Jump to content

Show us your period military toys, models, and trench art!


Dr_rambow

Recommended Posts

Here is a rare piece. This is the WWII vintage version ("Gung Ho"). I cannot recall the name used on the later product. This thing is made entirely out of cardboard, paper, and particle board. Needless to say, left out in the weather just once and it was ruined. This example retains the original string and cone that could be attached to another walkie in order to communicate. I imagine one of the first parts to break was the extended antenna.

 

post-211-1344787292.jpg post-211-1344787343.jpg

Link to comment

bickle_clap.gif

 

Now THAT is a collection. I love wartime made things, it is a wonderful mix of depression era creativity and folk art. I particularly like the home made looking ones. I don't think it gets a lot of attention due to it being home-front, but it is an equally important part of history. I'm so happy you shared it with us! That first 1919 is beautiful. I wish I had stuff like that as a kid!

 

Is the "drum" on this one a tin can?

post-211-1344785614.jpg

 

That's just cool B)

Link to comment

I'll add one more before work. As promised, another tank.

 

P8090137.jpg

 

This 14" long M3 Stuart is large and in charge, not to mention highly detailed and accurate. Each piece of thick grain wood is unique, implying that it was not professionally made but instead made with enthusiasm. The person who made this wasn't perfect, but they cared enough to make many many little details.

 

The machine guns are made with thin brass pipe. There is a hand machined cooling shroud on the barrel of the coaxial machine gun on the turret (which I absolutely love).

 

P8090129.jpg

 

The treads are canvas straps with individual pieces of irregularly cut angular dowels glued on.

 

The fenders are made with steel, what is interesting is that they are covered with welding slag, implying that they were probably scraps from a larger job.

 

P8090141.jpg

 

It has English red-white-red markings on each side, which is a rather peculiar, very specific thing to put on a model tank. It was an American tank and most were used by the Brits during the war, but this marking is opposite of the usual white-red-white.

 

All the little details come together, I'm inclined to think that this probably was not made by your average guy in his garage. Even if it isn't wartime, I'm almost certain it was vet made.

 

I got this from England, took over a month to get here since it was sent by ship! I was beginning to think it wasn't going to show up.

 

P8090140.jpg

 

A friend of mine on another site did a little research into what Brits would have used this in the time period where the red-white-red marking was used. Nothing conclusive turned up, but I was able to find a Valentine tank made in the same way (found in the AAF Tank museum collection). It's the large one, right center of the image.

2963684788_08e0f82499_o.jpg

 

The museum believe that is a wartime piece. My friend speculates that is might be an early training aid, since both the tanks are early war production, and certainly not the usual tanks you see depicted in period art (Shermans, T34s, German tanks, etc.).

 

I might have to do more research on this one at some point. Hope you guys get a kick out of it, siege1863's toys are a tough act to follow!

Link to comment

A white-red-white-marking was a formation sign often used on British cruiser and infantry tanks during the desert campaign. Great collection BTW! :thumbsup:

 

 

post-8022-1344794161.jpg

Link to comment
Now THAT is a collection. I love wartime made things, it is a wonderful mix of depression era creativity and folk art. I particularly like the home made looking ones. I don't think it gets a lot of attention due to it being home-front, but it is an equally important part of history. I'm so happy you shared it with us! That first 1919 is beautiful. I wish I had stuff like that as a kid!

 

Is the "drum" on this one a tin can?

That's just cool B)

 

I acquired the M1919 from the little boy, now old man, who owned it. His father was a school teacher and had access to the equipment in the school shop class and made it for him as a Christmas gift. I also have a couple of wooden airplanes, with interchangable parts, his father made. Both were made using a set of commercially marketed plans with needed materials lists. I got lucky and found both sets of plans!

 

As for the homemade MG, it is indeed a tin can attached for a drum magazine.

Link to comment

That's the best place to get things, from the original owner. It seems much more personal that way in that it's not just an object, but something you know someone enjoyed. :thumbsup:

 

This is actually one of my newer additions, but one I am very fond of none the less. It was made by the D. N. Carlin Company in Pittsburgh PA. The company was founded in 1917, so you can imagine where he drew the influence of this piece. Documentation on this company is hard to dredge up, but this most likely dates from the late teens-early 20s.

 

P8130073.jpg

 

The construction style is very indicative of the early days; heavy duty is a understatement. The gauge of the steel on some parts is as much as 3/32", which puts some industrial grade parts made today to shame. There even appears to be a few machined parts to go along with the mostly stamped and pressed steel components.

 

P8130076.jpg

 

The L shaped rod coming out of the back is pulled until the plate (holding the springs) catches behind the trigger. When ready to fire, just pull the chain! It comes complete with a crank to adjust the elevation of the barrel.

 

P8130083.jpg

 

From end to end this thing is about 14". I can't imagine something like this being made today.

 

P8130080.jpg

 

I need to try to find the patent date for this design, that will give me a good idea of when it was made. The stamp, though faint, reads "Patent applied for". Hopefully I can figure out which one it is!

Link to comment

Marksman, you better go get some pictures ;)

 

Thanks!

 

Beast, I've read the small passage in that publication a few times now, somehow hoping I would see something I missed before. It says he made toys, but the funny thing is that I have only ever seen cannons from the guy. Go figure.

 

I spent some time looking through Google patents for this design, but didn't find anything from him. To my surprise, I DID find something:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=O3BOAAAAE...non&f=false

 

Look familiar?

Link to comment

Out of curiosity I looked here. I am not an owner of wartime toys but -- by coincidence -- have tons of press ads of the US WWII era military toys, models etc. Are you interested?

 

Regards

 

Gregory

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...