Miniatures News, March 1958
The Corgi Toys miniature of the Studebaker Golden Hawk has undergone a change, the colour scheme being Baltic blue with gold flash for the free-running model (Ref. 211) and white with gold flash to distinguish the mechanical model (Ref. 211M). American cars are difficult for Europeans to identify and attractive miniatures of them are the best aid to recognising the various makes and models.
We have suggested before, and do so again, that if you approach the end of a Continental holiday with some French currency to spare you might well return with a few of those miniatures not obtainable here—they come rather expensive, because purchase tax is payable, but the Customs’ officers are usually not unreasonable regarding the odd miniature. Window-shopping in French towns after the Monte Carlo Rally revealed an astonishing variety of miniatures, so that to attempt to list them all is virtually impossible. The French Meccano Dinky Toys cover Renault Dauphine, Renault 4 c.v., Dyna-Panhard, Simca Sport, Citroën DS19, and Unic car-transporter, as well as others we have previously referred to, and there is the Renault Etoile Filante, surely the first model of a gas-turbine car? The high-quality Solido miniatures, with working suspension, cover Porsche coupé, Porsche 550/1500 RS Spyder, D-type Jaguar and various racing cars, to 1/43 scale, while Les Autos Quiralu make a rather fine Mercedes-Benz 300SL coupe with whitewall tyres, as well as Simca Régence and Versailles and Peugeot 403, these miniatures being available in two-colour schemes and some having glass screen and windows, like the British Corgi Toys miniatures, which, we were pleased to see, are on sale in French toy shops. There are also many intriguing miniatures to 00-scale.
In March Playcraft Toys will add a realistic Foden E.R.F. 8-tonner van (Ref. No. 459), finished in the livery of Moorhouse, the preserve manufacturers and an E.R.F. platform lorry (Ref. No. 457), to their Corgi range. The former is 4⅝ in. long and costs 5s; the latter is 4¾ in. in length and costs 4s. 8d. Another very attractive Corgi is the long-wheelbase Land Rover, with canopy, slatted roof, spare wheel, bumper, draw-bar and, of course. the usual realistic screen and windows.
Those who wish to make their own models may find the 1/32-scale plans in the Model Maker Plans Service useful. These cover 1904 Darracq, 1922 model-T Ford, F. II H.W.M., G.P. Lago-Talbot, 1938 G.P. Auto-Union and Mercedes-Benz, D-type E.R.A., 158 Alfa-Romeo, 3.3 G.P. Bugatti, sports H.R.G., G.P. Alta, 6C Maserati and many other Edwardian, sports and G.P. cars. They are obtainable from the Model Aeronautical Press, Ltd., of Watford, at 2s. per sheet covering two cars. — W. B.