Miniatures news, April 1963

A new Lesney “Model of Yesteryear” is definitely an event. The latest, No. Y-5, is a fine 1929 4.5-litre blower Bentley Le Mans car, modelled on Harry Rose’s car. The model has openwork wire wheels, outside handbrake, cycle-type wings, fold-flat screen, headlamps, ten instruments on the facia, front seats, tonneau cover, etc., and carries Union Jacks and racing and registration numbers, etc. It is to a scale of 52:1 and 3 in. long. It is a fine addition to the Lesney range of historic vehicles, beautifully finished, and costs 4s. Even the vintage steering wheel and external fuel tank are very well represented, but the radiator is painted, whereas on the real car it is plated. Incidentally, we believe the next “Model of Yesteryear” will be a 1911 Renault.

Lesney also have a Fordson tractor and tipper trailer in the Matchbox King Size series, No. K-11, 6.25 in. long, priced at 5s. 6d.

Dinky Toys have a VW 1500 saloon with openable front bonnet with suitcase therein (No. 144—4s. 11d.) and a F.1 Ferrari with removable engine cover (No. 242—3s. 11d.), both models measuring 3.5 in. long.

Following their ingenious VW van and Combi models in which the headlamps can be flashed or extinguished by passing a finger over studs on the roof, Corgi have a F.1 Ferrari (No. 154), but the driver sits too high although the twin exhaust pipes and rear engine details are done better than on the Dinky miniature.

Another Playcraft line is a well-made, very effective 8 in. x 5 in. x 2.25 in. “Bandbox” children’s four-transistor 9-volt portable radio, for long and medium wave, which will receive London or Luxembourg with equal impartiality and can be converted into a microphone for addressing Club meetings, etc., or a “baby-sitting” amplifier. If the children are demanding a radio and you could do with an extra one for the car, this is it. The price is only £6 6s., inclusive of p.t., less batteries; there is a 6-months’ guarantee, no external aerial is required, and the plug-in microphone conversion, with 18 ft. cable, costs 25s.

Scalecraft have brought out four 5s. kits for making a go-kart, a Cooper, a Lotus 25 and an A.A. breakdown crane, these miniatures being propelled by an electric motor, which is included in the price of the kit and energised by a 5d. battery. It is claimed that the breakdown crane will tow other miniatures, a claim we hope soon to put to the test. A new kit is planned every six weeks.

W. B.