Hi guys

this is my first post, Im wondering if you may be able to help me?

what I am doing is building a studio scale replica of a couple of fire engines from the 1960s tv show Thunderbirds and Im trying to use the exact toy, kit and household items they used on the originals, the main tractor parts are in fact 1960s plastic toy amphicars





Ive managed to source nearly everything I need, except one vital thing, it appears that they have taken a turntable ladder from a large toy fire engine and fitted it to the weird and wacky futuristic creation





but is there anyone out there who recognises what toy fire engine this is from, it has some distinct details, it looks metal, has a rack and cog mechanism to raise and lower the ladder and would be approx 20 inches long when down.

a lot of people keep telling me its the matchbox merryweather, but even the king size one would be too small, this was a big toy, I think about 1/20 - 1/24 scale

and also, they never seemed to let anything go to waste, so I think this tanker could be the toy fire engine that theyve taken the ladder from and made it look like a tanker





many thanks, I hope someone can help, Ive searched for ages with no luck

Mike

Location: Liverpool

Your image links do not work. Please try again.

will do, Is there anyway I can edit the post?


many thanks

Mike

Location: Liverpool

Those images are also here:

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=220794

Thanks Mike, thats pretty much the same post,

heres the pics











Im guessing its a toy replica of one of these? as I think they took the ladder of the toy AEC, then used it later as a converted tanker, they never seemed to let anything go to waste, heres a shot Ive photoshopped to show what I mean






cheers


Mike

Location: Liverpool

also the toy fire engine has had its roof lowered to make it appear a smaller scale, you can see that it doesnt match up, but it shows that the toy doesnt have the rear curved window like the prototype, suggesting that it is in fact a toy






cheers

Mike

Location: Liverpool

Thanks for reposting. Looks to be a very ambitious project. I would guess most of the toys used were British issues sold in the 60s, probably produced in Japan. Looks like you've got a good start. I also believe the show was made by the same studio that made Supercar and the other Super Marionette features shown on US TV during the 60s and 70s.

Is "Team America" next? LOL

thanks Chuck

yeah it was the same small studio that did supercar, stingray, captain scarlet etc

Ive got an interest in the studio models that appeared in them, the ones where they used toys and kit bits, so the ones which wernt really seen a lot and had small appearances are the ones I like.

and yeah Team americas really cool, maybe the flying lamborgini stretch limo is one for the future

cheers

Mike

Location: Liverpool

and as you say, probably made in china or made in japan toy, the problem with them is, thats all they said underneath and most of them didnt have a makers name

Location: Liverpool

That ladder looks to be of much higher quality than I would expect to see from Japanese or Hong Kong tin or plastic stuff of that period. It looks more like it was taken from a model, rather than a toy.

Maybe some of our European friends can shed some light?

You have to remember that most of the vehicles were hand made, in various scales, some were adaptations of regular models, others were adapted, or copied in another scale.
The series was made in the mid 60's, well before many firetruck models were made, especialy the AEC you have pictured.
I can remember as a schoolboy, going to the Earls Court motor show in London, and saw the studio model of Lady Penelopes Rolls, and that was about 6 feet long.
Needless to say, they had lots more in a much smaller scale.
I can remember many large scale tin toys, but most of the ladders were crude pressed silver tin, and looked nothing like the one in the thunderbirds photo.

Location: London UK

thanks Pete and Steve,

Im open to any suggestions, If they never had used the converted toy fire engine as a tanker, then I maybe would have thought the ladder was hand built, but speaking to many people who worked or have researched how the studio model makers worked, have said they where on very strict timescales and would quickly cut and bodge toys of the time, also it saved money.

the rack and gear arrangement on the rear, also makes me think it was from a large model or toy, as I dont think they would have went to the trouble of making that when it wouldnt be used, you do see the ladder being lowered in one shot, but thats by someone holding it by a wire from above.



heres a better shot of the ladder and the kit bits Ive managed to work out so far,

also, they must have bought and used 2 of the toy fire engines, as they also put a ladder on this yellow fire engine, and so would have had 2 spare rear wheels to add to the rear of the tanker




cheers

Mike

Location: Liverpool

Actualy, I may well be wrong about the AEC, it was produced for real in 1966, but I have no idea when any models were made of it, and at best, I can only remember the super king.

Location: London UK

the models where made mid to late 1964, Im not sure when that shape AEC came out, around 1960 Im guessing?

and although not the toy, this is the style of toy Im looking at, made by Hover in Hong kong, a make Ive never heard of before




Mike

Location: Liverpool

hi guys just a quick update, Ive still not been able to track down the large aec merryweather toy yet, but have made some progress on what I have, still not complete but gives an idea.
Ive been told by one of the original studio model makers that it was in fact a large toy aec merryweather that they bought from the local woolworths store.
the white stanchion on this was also made from another 60s toy fire engine