - JAPAN275 viewsTin battery operated space vehicle marked Super Jet V-7. The large spaceship has a resemblance to Supercar but the relatively large astronaut alters the scale. Blue and white tin with red and yellow detailing. The articulated golden astronaut driver sits inside an open cockpit, holding an enormous space cannon. The cannon has a clear plastic windshield. Bump and go action as the gun swivels around and shoots with flashing light.
A newspaper advertisement dates this to December 1963. It also appears in the Nomura Catalog for 1964.
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ROBERT THE ROBOT, VERSION 3 - IDEAL TOY - USA274 viewsName on robot: none
Nickname: Variation #3
Manufacturer: Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis 23, N.Y.
Catalog/Box Number: 4049
Patent Number: D-174,588
Timeline Date: 1956 through 1959
Power source - 1 "D" cell battery to light head (eyes, mouth and antenna). The red knob on the chest is the "on/off" switch.
Actions: Manual remote control crank to move forward or backwards and turn right or left. Talks: When crank on the back is turned, an internal record rotates and says: "I am Robert Robot, mechanical man. Drive me and steer me wherever you can. I am Robert Robot, mechanical man." Spring loaded hands permit objects to be held in them. Arms can be manually adjusted.
Additional info: "Pat. Pend. Talking Device Mfd. By Ted Duncan, Inc." United States
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FLIEGENDE UNTERTASSE FLYING SAUCER GE-279 - TECHNOFIX - WEST GERMANY274 viewsLithographed tinplate flying saucer with an unusual shape: the sauce combines a circular shape with a rectangular form. W Germany Original name. A red plastic spark window is set in the top. Friction action with spark.
Slightly different litho veriosn are known.
Catalog Number 279. Dated to 1955 in the Technofix archive.
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AIR DEFENSE CENTER - CRAGSTAN (MAKER?) - JAPAN274 viewsA tall red lithographed tinplate battery operated console with radar screen and flashing lights.
The 1962 Sears catalog advertises this toy: "Radar scans sky.. warning lights blink.. missles fire! Air Defense Center is busy with action.. has rotating antenna and radar scope; winking lights; moving air speed register and altimeter. 3 rubber-tipped darts. Steel, 12 in. long."
Large oval rotating antenna. The box art depicts a military scene but the actual toy resembles the Masudaya range of similar control centres.
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РОБОТ, ROBOT - MAKER? - USSR274 viewsRussian Robot. Plastic battery op remote control version. Pedestal. Takes special size 'Russian' batteries. With its original box. Often referred to as a pogot. Russia
Replace image.
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ROBOT aka DIRECTIONAL ROBOT, GREEN VERSION - YONEZAWA - JAPAN273 viewsPale silver green tin battery operated skirted robot. Advances with bump n' go action and lighted eyes and red dome light. The dark blue box was designed for this green color version.
A distinguishing feature of the green version is the position of the two tabs on the lower part of the skirt: on blue version they are they are close together, on the green they are much further apart. The base plate - just visible - is green (rather than black and this version also lacks the stamped detail on each shoulder.
Circa 1957
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ROTO-ROBOT LATER VERSION - HORIKAWA - JAPAN273 viewsThese robots have little in common with the innovative and imaginative original Roto-Robot. In fact this is just a revival of the name first used on the earlier line of robots. Wedge shaped feet.
Horikawa released two versions of the Roto-Robot, one in the usual black-brown color, and a "metal printed" or lithographed version in red, blue and yellow. Each version had its dedicated box. 10 1/2" (26cm). Date? There is a Japanese box version of the plain robot.
There's nothing distinctive or innovative in this robot: the emphasis is on economy. The tin and plastic battery operated robot has the Rotate-O-Matic action with flashing lights and guns behind opening chest doors. The arms are vinyl. The plastic head has a large chrome eye panel and ears. Rotates.
Note that the brown version (the 1st one with Japan box) appears as new in 1977 SH catalog art 5028, 11"
No date is yet known for the red feet yellow door version art 5069 in a Japanese catalog but probably 80’s
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ATTACKING MARTIAN ASTRONAUT VERSION - HORIKAWA - JAPAN272 viewsThis is a silver astronaut version of the original classic large tin battery operated Attacking Martian. It has the identical action: walking, opening doors, firing guns and flashing lights. The box art is a powerful depiction of the robots attacking.
This robot has a black plastic battery box and the thick tin arms.
The astronaut version in brown was also sold as the Space Patrol: the box is identical except for the wording.
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TWO-STAGE ROCKET LAUNCHING PAD VERSION 1 - NOMURA - JAPAN271 viewsTin battery op rocket launching station. This is the rarer light blue version with a "flatter" finish than the slightly raised litho of the purple version. There are no rocket holder clamps and the litho on the launcher top and base is different. The plate at the bottom of the launcher also has a different shape.
The main difference is the crank handle attached at the front and the presence of an additional button on the launch tube. The crank is used to start the launch sequence mechanically. The later version is started by simply pushing the rocket down. The handle folds flat for storage in the box. It is assumed that this is an earlier version which was unnecessarily complex and dearer to make.
