Big Book of Toy Airplanes

[Tone]

I bought this book when it was new. The knowledgeable and passionate author is an expert on cast iron planes. The book also contains subject matter others do not usually cover: 1970s die cast planes and oddball categories such as novelty toys and fabric models.

I discovered some misprints, however, and I made a list. Hopefully, if the publisher issues another edition, some of these can be corrected.

Big Book of Toy Airplanes
W Tom Miller Ph.D.

P.6: Matchbook Collectors Club (!!!) – but see p 86 where Matchbox is correct, though some toys from the 70s are said to have been made in the 80s.

P.22: Typographical error “GIOCATELLOI” (i.e., toys) - but on p. 59 the word is spelled correctly.

P. 28: The Avon Biplane was made in the 1980s, not N.A.

P. 33: The Corgi Tipsy Nipper is marked “N.A.” but Sue Richardson gives a detailed discussion of the variants and dates of production.

P. 34: 1970s is too late a date for CIJ production: they date from the early 1960s at best. The same is true for Mercury and Solido planes that were made in the 1950s.

P. 48: The camouflage Dinky Spitfire with a plastic prop could not have been made in 1945, the year given. It is a 1970s toy like many others Miller has photographed.

P. 77: The Hubley USN Electra at top is a very late 1930s model, not “N.A.”

P. 84: The green B-25 is not a 1970s Lintoy, but a Flyers model introduced in 1990.

P. 85: The Londontoy Hurricane is from the very early 1950s, and not “N.A.” Furthermore, the firm was not based in Britain, as Miller states, but London, ON, Canada, and even says so on the bottom of the casting.

P. 89: The Lear Jet is not a Matchbox Sky-Buster but a Lintoy model, the same pictured on p. 83, although a different view.

P. 91: The Matchbox Sky-Buster “Alpha Jet” is actually a Mirage, the same toy pictured on p. 87, with its missing canopy, although a different view.

P. 94: The Mattel Hot Bird identified as a “Metal Eagle” is actually the Regal Eagle.

P. 98: The NZG brand red Lockheed Orion is in Swissair livery, not SAS.

Pp. 98-99: The Precision Acco Castings (copies of Tootsietoy Ford and DC-2) were made in the 1970s. The metal Renwal planes were made in the 1950s. The dates are not “N.A.”

Pp. 102-108 Schabak
P. 104: The model identified as an “F-28” is actually an ATR-42. See p. 103 for a different photo of the same plane. The F-28 was a twin jet, not a twin prop like the ATR-42.

P. 106: The American “757” is a 777. I have a Schabak 757 that has a fuselage that is far more slender. The 757 was a single-aisle, narrow body jet.

P. 107: The Hawaiian DC-9 is not a Schabak. It is a Zylmex Dyna-Flite dating from 1980.

P. 111: The Solido Vautour is misspelled “Vautor.”

P. 112: The toy Sky Ray plane at the top is by Schuco, not Solido.

P. 115: The P-38 identified as a Timpo Toy looks like a Play Art. Big difference in time era and style!

P. 116: Tin Toys MiG-15 is from the 1980s and not “N.A.” Other Tin Toys models – the F-5 and F-106 – are listed under the unknown manufacturers, see below.

P. 120: Zeppelin is misspelled “Zepplin.”

P. 124: The P-80 is a metal display model, not a Tootsietoy. Another photo of the same model also appears listed under the unknown manufacturers.

Pp. 131-132: Universal-Kidco prop fighters were made in 1977 so the date is not “N.A.”

Pp. 137-153: Some of the toys listed as “unknown manufacturer” are actually well known. Some are by Tin Toys, Road Champs, and Zylmex Dyna-Flites. Examples:
P. 137: Spirit of St Louis – Cragstan Wild Wings, 1968
P. 139: MiG-15 - Tin Toys, 1980s (Manufacturer correctly identified on p. 116)
P. 143: Green Catalina - Cragstan Wild Wings, 1968
P. 147: Boeing 314 Clipper – Play Art, 1978
P. 151: PZL P11C – Mandarin, 1970s
P. 153: Fokker DR1 – Mandarin, 1970s
"Mandarin" is the brand with "M" in a circle. The X-15 on P. 143 may also be a Mandarin; so may be the white B-58 Hustler on p. 147.

P. 165: The large scale Ertl and Spec Cast die cast metal airplane banks from the 1990s are incorrectly identified as pressed steel toys.

P. 173: The twin-prop tin airliner was made in China in the 1980s. It is extremely common and is certainly not worth $100-$150.

