Erie airplanes 1930s

[grwebster]

Erie made a few very nice airplane toys along with cars.
Many of the toys had bright colors like this B-17

I have yet to figure out why the removable noses on their B-17s were painted in different colors. Anyone know?

[Tone]

Maxwell sold me this nice red Boeing 247 at one of the TPN shows in the 90s. I love it !

[Flyingtiger10]

Hi GR:

I did extensive research regarding the Erie aircraft.
These were built between 1936 and 1939, but were
discontinued due to patent disputes with the Dowst
firm which produced Tootsietoys.
I published three articles in Antique Toy World, in
the early part of this decade.
I had the opportunity to meet the son of one of
the workers of the factory who told me that
the planes were painted in bright colors and
were let to air dry in the factory kiln and thus
their rough finish including paint drops.
They mixed and matched parts, that's why there
are curious marriages of colors, specifically the B-17
bomber as well as the Northrop Gamma and
Delta, whose lower fuselages and wings were
made to fit each other.

[grwebster]

Thanks for that information, any chance you could email me a scan of that article? I stopped reading ATW back in the 80s because they would not carry any articles on airplanes- Eventually Perry Eichor got one in on Tootsietoys but that was it.
My Erie aircraft were found all over - these individual ones from various US shows.


I have seen two types of props used on the large Northrops, either two or three bladed but am not sure which of these were original- perhaps both were used. Do you know?
The all red open cockpit Gamma {Was this really a Gamma 2A or another earlier Northrop design, the Alpha ? } with the cockpit near the tail has what I think is a replacement prop. This plane flew for only a short period - 1933 until the variant with the cockpit moved forward became the well known version This plane is the hardest to find for some reason as I have only seen one other one - the grey/blue fuselage and red winged version which I acquired and is also in the photo above.
Also note the B-17 with the issued wire attachment. Presumably it was for dropping a bomb or it could have been some sort of 'piggy-back' concept similar to the slush cast Barclay ones with the small aircraft on top or tier 'bomber' which has a similar wire attachment....or even Dinky Toys' Mayo Composite. Do you have any ideas about this?

The boxed set below on the right next to the individual aircraft was found in a London antique toy store! Only boxed set I have ever seen and it had each item in chrome. There must have been other boxed sets around.


The small dual cockpit plane in chrome in the back of the box I have seen in sliver paint finish too. I once had about 15-20 of this toy all corroded to some degree which which I offered to anyone free in exchange for 1 renovated/refinished one. Never heard back from the guy who got them.
The boxed set came from a stall in either Grays or Davies Mews. When I was in London for business I always booked at Browns Hotel as I could walk over to the Mews after my meetings. Wonder if they are still around? One store was run by Patrick Trench and a partner. Patrick became a good friend and the source of many interesting toy planes - including a huge set of individually boxed Comet- Authenticast aircraft.

[Flyingtiger10]

Hi G.R.:

There are too many pages to scan. I may have extra copies of the ATW magazines.
I can send you a copy of each of the magazines and can exchange them for the
Mercury plane cost including postage plus extra money if you wish.
(It was published in three issues).

Regarding the props: Yes, there were two types used in the larger planes; both
unpainted die cast finish, in two or three blade display.
It's not uncommon to find replaced props as they break easily.
There has been much discussion about the single prop plane being an Alpha or
a Gamma. I think it was a Gamma, in spite of its open cockpit design, because
it clearly has the shape of the more modern aircraft, especially the cowling.
There were many color variations, including a red upper fuselage with a chromed
lower and wings. Also, red and green, yellow and red, etc.

The small open double cockpit plane is a Northrop Beta, and it also came in red,
silver, chromed, and yellow.

The B-17 carried a Boeing B-247D on top, and that wire holds it to the B-17 in
a piggy-back way.

That boxed set is fantastic, and you were lucky to find it in all places, the UK!
There is another box(see picture) smaller in size, also in black with four items
and a red one, that I know of. Both have similar Art Deco cover design as yours.
[By the way, if you are interested in selling your set, I have a friend who would
love to buy it].
Gary mews is practically deserted due to the internet sales. Only active for
jewelry and other antiques, but no toys.
I was there last year in March, and saw nothing except some HO trains.

[grwebster]

Jose, be glad to trade your ATW copies for the Mercury.
Due back in the USA next week and will send it our shortly thereafter
Thanks for the info on these obscure toys. Always wondered about the wire rig. And many thanks for doing the research.
My catalog notes indicated that the small twin open cockpit plane had Northrop under the wing, but as I seem to confuse Northrop and Lockheed early 1930 planes, I was hesitant to mention it in my post without confirming it. I know Jack Northrop worked for Lockheed and was a key designer, and also set up his own firm which was bought out. I have read that the wing design used in his Lockheed creations was the prime reason Douglas bought the firm. They wanted to use this patented design in their DC-1 prototype. Also of note, there has never been a wing structural failure of the DC-2, 3 series and they still fly today all over the world. {As I may have mentioned in another post I have flown the military C-47 {as co-pilot}, been a passenger in the civilian DC-3 in South Africa, and my US Navy aviator father loved this aircraft and had over 19,000 hours in them, some with the DC-2 with the airlines but mostly in the Douglas DC-3, including the best one, the Super DC3 (R4D8) }

[grwebster]

see http://miniatureaircraftcollectors.com/ ... 4806#p4806