MAC Forum

There are a number of different aircraft carrier toys that prominently feature helicopters. Some are friction, some battery-operated. There are a few windup toy variants out there as well.

I'll start the post with a nice Japanese toy manufactured and distributed by N.S / Sonsco. The Navy helicopter appears to lift off and land as the toy's friction motor is activated.

Here's another version by N.S that was distributed by Cragstan. This one has sparking action as the toy is pushed across the floor. The rotor on the helicopter also turns...

This aircraft carrier by N.S with a white deck has a different mechanism to simulate the helicopter's "Take Off" action:



Those missiles on the deck are unique to this version as well...

Sorry, but I can't find the NS-in-circle trademark on my list of Japanese toy maker marks!

Tone wrote:Sorry, but I can't find the NS-in-circle trademark on my list of Japanese toy maker marks!

I've never found it on any list, either - so, I currently don't know which Japanense manufacturer it represents.

Interestingly, I've seen an S.N in a circle on an aircraft carrier toy as well. But, I've never been able to associate a Company name with that trademark symbol, either.

Here's a really nice Marx battery-operated aircraft carrier. This toy actually launches the helicopters into the air and has a number of other very cool actions.

Here's an aircraft carrier toy made by Mettoy of England:



The helicopter launches into the air.

A highly sought-after friction CVA59 aircraft carrier by Nomura Toys (T.N.).

The jet taxis back and forth while the radar dish and one set of helicopter rotors spin.

Those are cool! All my tin airports were land based!
Excellent collection! The aircraft carriers I have are all DynaFlite issues - and not nearly as interesting!
Michael

Here's a hard one to find...



This aircraft carrier was made in Japan by ASC (Aoshin) and ITO (which, I believe, stands for International Toy Outboard).

It's nearly 15 inches long and 4 inches high.

A couple things make this toy interesting (besides its rarity).

For one, it's a friction toy, despite having that red plastic bulb cover on the superstructure.

As it turns out, the toy was originally designed to be battery-operated. However, a factory conversion was done on the toy. The "Start" and "Stop" markings on the deck were painted over. The on/off switch mechanism was removed. And, the hull was re-made without a battery compartment.

There may be a true battery-operated version out there, but I personally have never seen it. Has anyone else?

Perhaps the manufacturers changed the design to save money?

Also, its very interesting that ITO had a hand in making this toy. I've learned that ITO was very active making metal parts for fancy 1950's era wooden "Pond Boats" that were battery-operated and designed for play in ponds and lakes. These wooden pond boats were often pretty large in size, very detailed and very well made.

One pond boat collector I briefly corresponded with was pretty surprised that this aircraft carrier was in part made by ITO. He's never seen the ITO logo on any other tin toy boat.