[Aeronaut]

We discussed this very poorly edited book ad-nauseam on the former forum. The author is a PhD that should have known much better than to publish a book full of errors and misinformation. I am no expert on cast iron toy planes, so no opinion on the corresponding section, but the diecast section is only good for the trash can or as a superb guide on what not to do when writing a book.

I know that for some people these comments will read rather harsh but this thing is soooo baaad it does not deserve any better.

[grwebster]

you guys are right, it was a shame and I knew him him well, all he had to do was ask and I could have caught lots of the errors. Plus I knew enough other people to ask if there was something I didn't know or questioned.
You all will have another crack at it when Dave Shelton and I finish the Dinky pre war aircraft book. Look for it in October or November.
We have been sharing info, though, with a lot of collectors so hopefully not too much will be wrong.

[Tone]

I was perusing the book again, I noticed another mistake. The Air France Caravelle that's supposed to be by CIJ is not. The nose gear is entirely different. It might be a slightly different view of a Dinky Toy Air France Caravelle.

[Tone]

Here is an interesting fabric model from Miller's book.

[Tone]

P. 18 - We read "Blimps and dirigibles were popular children's toys in this era." A blimp is a dirigible. Perhaps Miller was thinking that "dirigible" can only be a rigid airship, as the blimp relies on gas pressure alone.

P. 22 - "Production of die cast planes began as early as the mid-1920s," though, in reality, examples have been found in catalogues dating to 1910.

P. 30 - "Campo Co." is listed as the manufacturer of the Russian model aircraft shown. Is this correct? (The Chaika I-153 Biplane with upper gull wing is identified as a "Chica I-53")

P. 99 - The die cast Renwal F-84 is identified as an "F-94."

P. 111 - The blue Skyray at the top of the page is not a Schuco product. It has small wheels on wire axles. I think the photos for the Schuco and Solido Skyrays are reversed (see above also).

P. 116 - The Tonka Toys Learjet dates from the late 70s, but the title lists "1947-1963" while the caption states "Year: N.A."

P. 138 - The DC-3 at top is the Road Champs Flyers model introduced in 1994. It does not date from the 1930s.

p. 140 - "MiG-21" at top is actually a Tintoys F-106 (see also p. 142, bottom); the MiG-25 at the bottom is a Zylmex, Dyna-Fltes model.

P. 141 - The F-104 is a Lintoy; the F-111 and Lockheed SR-71 are both Road Champs Flyers (Late 80s through 90s, not 1970s).

P. 151 - The DC-3 at top might be an SRG, Sell Rite Giftware product. It resembles the metal prehistoric animals this firm sold between the 1940s and 70s. The Vickers VC-10 at center might very well be the #4502 Universal Mighty Wings toy model. Upon close inspection of the photo in Miller's book, I see a lithographed tin fuselage. Only this line has the lithographed tin upper fuselage on a die cast plane. Also visible is the post on the crown that helps to hold the upper fuselage in place. The wheels are the same as those on the Caravelle and Concorde I have.

P. 162 - Play Me is spelled "Pla Me."

P. 173 - The Chinese-made Passenger Plane at bottom, though configured like a DC-9, appears to incorporate the wings and fuselage of the early 60s Toys Nomura-Line Mar Boeing 707 "Pan American Clipper America" battery toy.

P. 180 - (Top) "Aero" (mis-spelled) should be "Aereo di Paperino," Donald's plane.

[MichaelB]

We need to get you a new joke book!

[Tone]

Back in the late '70s, I subscribed to the Lighter than Air Society. I enjoyed reading the newsletters, which covered all topics of balloon and airship history. The newsletters featured book reviews frequently. One of these was for a small Blandford book written by Lennart Ege and illustrated by Otto Frello. The editors tore it apart and ridiculed it because of its numerous inaccuracies. I bought a copy of that book and I really enjoy reading it and looking at the illustrations, not because of its many mistakes, but just because it is attractive and interesting because of the author's enthusiasm.

The same applies to this book. It's just an enjoyable book to peruse.

[Tone]

Another mystery solved!

Metal replica of Bleriot monoplane with "US" cast on the side - see p. 21, bottom.

Dr Miller could never identify this plane. He said it was Unknown Origin.

It is a "Jones and Bixler" brand airplane. I just heard of this brand now. Here is the link:

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/43 ... r-airplane

Evidently this company was in business 1899-1914 and purchased by Kenton (a more famous iron toy manufacturer).

The well-known auctioneer states "only known example with pilot." Dr Miller's has the pilot, too. Its cap is different than that of the plane at auction. Also, the propellers are different.

[MichaelB]

Good work, Mr. Holmes!
...never heard of any of them.
On your prior post..."enthusiasm" is in abundant supply with toy airplane collectors!