Unknown French diecast pre-war plane

[grwebster]

super buy

[Flyingtiger10]

Congratulations on a very nice purchase!

[hovermd]

You'll have to post how the mechanism works - like I said earlier, I'm pretty certain both the rotor and propeller are driven at the same time as the wheels.

Congratulations!

[24C]

Sorry it took me a while to get back to this thread. Yes, the mechanism works not only the main wing/prop but the front prop AND the wheels!
The motor is the same windup that propels other A.R. toys, including their 1/43-scale Peugeot promotional cars and their "Delahaye" tin and lead trucks (please see http://i74.servimg.com/u/f74/14/81/78/56/p1130317.jpg).

The difference with the autogiro motor is that there is an added horizontal driveshaft and a pair of crown gears that power the front prop, while a vertical shaft on which an added pinion drives both crown gears also powers the wing/prop.



The mechanism must have been a pain to assemble and might explain the rarity of the beast, that now commands quite hefty prices when one comes up.

[hovermd]

A beautiful autogiro toy!

[24C]

I placed a Tootsietoy Pitcairn next to the A.R. toy (that represents no specific autogyro since it is made from a Spirit of St Louis aircraft fuselage) to give its size:

[Vintagediecast.co.uk]

[img][https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/401875966734854987/]
[/img]
Several photos of the 2 versions with clockwork motor, early one with AR FRANCE to one side and lead propeller, the latter one has large lettering missing and a pressed steel propeller, both have A R cast within circle detail to lower side, clockwork motor propels both rotor & propeller and also the wheels.
Nick
Vintage Diecast
http://www.vintagediecast.co.uk/

http://www.vintagediecast.co.uk/diecast ... gyrocopter