What Jet Is This?

[Tone]

What jet is this?







I bought this plane years ago because it is bright, colorful and unusual. Though the lithographed nose cone looks like that of a Tupolev 104, I have never seen any real life proposal for a plane like this toy model. I suspect the designer was having a bit of fun with a wild imagination.

The logo is an "HK" in a diamond. I thought that this stood for Hammer and Kühlwein but I have also seen this label associated with "Huki" which I thought was a quite different toy maker.

The cartoons that constitute box art show two different planes. This one is CIII 566 but the other side shows #542 with four propellers. This jet plane just has no nacelles or props, with the lithographed jet engines instead. I can see raised fairings on the wings over which nacelles might be fitted. Creating this "jet" was a cost-cutting measure for the company: less material and less handiwork during assembly.

I have two other planes to complement this one: HK 541, a Boeing 247 in orange/cream, and HK 542 in silver with a quite different fuselage, with a flat top, but with the same wings.

[grwebster]

Fascinating stuff, tin toy aircraft really underline an era, and those planes are now probably over 50 years old.

[angelreader]

Tone I love the box art for these tin models,as GR says they are the end of an era especially with the health and safety requirements in place today,sharp tin pieces and all that nonsense,thanks to people like yourself this is keeping tin toy airplane history alive,keep them coming.
Barry.

[fliegerii]

Hello Tony,

all pictured planes were made by HAMMERER + KUEHLWEIN, a West Germany tin toy company. The "jet" is HK-566 and the four engine prop type is HK-542. Both were sold in the same box, so you can find both planes pictured on the box with their correct numbers on the fin.

The Boeing 247 is HK-541 and as easier type HK-541/1.

I attach you an extract of a HK-catalogue sheet of 1959, where all types are pictured.

Regards,
Chris