Christmas Toys You Wish You Still Had

Doug Reid

Doug Reid

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Doug Reid

Got a big kick out of this thing back in the day..

Got Robert the Robot when I was 4 years old.

 
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That helicopter thing. It was a big foam boat with a rotating boom tethered to a small plastic helicopter. The controls were a power lever, and a tilt lever.

I still feel cheated out of a rotorcraft rating from it.
 
Doug Reid said:

Got a big kick out of this thing back in the day..
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Pretty sure these were before my time. I had thought "Charley Weaver" was a brand of booze, but apparently it was a character and/or comedian? Is that right?
Sac Arrow said:
That helicopter thing. It was a big foam boat with a rotating boom tethered to a small plastic helicopter. The controls were a power lever, and a tilt lever.
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I had to take a guess at your age, but Googling "1980's helicopter toy" came up with this:
 
Sac Arrow said:
That helicopter thing. It was a big foam boat with a rotating boom tethered to a small plastic helicopter. The controls were a power lever, and a tilt lever.

I still feel cheated out of a rotorcraft rating from it.
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Verti-bird. I loved that!
 
I had a Verti-Bird. I was probably a bit older than the target market, but then I built an R/C boat to mount it in, wish I still had a picture of it.

The "Phantom Raider" was another favorite.

And of course the "Fanner 50" cap gun...
http://www.mattelcapguns.com/?page_id=15

And who can forget the Cox Dune Buggy?
 
Chalk up another one for Verti-Bird!
 
Cluemeister said:
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One of the bigger one trick pony toys I conned my parents into buying. It did everything they showed in the commercial. But the commercial was only 30 seconds long and pretty much covered it... I swear, I was bored by it after 10 minutes.

It is the measuring stick when our son wants a new toy. I really do think back to Rock-em, Sock-em Robots and ask "Is this new thing he wants a one trick pony?"
 
asicer said:
Pretty sure these were before my time. I had thought "Charley Weaver" was a brand of booze, but apparently it was a character and/or comedian? Is that right?

I had to take a guess at your age, but Googling "1980's helicopter toy" came up with this:
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Yes, but this one specifically.
 
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My Remco B-52 turret.
remco b-52 turret.JPG

Oh, also from Remco: The Mighty Matilda aircraft carrier.
Remco mighty matilda.JPG
Catapult was "powered" by a rubber band under the deck.

Don't remember how long the carrier itself lasted, but those little blue A3Ds went *everywhere*. Probably still have a couple somewhere.

Always wanted a "Jimmy Jet" as a kid, but think that was too expensive for my folks.
jimmy jet.JPG
"Come along, it'll be just like flying...."

Ron Wanttaja
 
Archer Jack said:
View attachment 113321
I had a Colt 45 cap gun, chrome plated with mother of pearl handle and leather holster belt. Wish I still had it now since it's probably worth a little money. Cheers:cheers:
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Pretty sad state of affairs when kids can’t run around town with a gun belt & pistol strapped to their hips.
 
+1 for Verti-Bird, picked up a lot of astronauts in my time. Another favorite was U-Fly-It Barnstormer. And of course the Tyco train set...

 
I remember landing my Stanzel helicopter on my grandpas flattop haircut at our childhood home in Bryan TX. My thumb would get tired holding that little silver button down. Good times. I also has the airplane version and would get dizzy flying it around me in circles.

My Cox glow fueled Corsair made it one point five laps before getting annihilated on my basketball goal.

799431CB-461A-43CD-B91D-C5FBE19E1F8C.png
 
I had forgotten all about my Verti-Bird! Good times!

That Coast Guard ship platform reminded me of another one. I had a plastic motorized CG Cutter probably 2ft-3ft or so long.... I don't remember how it was controlled but I'm sure it was not radio...too poor for anything like that. Probably a Christmas gift. Dad was a Coastie so that thing was special to me.... but we didn't have a pool or ponds for me to run it on.... finally summer comes and we are out in the family run-about boat heading to one of the islands in the Mississippi river we used to pull up on and play on the beaches. A long anticipated maiden voyage. The cutter was nestled safely down by my feet, being carefully guarded. Dad hit a wake from another boat a little harder than I was braced for and I ended up sliding off my seat and my butt squarely landed full weight onto my treasured Cutter. Sunk before it even made any headway!
 
idahoflier said:
+1 for Verti-Bird, picked up a lot of astronauts in my time. Another favorite was U-Fly-It Barnstormer. And of course the Tyco train set...
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That's actually pretty cool, I don't think I've ever seen one of those before.
kyleb said:
So, there's a gimballed fan that directs the balloon from the ground?
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Yep. It was a real challenge to control it well. There were a lot of missions that went off into space and crashed into galactic walls.
 
My Dad had a Charlie Weaver in his bar.

There was an earlier version of the VertiBird. I had one in the early 60s. I remember one party, there were a couple of helicopter pilots (my Dad was a carrier Naval Aviator). We drug it out and they had a blast with it.

I also had that B-52 turret.
 
Hollie Hobbie Easy Bake Oven
 
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