The box is believed to be the same.
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FIGHTING SPACE MAN - HORIKAWA - JAPAN270 viewsTin battery operated astronaut with clear chest panel and a single gun. Based on the second version of the Fighting Robot body. Distinctive shoulder hoops/loops and a yellow head dome. The yellow dome version of the Fighting Spaceman appeared in 1967. It was reissued the following year in this astronaut version. A version with conical ears is known, though the box depicts the cylindrical ears.
It is featured in Eaton's Canada's Christmas Catalogue for 1968 and still in the SH catalog for 1969.
Three versions known:
Tin thick hands red switch
Tin thick hands no switch in front,
Plastic thick hands no switch in front
Japanese market box shown below.
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ACROBOT - TOMY - JAPAN270 viewsVery small plastic windup robots. The long arms produce a tumbling action. Made by Tomy for Parker.
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PERCIVAL IL GENIO ROBOT - ESTRELA - BRAZIL270 viewsPercival the Genius Robot. Very large 70 cm plastic battery op 1980 made by Estrela Toys. Answers Yes or No questions through the use of blinking lights. Plays memory sequence games based on the electronic Simon format. Uses the same body pressing as Ar-Tur.
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PISTON ROBOT - VARIATIONS SJM & HORIKAWA270 viewsBattery op tin and plastic robot with visible piston engine in chest.
1. SJM (Taiwan), 11" tall, mostly gold litho/covered rear pistons, black metal legs, red metal feet, "circular" ears.
2. SJM (Taiwan), 11" tall, mostly gold litho/covered rear pistons, black plastic legs, red metal feet, "circular" ears.
3. Horikawa (Japan), 10.5" tall, mostly gold litho/covered rear pistons, brown plastic legs & feet, "circular" ears.
4. Horikawa (Japan), 10.5" tall, mostly gold litho/covered rear pistons, brown plastic legs & feet, "finned" ears.
5. Horikawa (Japan), 10.5" tall, mostly brown litho/exposed rear pistons, brown plastic legs & feet, "circular" ears.
phase pistol - Your post would indicate a sixth variation:
6. Horikawa (Japan), 11" tall, mostly brown litho/exposed rear pistons, black metal legs, red metal feet, "circular" ears.
To the best of my knowledge, all the boxes are the same: same size, same artwork, same color scheme. It depicts variation #5 as described above which makes it really difficult to put them in chronological order. The "extra-tall" box size would mean the red feet version (either metal or plastic legs) came first, but the artwork shows the one-piece, shorter, plastic leg variation. Puzzling, wouldn't you say, F.J.W.? The only difference on the boxes is the logo in the lower left hand corner: either S.H or S.J.M."
Version 5 is new in 1977 SH catalog (piston in front and seen also from behind art 5030 10 ½ inch same picture in 1980 catalog) clearly it’s the first one.
In 1981 the SH catalog picture changes and show version 3 always 5030 reference
The finned ears change also appears on the New Astronaut version 2 and New Silver Astronaut , so it’s probably later in the 80’s. So the correct production order is 5, 3 and 4
The SJM Taiwan Piston 1 and 2 are probably after 1985 or end of 80’s
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ZATHURA269 views
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LUNAR MODULE - MI IN DIAMOND - JAPAN269 viewsPlastic battery op lunar lander with bump and go action. A ladder comes out of one of the hatches of the module, an astronaut steps out. The subject suggests a 1969 date. Noise and flashing lights. Compare with the DSK version. This version has a M.I. Japan sticker over the manufacturer's mark
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SONIC CONTROLLED ROBOT - MAKER? - HONG KONG268 viewsLate copy of the Yonezawa Talking Robot. Plastic battery operated with buttons and four missiles in the head. Walks, lighted eyes and four button talking action.
An electronic "sonic" remote control function has been added. This is the same style as used on other Yonezawa sonic robots, though there is a distinctive circular hole in the mouth.
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ROBOT 5 PINK VERSION - SANKEI - JAPAN268 viewsThe pink version had on the bottom of the box the word "red" stamped. The box is a special two piece Sparkling Mike version
The grey/black had the word "black" stamped on the box bottom.
It is believed that the pink variation started as a black/grey with a pink coating then applied. No two pink versions are exactly the same hue and this may be due to the way the pink coating 'cured'.
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'AURORA' EXPEDITION CAR - YONEZAWA - JAPAN266 viewsA most unusual combination of two linked space exploration tanks. The boxed set comprises two light blue lithographed tin battery operated tanks. The lead tank has a small forward clear plastic dome with driver and has working tracks to provide movement. The second tank is similar in style but has tin litho tracks rather than working ones. It, too, has a small dome with pilot.
The name and box art suggest Arctic exploration but this is regarded as being a space toy. The box has both a Yonezawa and a KDP logo.
See also the Mighty Explorer version of the vehicle.
