Helicopter & Space Toy Crossovers

[MichaelB]

That's a wonderful piece! What happiness!

[hovermd]

Here is a battery-operated flying helicopter toy made in Spain by Congost, Luis S.A.

I'd estimate 1970s, but I suppose it could be very late 1960s.

The helicopter is used to pluck astronauts from their floating Apollo-like space capsule and drop them off in the awaiting rescue boat.

Cognost Rescate Espacial

[hovermd]

Here's the Dinky #724 featuring the Sea King helicopter and Apollo capsule.

Boxed version:

Dinky 724 boxed

Blister top version:

Dinky 724 blister top

[MichaelB]

I have the 'copter - now I just need all the rest of it!
Thanks for posting!

[grwebster]

There are always more to collect!
There were several other versions of the Dinky Toys' Sea King.
There is the Bundesmarine variant. It used to be rather common but as it dates to between 1973-78, few are found today complete and original.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DINKY-736-BUN ... 565363e32f
And some Sea Kings had black or blue main rotors. The Mercury capsule was issued in both white and yellow and the interior could be yellow or blue.
Some of the early versions of the Sea King were battery powered.
There was also a bare metal kit issued allowing kids to make many other versions. It had the battery and motor supplied.
But, by far the rarest one, and IMO the nicest one, is the Army variant in Olive Drab
It was issued in 1979 as the Dinky Toys Liverpool production line was shutting down due to bankruptcy. It never entered full distribution which explains why it is rare, but as few people know about it today, it can be found at very reasonable prices from time to time, but normally without full packaging..
At the same time the Dinky Bell OH-13 helicopter was also in Army colors and is equally rare for the same reasons.

[grwebster]

To add to the background about the Sea King and Bell 47 in Army colors, when Dinky was at the end of its financial rope in 1979, to cut costs the product designers took existing toys and put them together with new and different finishes in window boxed 'sets'.
Hence the former Police Bell 47 was refinished and packaged with a 6 wheeled armored car from the toy vehicles line up as the Commando Squad.
Another attempt was to make a MASH set with the same army Bell 47, but it was never completed. Supposedly some Bell 47s were found at the plant after closing with MASH labels on the side.
The Army Sea King was packaged together with an off-scale, very large tracker/trailer with ramps, and a 'cargo' net and was called AEC Artic Transporter with helicopter.
These two, along with the Space Shuttle, were the last toys in production at the end. They never made full distribution.

[hovermd]

As always, GR is right on.

The Police Crash Squad with Bell 47 was set #299
The Commando Squad with the green Army Bell 47 was set #303
The AEC Arctic Transport with green Army Sea King was set #618

[grwebster]

The army variants are on sale next saturday- From my collection-I looked long and hard to find those Good chance to get both.

also a prototype YUH-61 helicopter model by Piazzi never opened, Hughes 500 by Piazzi

auction starts 15 march saturday am at 7 east coast time
planes and helicopters start on page 3
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/ ... tion/page3

[grwebster]

I didn't plan this but if you want to purchase both Dinky helicopters in Army finish here is your chance.
I kept the boxed examples but here are the aircraft
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/163 ... copters-in

[alas]

German toymaker Arnold had a really flying satellite:

It works!