Miniatures News, April 1967

Lesney’s February release consisted of three commercial vehicle miniatures, a Scammell Contractor 6×4 prime mover with pipe-truck body in the ” Matchbox ” King Size series, No. K-10, eight inches long, the scale being 69 :1. This impressive vehicle costs 8s. 11d. Then there were the ” Matchbox ” series No. 49, a fine little replica of the fascinating four-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz Unimog cross-country vehicle to a scale of 68 :1, costing only 2s., and No. K-8, another in the much larger King Size series, of a Dodge 500 articulated horse-box complete with horses, to 63 : 1 scale, priced at 10s. 6d.

A splendid working replica of a Jones Fleetmaster cantilever crane is offered by Dinky Toys (No. 970), this being an authentic scale model with folding crane jib which slews, luffs and hoists, has a working load indicator (shades of the late ” Archie ” Frazer-Nash), a detailed cab with moulded interior and correct livery. Besides this fine model, recent Dinky Toys miniatures include a smaller-scale Austin 1800 taxi and an Aston Martin DB6 in a transparent showcase with its performance data (of the real car) listed on the side. These Meccano products are of high quality and make us quite envious of today’s boys and girls who collect such models. They cost, respectively, 21s., 6s. 11d., and 10s. 9d.

Since the announcement on page 286 was written we have received two more Corgi miniatures. That of the f.w.d. Oldsmobile Toronado captures successfully the long, low nose, concealed headlamps and fast-back coupe body of the real General Motors’ product, in a replica which is only 4-1/4 in. long, compared to 17 ft. 7in. of the full-size car. This Corgi Toy No. 264 has proper retractable headlamps and the bumper construction and engine details under the car are faithfully reproduced. Finished in electric blue with a yellow interior, the U.K. retail price is 5s. 9d.

The other new Corgi is a 3-1/2 in. long miniature of a Ford 5000 farm tractor in correct Ford livery, driven by a burly farmer. This is No. 67 and costs 7s. 6d. — W.B.