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BUMP N' GO SPACE EXPLORER TANK - YOSHIYA - JAPAN266 viewsRed lithographed tinplate friction space tank. Green tin pilot with X-8 logo under a large clear dome. Pilot's hand moves. There is a distinctive raised square lithographed engine cover at the back. Plastic spark window and large clear plastic pipes at the back. Inertia crank action bump and go mechanism. KO
Featured in the 1965 Yoshiya catalog, item #1005
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ROBBIE THE ROVING ROBOT - SNK SANKEI - JAPAN266 viewsTin wind up robot. Identical box art to Sparkling Mike. Blue logo on box, yellow logo on robot. SNK ACE. Unlike Sparkling Mike, the feet end in pins without the little disks.
Shin Nichi Kogyo company. Same pressing as Flashy Jim and Sparkling Mike. Also used for the Robot 5 by Kanto, the TV Robot by Sankei, and the Mighty Robot SHIN NICHI KOGYO
On sale in October 1957.
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BUSY CART ROBOT - SUZUGEN FOR HORIKAWA - JAPAN266 viewsA brightly lithographed tin and plastic battery operated. Yellow body with black arms and legs.
This imaginative robot advances with walking motion as he raises, shakes and dumps his cart wheelbarrow. It is stylistically a natural companion to the Fork Lift Robot. The basic frame is that of the large battery op Horikawa robots, though the yellow box shaped chest is structurally simpler with considerable litho detailing.
A prototype appeared in a catalog in 1972 and went on sale the same year. The prototype was based on a New Fighting Robot (1971). The model that went into production was significantly different, possibly because a different manufacturer, Suzugen, was used. There are a number of variations of this robot:
Three cart versions: a prototype tin one, a production tin one and the more usual plastic one pictured here.
Three hat versions:
1 Arguably the earliest - a ribbed hat.
2 A plain hat, narrow brim with black stripes and Japanese writing on it (the name of Japanese construction company)
3 A plain hat with a wider brim
A red hat versions exist, though this is probably transplanted from the Fork Lift Robot.
Two leg variations: a plain leg and a leg with considerable knee litho detail
Two feet variations:
The usual short foot shown here, and a longer foot that probably was designed for the Fork Lift Robot
There are other minor variations. This can add up to quite a range of versions.
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BATTERY OPERATED BULLDOZER - YOSHIYA - JAPAN265 viewsOrange/yellow tinplate battery operated bulldozer with a blue-grey tin robot driver. ther bulldozer has working rubber tracks and a litho engine panel in the side. Shovel at the front. Marked KO. Forward and backward movement "With automatic shovel action". The robot's eyes light and he works the levers. 7" long. tractor
There are two variations of this dozer: one uses a single D call and has no side track cover. The other, shown, uses two C cells, has a forward/reverse lever and a side track cover.
The bulldozer appears in a 1956 Western Smallware catalog.
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SMOKING SPACEMAN, VERSION A - LINEMAR - JAPAN265 viewsHere is the best estimation of the history of the Smoking Spaceman, courtesy of Gernot: (The first record of a Smoking Spaceman is 1960 in Lipman's Christmas Catalog)
VERSION A)1960. Original "Smoking Space Man", manufactured by Marumya (later Metal House), Sold by Linemar. Box Art (a) with normal Lettering, Linemar Sign (One of many Linemar Toys on the side. Box Art (b) with special riveted lettering, Linemar sign. Embossed Linemar sign. Colors: grey (silver) and charcoal (brown)(?), rivets on the side, back behind mouth black, silver metal switch, dome has three pieces front and rear. Smoking hole in center of mouth, big hole, small wheels on the feet
VERSION B) Early 60s (?) Original "Smoking Robot" , manufactured by Marumya (later Metal House) sold by Yonezawa. Box Art (a) with normal lettering, Yonezawa sign. Colors: grey (silver) and charcoal (brown) (?)
VERSION C) 1950s or early 60s (?) very rare Original "Smoking Robot" , manufactured by ? sold by Yonezawa. Box Art (a) with normal lettering (?), Yonezawa sign
Colors: metallic green and blue. White plastic switch. Big wheels on the feet
Back behind mouth is silver metal, small Smoking hole off the center, lithographed scales with printed yonezawa sign on the back, metal gears between the legs
VERSION D)First run of reproductions 80s (?)
