MAC Forum

Toymaker Gama was founded by Georg Adam Mangold in 1881 in Fürth, Germany. They made mechanical animals and human figures, later cars and other vehicles. Production stopped in 1975.
The best known Gama helicopter is a Sikorsky-look alike which exists in several versions, blue, yellow, army-green and white. A very very rare one which I of course do not own is an Arnold helibus look-alike.
I do however own two other rather old and rare ones, made just after the war ‘in the US zone’. This one also seems to exist in metal color.
The tail wheel is an interesting extra, also seen on some Japanese models.

Hello MACers!

This is another nice thread by ALAS.

The Gama company released some nice toys. I've never had the opportunity to view a comprehensive Gama catalog, but here's what my research shows:

"Flying" Gama Toys:

No. 2000 - pictured above and similar to Arnold toy helicopters - rotor spins when line is pulled - quite rare

Windup Gama Toys:

No. 2003 - blue clockwork S-55 helicopter marked 'Gama' - it also has a battery compartment which powered two lights in the red plastic rotor (2 out of 3 rotors had lights) - used similar box to No. 2004, but did not have patients and strechers - came in lighter cardstock box with integrated lid
No. 15 - smaller blue clockwork with metal wheels and 4 rotors - came in distributor box that carried 6 ("1/2 dtzd.") toys and had removeable lid

Friction Gama Toys:

No. 151 - friction helicopter very similar to no. 15 - with rubber wheels and 4 metal rotors
No. 2001 - green friction S-55 helicopter - marked "Gama 2001" - with red plastic rotor - came with patient and stretcher in heavier card stock box with removable lid
No. 2002 - blue friction S-55 helicopter - marked "Gama" - like No. 2003 but without clockwork motor and lights in rotor - came with patient and stretcher in heavier card stock box with removable lid
No. 2004 - yellow friction S-55 helicopter - marked " ADAC Rettungsdienst" - with red plastic rotor - came in lighter cardstock box with integrated lid - also had patient and stretcher
No. 2005 ? - white friction S-55 helicopter - marked "Gama" - with red plastic rotor - also had patient and stretcher - box unknown...

Finally, Gama produced No. 750, a tin aircraft carrier with plastic aircraft on top that included a small helicopter - very rare

My research is based on lots of time spent watching auctions and collecting - if you have corrections based on catalogs or other conclusive information, please let me know.

HOVERMD

Not a helicopter, but I have a GAMA brand Stratocruiser in the Pan American final color scheme that doesn't come up for sale too often.

Note the strip of white paint along the fuselage top. I need to do a better "photo shoot" for this one soon.

Here are some close-ups of the Japan tin "cousin" to the Gama 15 tadpole copter. There is no trade mark so I cannot pin it to any particular maker. I just purchased it yesterday at our show! Length is 6". I thought the tires were replacements but they look to be the same as those on Arne's toy. The lithography is different on either side as you can see. Also, it is the only tin toy helicopter I have with a steerable tail section, and this is not firmly attached to the rest of the toy. It's a miracle it survived intact.


What a cute face.

Tone wrote:Here are some close-ups of the Japan tin "cousin" to the Gama 15 tadpole copter. There is no trade mark so I cannot pin it to any particular maker. I just purchased it yesterday at our show! Length is 6". I thought the tires were replacements but they look to be the same as those on Arne's toy. The lithography is different on either side as you can see. Also, it is the only tin toy helicopter I have with a steerable tail section, and this is not firmly attached to the rest of the toy. It's a miracle it survived intact.


What a cute face.

A nice toy! Yours does appear to be all original.

This one was made by Empress Playtime Toys and distributed by M.P.N.Y. I'm guessing that M.P.N.Y. was similar to other firms like the New York Merchandise Company, Inc that imported these toys to the U.S. market. This toy was was originally sold in a plastic bag with a cardboard header.

Thanks for the contribution!

Besides the one above I have a slightly smaller similar one which does not have the losse tail:

alas wrote:Besides the one above I have a slightly smaller similar one which does not have the losse tail:

I've never figured out who made this XH-15 toy...

Finally... Here's another look at the beautiful Gama No. 2000 with original box.

It has a very realistic "Sabena" livery with "Belgian World Airlines" and "00 SAB" prominently featured.

The landing gear is really well done, too.

As far as construction goes, it's actually made of the same gauge tin as other Gama helicopter toys. It is not lightweight in construction like the Arnold toys. The metal ring and line is spring retracted and pulls through the main rotor shaft. When you pull the ring, the main rotor spins.. You then allow the line to retract so it's ready to be pulled again. The main rotors are a fragile silver-painted heavy cardboard. It's hard to imagine these rotors lasting long!

The box has lovely graphics and features the following: "Gama 2000," "Made in Western Germany," and "D.P.a."

There's a faded number stamped on the end of the box bottom that looks like "89/40," but it's not totally clear. I'm not certain what the number might signify. - probably a run number or something. I communicated with the seller of a "Gama Patent Mechanic" color toy catalog from 1956 that features the toy as the "Gama No. 2000," but I don't know if was produced prior this year. The illustration of the helicopter in the catalog is actually metallic-looking and doesn't show the Sabena livery.

Check out a photo of this beautiful survivor... I'll also include the catalog illustration.

Happy New Year to ALL!