Small BAC Aerospatiale Concordes

[Tone]

I think that in the 70s and 80s the die cast toy BAC Aerospatiale Concordes might have been as popular as, or more popular than, 747s as far as airliners go. They were flashy and glamourous. The Corgi plane I have at work - it is a duplicate dating to 2002 when it came in a two-pack (with a Boeing 314) at WalMart for, would you believe, all of $2.00. The others date from the 1970s and include PlayArt, Tintoys, Universal, and Zylmex. I did not know PlayArt was already making toys when the BOAC Concorde was proposed. There are also some tiny versions from Ja-ru (distributor), Mandarin and probably some others.



The very accurate Corgi Concorde sold as part of a two-pack in 2001 lacks landing gear. It came with a clear plastic stand.



A small Mandarin toy made in Hong Kong purchased new in 1980 - part of a set of five carded airliners that includes the A300 (Air France), 707 (QANTAS), 727 (Lufthansa), and VC-10 (Pan American!).



1987 window box, Matchbox Skybusters # SB-23 in generic "Supersonic Airlines" livery made in Macao.



1988 carded Matchbox Skybusters # SB-23 Concorde in Air France livery made in Macao. This toy remained available in the early 1990s.



A very nice example of the Matchbox Skybusters # SB-23 "Supersonic Airliner" made in Thailand, in British Airways' 1990s colour scheme.



Page from 1978 Matchbox collector's catalogue showing early, Lesney England version of Sky-busters Concorde.





Two versions of the PlayArt Concorde are decorated with plastic stickers. Though PlayArt is said to have introduced its airplanes in 1978, BOAC had become part of British airways by 1974.



This Tintoys brand Concorde is not a tin toy but a die cast metal plane. It has the most realistic nose gear of the lot.



This Universal brand Concorde is die cast metal but it does have a lithographed tin upper fuselage, unlike the Tintoys brand plane - an unusual combination.



This Zylmex Dyna-Flites Concorde has a short fuselage tail cone and is decorated with Pan American paper labels. It was one of the first die cast Concorde toys to appear in the stores in the early 70s (Concorde first flew in 1969).



This very small die cast metal Concorde is marked "304" underneath. It is play-worn, but I have a mint version on card dated 1987, marketed by well-known American brand Ja-ru. The color scheme is the very early Air France livery that did not appear on service aircraft.

[MichaelB]

Awesome compilation Tone!
You have inspired me to take a look at some of my loose ends to fill in your listings. I have that early Corgi Concorde and it does have undercarriage. ZEE redid their early Concorde mold and produced a later issue with Air France decals.
The Concorde may be one of the most produced "toy" airplanes - ever!

[Tone]

Length 7 3/8" (18.5 cm), numbered 650, dated 1976. I have had this example since 1979. I had to repair the plastic nose with glue - it broke off! The window box has a price label from a well-known toy shop called WH Smith, price 2.01 UK pounds.

Another feature I re-discovered when I went to photograph this toy model is that the main landing gear turn sideways to hold the plane steady to the cardboard insert inside the box, for storage and shipping.

I notice your example sitting in front of the box has a different color scheme - mine has paper labels depicting the early scheme - are the markings on your example tampo printed instead?

Awesome compilation Tone!
You have inspired me to take a look at some of my loose ends to fill in your listings. I have that early Corgi Concorde and it does have undercarriage. ZEE redid their early Concorde mold and produced a later issue with Air France decals.
The Concorde may be one of the most produced "toy" airplanes - ever!

[MichaelB]

I'll have to see if it's tampo or not. I have several - many! - of these old Corgis and most of them are missing their noses, I supposes!

[MichaelB]

Here are the Danbury and Franklin Mint Concordes. GR hated them - and it's easy to see why! Neither really shows the clean lines of the Concorde and the Franklin Mint version is tiny. GR told me that he hadn't considered them for years, and that the last time he looked at one he had tossed it into the trash! Not that bad, in my opinion, and parts of important collections.

[MichaelB]

Here are four of the ZEE Concorde issues. All are in Air France except for the Vento Caldo which is PAA.

[MichaelB]

Several more Concordes.

[Tone]

I like the Pilen toy, I have never seen a BOAC red cheat line before. 1950s BEA, yes, but not BOAC.

I remember at the Plane News shows seeing several large carded display of Pilen planes. I don't know if these were ever sold in US stores originally.

[MichaelB]

Tone, I have included a shot of the only Pilen card set I have seen - and I have one, too! It lacks the Concorde - which I don't have - as well as two Cessnas - a 402 and what looks like a 210. Both look like they have been liberated from Matchbox!

[Tone]

As we all know Ja-ru, like CharMerz, Imperial, Larami, and Straco, is certainly not a manufacturer, but a distributor. The make of this Concorde is unknown but here is a Mint example packed on a Ja-ru card dated 1987.



I initially called this a "Larami" brand plane, above. I have changed it to Ja-ru. Sorry for the goof.