Colors ? Plastic gears between legs
VERSION E)"Smoking Robot" Reproductions probably made in the 90s ordered by Kitahara, manufactured by Metal house. Colors: charcoal (brown), metallic green , metallic blue, gold, maroon (dark red), bare metal, prably grey (silver)
Plastic gears between legs, metal switch, No marking, no rivets on the side
Small pin next to the metal switch. Color behind the mouth is same as body
Big Smoking hole in center of mouth. Two small wheels on the feet
Box art like (a) "Smoking Robot" Yonezawa sign but colors are very flat. Very good quality, smooth function
VERSION F) TinTomToys "Smoking Spaceman"
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SPACE GIANT FLYING SAUCER - MASUDAYA - JAPAN265 viewsLarge tin battery op three fin saucer. Super Sonic. Wording variation in Masudaya 1963 catalog. Non Stop action. The same pressing as the SPACE SHIP 1 - MASUDAYA
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FRICTION POWERED WALKING ASTRONAUT - DAIYA FOR AHI - JAPAN264 viewsMetallic blue lithographed tinplate astronaut. A boxy robot with litho detailing of oxygen tanks on the front and back. Astronaut wording prominent on the chest. Crank operated astronaut advances with walking motion. white helmet. Grey plastic arms. Window box marked Azrak Hamway International, though the robot is marked Daiya on the back. See the Laser 008 version. The wind up Astro Captain version currently dates to 1969. This is earlier, appearing in newspaper ads in August 1968.
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SUPER SPACE GIANT - HORIKAWA - JAPAN264 viewsLarge 16" 40cm tin battery operated robot. Stop and go, swing open door, blinking and shooting gun, realistic shooting noise, rotating body. The robot rotates four and a half times then reverses his direction and walks backward. Red fly eyes.
This is an enlarged version of the Attacking Martian design.
Silver and brown versions. The litho detailing on the chest panels is completely different on each version. There are English and Japanese box versions. The English box has a combination of English wording on the front and Japanese on the sides.
The silver version is new in 1969 SH catalog, art 980, and is still for sale in the 1972 catalog. It also appears in the 1969-1970 M.W. Kasch Company catalog.
Recent reproductions do not have a rotating action.
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APOLLO 12 SPACE CAPSULE - TT - JAPAN264 viewsSimple light blue lithographed tin friction space capsule. Some elaborate window detail printed on the capsule. Marked United States Apollo. Three wheels. Friction action with noise.
Sold in trade boxes of 12. T.T. Co TAKATOKU Apollo. The trade box depicts a moon lander.
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SMOKING ENGINE ROBOT, SMOKING - HORIKAWA - JAPAN264 viewsA blue plastic robot with chrome plastic components. The robot walks forward as lighted pistons move up & down and smoke puffs out from the (robot's) right hand chest port. 10"
Additional info.: MADE IN JAPAN is embossed on the battery cover. The robot is all plastic except for the area behind the pistons which is lithographed tin and the soles of the feet which is red painted tin.
Catalog number: #5060, 1984 Horikawa Toy Catalogue
Power source: 2 "C" cell batteries
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M-41 SPACE TANK - MASUDAYA - JAPAN264 views It is a green lithographed tinplate battery operated tank. Clear plastic dome at the front with a tin astronaut pilot. Large plastic dish antenna. Springs at rear with lights. Similar in design to the M-18. Bump and go action with rotating antenna and flashing lights.
Two versions shown: the more common one with spring and a red headed astronaut. Below is a presumably later simplified version with red and green plastic light covers and a yellow vinyl astronaut.
The M-41 dates at least to 1970 when it appears in the Masudaya catalog for that year. It is not listed as a new item, so may be a little earlier.
This was a very successful space toy, judging by the large number that have survived.
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KING KONG OF MARS aka FLOWER ROBOT - SHEN CHEN - HONG KONG264 viewsFor many years a misidentified robot in Boogaert's reference book attributed to SH and called the Flower Robot because of the strange psychedelic litho. Now identified as the King Kong of Mars made by the Shen Chen Toy Factory of Hong Kong. There is a Three Fir Tree logo on the Chinese box.
The style is a clear copy of the later SH Attacking Martian style, but the head, chest and fly eye details are different. Several color versions are known based on combinations of red, yellow and green components. There are also two different chest decal patterns.
See also the Engine Robot which shares many features.
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EMPIRE-MONSTER ROBOT aka DRAGON ROBOT - HORNED VERSION - MIKE TOYS - TAIWAN263 viewsBlack plastic battery operated robot. Walks noisily then stops, head splits open to reveal screaming lit up dinosaur head. Head closes then continues. One of a series based on the same SH original body: the colors vary. Change. Photo box. Horns, ax, axe
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MINI ROBOT - MAXELL - JAPAN263 viewsA tiny wind up stepover robot made for Maxell. Pull back action. It is a silver blue little bug shape with long rotating arms. Replace image.
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TITAN THE TUMBLER - CRAGSTAN - JAPAN263 viewsPlastic battery op remote control acrobat style robot with Titan logo on chest. Blue angular "insect" look plastic. Forward and backward tumbling motion. Black remote battery holder. Window box. First sighted in the 1969 Cragstan catalog. See Super Spaceman variation.
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CAPSULE 7 - MASUDAYA - JAPAN262 viewsTin battery operated space capsule. There is a light blue cylindrical front assembly tipped with a red plastic nose cone. The front is surrounded by flashing colored lights. The capsule has a clear plastic window in the top containing a vinyl head astronaut. A tin and vinyl astronaut cadet is attached by a wire to the capsule and rotates as it operates. "With Space Signals and Flashing Lights". Corrugated skin pattern
Bump and go action with flashing lights and noise.
