Michaud

[MichaelB]

Well, here a new one for me. Found this at the Collectibles show this past weekend. This is a DC-10 in Western Airlines marks, looks to be issued for their 50th Anniversary. It's about the size of a Mandarin DC-10, smaller than a Dyna. The only clue is marked on the front where it says: "Michaud, Hong Kong". That's a new name in my book! The back doesn't show much more - only other historic Western aircraft. As much as I wish, I don't think they were companion issues!
I have not yet compared it directly with a Mandarin, so we'll see about that. ..another interesting airline "give away" toy!
Michael

[grwebster]

New one for me, too

[MichaelB]

In the second pic you can just barely see the Michaud print on the card face. It's right where the clear bubble attaches. As much as I want to pull it off to take a "closer" look - I'm just not that kinda boy...
Since their 50th would have been 1975, I'd date the toy from that time, making it an early bird for cheapies from the far east.

[Tone]

Michael, I bet that one would look nice alongside your Dyna-Flites Western Airlines 727.

[MichaelB]

You know it would! I don't seem to have a photo of that piece, but it's in the stash - on the card- in a bag -in a box - back in The Room.
It does trouble me that there isn't any data on Michaud anywhere. Even if they were a one shot sally, it seem that they would have sold more to different airlines. Barring that, they would have been absorbed into a different maker.
Still haven't brought out the Mandarin box...still haven't put away the "stuff" from last weekend...but...I'm gettin' there!
MJB

[MichaelB]

Well, some news that produces some answers, but also leaves some questions. Rummaging through the loot, I came across a loose DC-10 that looked familiar, and it was! This is the same DC-10 in the Michaud Western Airlilne DC-10!
The important information is that the cast is identical to the Michaud version, but this one is marked with the Tomy trademark (and UAL stickers)! Additionally on the wing is what looks like the number "8014" and the usual: Douglas DC-10, Made in Hong Kong. This doesn't cross to my Mandarin listings, although I would bank on this being a Mandarin piece. Could that be the Tomy catalog number?
None of this crosses to anything in Richardson, but she doesn't say much about the Mandarins that Tomy re-released anyway.
I'm still thrilled to find something new, and not surprised that it's not really new!
In the meantime I haven't yet dug down to the Mandarin pieces...nor am I at the end of this adventure...
Michael

[Tone]

It could be a Mandarin though it looks different from the Mandarin DC-10 I have in my collection. I bought it in 1982 in a grocery store. It came on a card marked "Danger! Explosives." I think that "Danger! Explosives" was the trade mark used by a toy importer called Diamond.

I bought it because of the Alitalia livery. The bottom has, cast, "Douglas DC-10," "Mandarin," and it has "Made in Singapore" along the lower fuselage. There is no number indicated. Because it was such a cheap toy, I made it more realistic by painting the bottom parts silver.

The toy also reminds me of the little jets that came packed as "SZE Toys Mini Planes" in the 80s and included the VC-10 in Eastern livery, Air France Concorde in its delivery scheme, and those crude little four-engined jets with Piedmont and Continental labels.

[MichaelB]

Right, on your last comment. Those were issued by Ja-Ru and have to be the pits of cheap trash airliners! I did check against them, even for a numbering sequence and they don't fit either. ...no DC-10 in their line anyway...although they do have similar characteristics, like the engine sticking out of the wing leading edges - no pesky pylons needed!
I'll be looking for the Mandarin box today to settle this...

[MichaelB]

Diamond was a "no name" importer of Mandarin. Marked "Made In Singapore 1976". This is from a "Tiny Mites" card back:
Diamond Toymakers Skokie, Illinois, 60077 and it has a UPC bar too.
The two following are MOC from Diamond Tiny Mites, so I can't check under their wings.
737-200 Singapore Airlines
B707 Qantas

I have two loose Alitalia DC-10s. All Mandarin airliners are marked 1105 or 1107.

Again, marginal quality pieces but seemingly picked up and reissued by lots of folks.

Your picture of the DC-10 does NOT resemble the Michaud/Tomy DC-10.

[MichaelB]

I found my Mandarin DC-10 (well, at least a recent photo) and it's not the Michaud DC-10. I think we have a new line here!
Also, from fellow MAC Plane Paul, we also have a reference to a plastic airline give-away L1011 with Michaud cast in on the belly! This is the very common Delta TriStar giveaway piece.
However, of the 32 examples I have of this piece , none contain this inscription.
So, it's an ongoing field of research.
Now I need to find my Ja-Ru pieces and check if there is a family resemblance.
Michael