Pressed Steel Helicopter Toys

[hovermd]

I think the Helicopter Forum could use a Pressed Steel topic of its own...

Here's a link to my first contribution (oringally made under the Pressed Steel thread). It's for a Made in Canada Russel Farber Toy Helicopter:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=990

[hovermd]

And, here's a cool No. 260 Spit-Fire sparking helicopter toy made in the USA by the Ranger Steel Products Corp.

It dates to 1949.

Ranger Spit-Fire Helicopter

The Ranger company also made a funky plastic No. 270 sparking Jet Copter that looks more like a space craft!

[Tone]

Does it still make sparks? I find that old toys have usually lost that ability because they no longer have flintstones.

[hovermd]

Does it still make sparks? I find that old toys have usually lost that ability because they no longer have flintstones.

This one still does spark!

I have a couple other later Japanese helicopter toys that spark, too... Heck, I even have a 1970s-era Japanese helicopter that smokes!!

[alas]

I suppose these wyandotte's are 'pressed steel' ! I will not post pictures of Buddy L and Tonka specimens...

[Tone]

I think that Wyandotte in the mid 50s made some lithographed rather than painted toys and I'm not certain if it was a Wyandotte tradition (there were earlier examples in the 30s and 40s) or whether the firm was trying to compete with Cheap Japanese Tin.

I have one pressed steel, Korean-made "Dongkook Nylint" helicopter from 1991 that I have had since new; it has much molded plastic, but it's very sturdy, and the only chopper I have with a "handle" above the main rotor hub so you can work the fan with your fingers.