Masudaya catalogue number 3417 Capsule 7, MT/189 dates this to 1966
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FLYING SAUCER Z-106 - MASUDAYA - JAPAN261 viewsTin friction saucer with litho details of pilot and passenger. Two side fins and a raised front wheel. MT. Carries a Cragstan logo on the underside. The fins are positioned far closer to the edges than most other saucers.
This saucer has the same pressing as the V100 Space Patrol with Suctorial Missile. This has been dated to 1954 when it was advertised in a newspaper dated 8th December 1954.
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MOON CAR, MOON SPACE SHIP - NOMURA - JAPAN261 viewsTin battery operated space car chariot/sled. Advances with mystery bump and go action as the dome turns, the two yellow dishes rotate, light flashes and the engine pistons move. No driver included.
Name on toy: Moon Space Ship
Name on box: Moon Car
Globe type: clear dome with electronic equipment
Pilots: none
Appears in a newspaper ad in November 1958.
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FLYING SAUCER WITH SPACE PATROL X-326 - MASUDAYA - JAPAN261 viewsAn early tin friction flying saucer with spinner prop disk. This is a circular saucer with the ridged effect and headlight details. The saucer has an offset cockpit with litho depicting the crew. There are two tail fins. Marked X-306. Saturn surrounded by stars logo. The spinner is launched by pushing the vehicle forward. Z-101 style.
The saucer was advertised in the Courier News in October 1958.
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ROCKET MAN IN SPACE ARMOR - ALPS BANDAI - JAPAN260 viewsTin and plastic battery op remote control robot astronaut. Yellow plastic antenna on this example is correct; grey and white have been seen but these may be later additions. The metal antenna is not used - in keeping with the box art. The robot advances with walking motion, moving arms and lighted head as his color wheels spin and pistons move in his chest. Press the second remote button and he individually fires his rockets. Flip up his helmet to see the tin astronaut head. Made by Alps for distribution by Rosko.
It is the first of a group of Alps badai robots based on the same molds: Rocket Man (1963) Moon Explorer (1966) and Missile Robot (?). It bears a strong resemblance to the Alps TV Spaceman but the scale of the components is appreciably larger.
The Rocket Man is currently dated to 1963 when it appears in a number of catalogs, including Aldens Christmas Catalog where it is described as a Mars Explorer. (Rocket Man's head is attached to the body by a hinge which fits into slots molded into the head pressing. These holes can be seen on the later Moon Explorer where they have no function.)
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NASA CONTROL CENTER - MASUDAYA - JAPAN260 viewsA large blue and white tinplate battery operated command center console. This is a later example of the Masudaya control center and it has a decidedly less toy-like feel; it offers more realistic computer influenced design.
A command ship orbits the Moon. The object is to dock it with a lunar module. Inspired by NASA's Apollo moon program. Rotating two dish antenna.
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MR ATOMIC PROTOTYPE - YONEZAWA - JAPAN259 viewsFeatured in a 1962 catalog and again in the Yonezawa 1963 catalog is this picture of a prospective Mr Atomic with some unusual features. The litho detailing is quite unique and there are only nine lights under the dome, as opposed to the sixteen of the production run. There are known examples of the nine light version, but an example with this lithography is not known.
The illustration suggests that a production model was not to hand when the catalog was printed (or that it changed prior to production). These "artist's impressions" are not uncommon and are often based on photos of factory prototypes.
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SPACE SCOOTER - MASUDAYA - JAPAN259 viewsA large metallic blue lithographed tin and plastic battery operated space scooter. The scooter is ridden by a large tin boy astronaut with helmet and backpack.
Bump and go mystery action. Later released by Amico. Inspiration for the design came from the Fireball XL5 Jetmobile.
Listed in the 1971 Azrak Hamway International catalog.
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RADAR ROBOT, 4 VERSIONS - NOMURA - JAPAN258 viewsTin battery op robot. The Radar Robot is a Zoomer with lightbulb eyes (instead of the reg gel eyes of Zoomer). The box carries the detail of the new feature "Brilliant Lite in Each Eye'. Coiled spring antenna on the head. Widely advertised from late 1956.
There are five documented Radar Robot Versions (bulbs):
1 Silver face and body, black feet
2 Silver face and legs, blue body, black feet
3 Red face, charcoal body, red hands and legs, black feet
4 Maroon face, charcoal body, maroon hands andl egs, black feet
5 Maroon face and body, black hands and feet
From left to right are Versions 5, 3, 4 and 2
Zoomer Family
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ROCKET LAUNCHING PAD, FIRING COMMAND VERSION - YONEZAWA - JAPAN258 viewsTin battery op rocket launch pad. Countdown clock with lighted screen and "radio signal". Push the firing switch and the countdown meter starts backwards from ten as a radio signal sounds. TV screen shows rocket takeoff.
Two versions of this rocket launch are known, this one with the Firing Command wording has been first sighted in various 1959 catalogs including Aldens.
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NON FALL SPACE PATROL WITH FLOATING SATELLITE X-16 - MASUDAYA FOR AMICO - JAPAN258 viewsOne of Masudaya's large bowl shaped flying saucers. Metallic blue-green tin lithographed battery op saucer with non-fall action. Circular flat colored lights are spaced around the dome. Floating styrofoam ball and flashing lights. See also the X-17 which is a bump and go variation of this saucer in essentially the same box. The wide cup is an addition that must have helped to improved the performance of the ball blowing. Cams underneath the toy detect the edges of surfaces and prevent it from going over the edge.
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QONTO - JAPAN258 viewsPlastic battery op robot with bump and go action, flashing eyes and space sound.
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GALAXY WARRIOR - HONG KONG258 viewsBlack version of the plastic battery op robot. Star Wars knock off with Stormtrooper style head. Rotates. Opening doors and shooting guns. Box has a green background. Comma design on chest. Maker?
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SPACE EXPLORER - HORIKAWA - JAPAN257 viewsMade by Horikawa Japan tinplate astronaut with plastic arms and head. Battery operated walking action stops and back lit TV screen scrolls with views of space ship Apollo and space type noise "Spaghetti" antenna on shoulder revolves. Available in silver and brown.
Box art depicts 5 children looking at robot.
Also produceD in metallic blue with a change of name to Radar Robot
television
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NEW SPACE EXPLORER, BROWN VERSION - HORIKAWA - JAPAN257 viewsTin and plastic battery operated astronaut robot. Chest plate drops to reveal a television screen. 11 ½ inch, stop and go, swing open door, realistic noise, the flight of Apollo on tv screen.
New in the 1971 Horikawa Catalog, Art 1029. The silver version appears in the Amico Inc. 1972 Catalog
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ROBOT 5 LIGHT BLUE VERSION - SANKEI - JAPAN257 viewsA limited run color variation of the rare Robot 5. It lacks the "sheet metal" lithography found in the grey/black and red versions. The reason for the limited run has led to speculation that the regular and more frequently occuring version had two advantages over this one:
#1 it just looked better
#2 you would not see press damage so much on surfaces covered with a wild pattern. A smooth, light coloured surface, specially going towards the curved edges of the pressing, is a nightmare. Die's deteriorate in a run, they become rougher which is fatal to the litho. So after 500, maybe, they had to do too much "Factory touch-up". (Henk G)
Pressing also used for the TV Robot by Sankei and the Mighty Robot by Mitsuhashi.
Regarding the Sankei/Kanto confusion. On the face of it there is a possibility that Kanto and Sankei have near identical trademarks. A -K-in the middle of 4 quarter moon broken circles. The difference is that the Sankei K has serifs coming off the ends of the K and the Kanto K does not. Therefore it is easy to see why the Kanto trademark was misidentified as a Sankei trademark. Both the Robot 5 and the Sankei Televsion have the trademark K with serifs aka Sanke
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CRAGSTAN GREAT ASTRONAUT, PROTOTYPE - ALPS - JAPAN257 viewsDon't spand too long hunting for this, it existed once as a protopype, was photographed for a catalog and has not been seen again
A 1962 advert showing a prototype Great Astronaut. The color is unique, as is the head detail. The description is of the 1961 Television Spaceman. Catalogs were produced months before the arrival of merchandise and the pictures are often speculative or prototype based.
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FIGHTING ROBOT, FIRST VERSION - HORIKAWA - JAPAN256 viewsTin battery operated robot with a single gun hinged in the chest and poking through a clear plastic chest panel. The chest plate benind the screen has elaborate litho detailing. Rotating gears inside a clear cone shaped dome on the head. The robot advances with rotating gears while the chest gun swivels from side to side and shoots with flashing light.
Widely advertised from October 1965 on.
There are two versions of this robot, apart from the astronaut version. The usual version (pictured) has a clear head dome with revolving gears and two vertical shoulder antennas (rod and ball). The other version is a robot version of the Fighting Space Man with loop/hoop antennas and a yellow head dome. This second version has been seen in a 1968 Gertz Christmas Catalog.
In the earliest catalogs the Fighting Robot is called the "Artillery Robot", probably a working title.
29cm
Notice the three different catch configurations for the battery door: this was a long-lived robot and clearly modifications were made to the design.
Variations seen:
Green switch with large tin hands
Red switch with large tin hands
Red switch thick tin hands, the battery box is white tin but there seem to be some changes on the battery door
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PISTON ROBOT, JAPANESE BOX - YONEZAWA - JAPAN256 viewsBlue plastic battery op piston robot. Yellow arms. Red plastic visor face. Visible engine pistons in chest. Made by Metalhouse in Japan. Takes two c-cell batteries. Same mold as the Yonezawa Talking Missile robot. Possibly appeared in a late 70's FAO Schwarz catalog.
The influence of Metal House is evident in the SH styling of this robot.
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ROBOT (REMOTE CONTROL EASEL BACK ROBOT) - YONEZAWA - JAPAN255 viewsLithographed battery operated remote control tinplate Easel back robot. Circa 1958. Advances with stepping motion. Light blue version with a distinctive yellow and black edged circle in the chest panel. There is some rivet detailing but appreciably less extensive than on other versions. 6" tall. The remote holds a single C cell. There is a small coiled spring antenna on the head.
The lighted eyes version was on sale in March 1957.
Image Morphys Auction
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APOLLO 11 ROCKET - NOMURA - JAPAN255 viewsLater style white plastic battery operated rocket. Red plastic tail fins, a clear plastic engine and nose cone.
"Switch on and APOLLO-11 starts moving. It stops and elevates vertically. It comes down and moves forward. The actions repeat. Light blinks with constant rocket engine sound." Apollo-11 TN
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TV SPACEMAN - HORIKAWA - JAPAN254 viewsBlack plastic battery operated TV robot. 11.5" Robot walks forward, stops, illuminated moving space scene is displayed on screen with "click-click" sound. Image stops and robot continues to walk forward. Chrome silver face plate, eyes only. Walks with space 'movie' scenes in chest using a transparency of moonscape on a rotating clear plastic drum inside body.
The robot is all plastic except for the legs and the soles of the feet, which are tin. The word "JAPAN" is embossed on the back of the robot at the waist. There is also a blue color variation of this robot which came later.
Date: 1980 Item No 5054 new in the Horikawa catalog.
English and Japanese box versions shown.
television
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MARVELOUS MIKE TRACTOR- SAUNDERS - USA254 viewsPressed steel battery op bulldozer tractor withot driver. USA
First sighted October 1955.
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MECHANICAL WALKING SPACE MAN, VERSIONS - SYSY/YONEYA - JAPAN254 viewsAKA Clown Robot
These are presented in speculative production order. Timeline evidence is needed to confirm or disprove this.
Version 1
Spinning antenna, separate face parts, separate breastpart, separate plastic yellow hands, round red feet, hinged key, box version No 1 (the most expensive and complicated to make with spinning antenna, separate face parts and separate hands, hinged key and separately moving red shoes, also the box art seems to be more early)
Version 2
Antenna, printed face (with tab in mouth, looks liKe a tongue), tin arms/hands, red round feet, rigid key (?), box version No 1 (as version 1, but simplified arms)
Version 3
Red pip/knob on head, separate face parts, separate breast part, separate plastic yellow hands, round red feet, hinged key, box version No 2 (?) (same as 1 but the spinning antenna mechanism was replaced by a red knob)
followed by
Version 4
Red pip/knob on head, printed face and breastpart, tin arms/hands, round red feet, rigid key, box version No 2 (?) (same as 3 but separate hands are simplified to one tin part, also face and breastpart is now printed on the robot.
REPRODUCTION ALERT
There are good quality reproductions available. To identify an original look for the following:
SPACE MAN printed on the back not ATOMIC ROBOT or SPACE ROBOT
A fixed key, not a separate one.
SY logo on the side of the body
Full red eye dots, not semicircles.
Yoneya
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APOLLO SPACEMAN VARIATIONS - MORTOYS, TAT, MEGO - HONG KONG254 viewsThe range or Mortoy Robby style Apollo Space Man battery op plastic astronauts. Clear plastic with visible gears. Transparent.
There appear to be two basic styles, the difference being the pattern of fine lines emborred lines on the chest of one type, and the plain chest of the other pressing.
See-thru
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KSN SUPER BOY - MIDORI KSN - JAPAN253 viewsRobot model kit from the late 60's. One variation of the original Midori Missile robot.
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SENTINEL ROBOT - KAMCO - HONG KONG253 viewsMade in Hong Kong by Kamco - Large plastic battery operated walking action with working pistons and moving arms. Flashing eyes. Four rockets missiles firing from head. 1980s plastic. Based on the Kamco Saturn Robot.
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MR PATROL, ROBOT VERSION - HORIKAWA - JAPAN253 viewsA large black tinplate robot "With siren". The brightly lithographed chest plate has a clear red plastic panel above. The chest is designed like a meter with gauges on either side. The robot walks with lights and siren sound. The dome does not light. Red plastic feet. The robot advances, stops, raises his arms and makes a siren noise. The head structure is the familiar Horikawa boxy design with chrome ears and a cylindrical yellow plastic dome.
At the fast end of the motor, the top, there is a sort of fanblade made of white nylon. This is surrounded by a cage with slots with the appropriate distance. This forms the siren. An intermittent gear arrangement makes a lid move over the top of the siren so changing its pitch.
English and Japanese boxes shown.
There is an astronaut version of this robot that appears in the 1968 Lewis Galoob Toy Catalog. The robot version date is probably similar.
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MECHANIZED ROBOT, EARLY BLACK VERSION - NOMURA - JAPAN252 viewsTin battery op Robby. Advances with walking motion as the dome lights, pistons move up and down and antenna turn. This is the early version with pin style pulls on the battery box doors. TN
Currently dated to 1957.
Image Smith House Auctions
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MOON EXPLORER M-27 - YONEZAWA - JAPAN252 viewsTin battery op vehicle - a tin can on its side - with four legs. Remote control. The remote is in the shape of a plastic rocket. One button makes the vehicle walk and antenna turn. The second button makes the door open and a plastic astronaut with camera emerges. Similar to Moon Detector - Mond Detektor .
Marked M-27. There is a variation with the Cragstan importer's logo on the side. Many boxes carry the Farylight importer's sticker.
Currently the first sighting of the Moon Explorer X-27 (Bean tin) is in Wards catalogue for 1963.
Image Smith House Auctions
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SPACE CONQUEROR S-5 - DAIYA - JAPAN251 viewsLithographed tinplate battery operated astronaut. Blue version of the Space Conqueror group of three astronauts: blue, red and green. Green is the rarer and blue the more common. The robot walks, stops and raises its strange gun which lights and shoots. The gun lowers and the toy advances. This uses the body pressing of the earlier red X-70 astronaut with a substantial lithographic reworking. This was the most successful of the range, selling in much greater numbers than the other versions.
First sighted in the Jewel Christmas Gift Book Catalog, 1962
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APOLLO SPACEMAN - MORTOYS - HONG KONG251 viewsThis is one of the popular robots with transparent bodies revealing visible gear mechanisms. In this case it is a plastic battery operated astronaut with orange legs, white arms and a boy's face inside a white space helmet. Walking action with turning gears and flashing lights. There are several variations of this popular design.
The visible gears consist of one large ring gear with smaller gears inside. See thru. Walks, gears turn, the head lights. Made for Mego. Date?
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SOUCOUPE A REACTION TERRE MARS W-902 - SFA PARIS - FRANCE251 viewsTimeline: First sighted in the 1954 French trade magazine Ge-Ce.. Lithographed Tin. Marked "SFA France" Soucoupe a Reaction, Paris France.
Circular ridged flying saucer with the early style rear extension of the body that serves as a control room with litho window detailing. Two rear tin fins. French flying saucer. This is a copy of the Z-101 by MT. In the 1950s France imposed restrictions on the import of foreign toys, allowing the home producers the opportunity to avoid competition. They obviously decided to use the existing Japanese design. This saucer comes in a version with spoked wheel litho detailing.
A possible manufacturer is Joustra. Slightly larger than the MT Z-101, the Terra Mars is often assumed to be a friction saucer but is a push along toy with no inner mechanism. The Terre Mars has simple thin yellow fins each with 2 tabs. Probably also found on another toy because of the hole in the left fin which has no function, the tab holes are there in the saucer for attaching the thicker fins which have 6 tabs. Slight litho variations are known: look at the detailing on the fins of the two versions shown here
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SPACE RANGER - MARX - USA251 viewsPlastic battery op remote control orbiting spaceship. Tethered flying action.
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ATOMIC ROCKET X-1800 - BLUE & WHITE VERSION - MASUDAYA - JAPAN251 viewsOne of Masudaya's tin battery operated space ships with a non-fall action. Rear tail fin and two conical engines on the side. A metal rocker in the base detects edges and alters the direction of the rocket.
The front cockpit has no astronaut: there is a patterned windshield containing a color light effect. Light blue and white with red detailing and cream engines. Large grey plastic rotating antenna, though the white antenna (bottom) looks more like the one on the box. Marked X-1800
Triangular tailfin.
This version does not have lights in either side. The plainer litho detailing with three litho portholes and the fresnel lense-like cockpit cover make this a more serious looking spaceship
The box carries the serial no. 1883 MT/191
On sale in October 1960. Modern Toys.
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COLONEL HAP HAZARD - MARX - JAPAN250 viewsTin and vinyl battery op. Advances with walking motion and moving arms as his lighted blade spins. The date of manufacture, 1968, is marked on the back. Made in Japan for the US Marx company.
A prototype of the astronaut is known which carries a date 42-11-7. This is the Japanese emperor's date and means 7th November 1967 (1925 + 42). This is the same date as the silver Thunder Robot sample.
Given the date. Hap Hazard must have been created from the molds for the earlier grey/silver version Hi Bounce Moon Scout, dated to 1967. It is a considerably simpler toy with no remote control and no opening chest door. Judging by the number in circulation, proved very successful. Like the Hi-Bouncer this robot has a rotating antenna with working lights and the separate boots.
A newspaper ad dates this to December 1968 but it was widely on sale in December 1969.
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ROBOT BULLDOZER WITH BLINKING LIGHT - FLARE - JAPAN250 viewsTin battery op bulldozer tractor with robot. Blinking lights. When you push the lever on the right forward, the tractor moves forward, the pistons move up and down and the light on top of the robots head flashes on and off. Pushing the lever backwards reverses the action. The pistons have a distinctive design: they are tin rockers that emerge from the side of the lithographed engine. The robot has a rounded shape
Marked "United Pioneer Company No 115" on the back and "United" on the front.
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