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models to order

Just dream up a gadget and the Slonim brothers will make you a model. They’ve already sold over 10 million miniatures to the U.S. armed forces.

By Harry Kursh

TWO brothers were responsible for the greatest combined Army-Navy catastrophe in America’s wartime history. In one day, two U.S. Navy submarines and their supply ship were mistakenly bombed and destroyed by a flight of B-25′s. Not far away, a squadron of Navy TBF’s was obliterated by a shattering volley from anti-aircraft guns.
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Looks like this train, plus two others are still going strong at the Portland Zoo.

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Portland’s Zoo Railway

HAPPY tots and smiling adults ride around the new $3,859,000 Portland, Ore., zoo on America’s latest railway—the Portland Zoo Railroad Co. The rocket-styled, Diesel-powered Zooliner hauls three gleaming Skydome coaches and a luxurious club car which tote 99 adults or 132 kids. The pike is headed by famed Pacific Northwest author and historian, Stewart H. Holbrook, Chairman of the Board, and John H. Jones, President. All aboard!

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SCAMPER

Using an air propeller, this model zips along at 40 mph as a car and does 20 as a ski-equipped boat.

By Paul Del Gatto

BUILT as a car, this model is a supercharged bundle of energy. Free-running, it surges forward as if shot from a cannon and tops 40 mph. Most people won’t have the space to let it go and will have to use a tether. Even at that, it will do better than 35.

Personally, our favorite version is the one featuring the hydro-ski arrangement. Though not as fast as the car, 20 mph is still very high for a boat of this size. Yet it isn’t the speed that impresses us so much as the sight of this unusual water bug rising up on the skis. The air prop lends to the fascination by creating the illusion of some weird form of aircraft skimming across the water. Of course you may experience a somewhat different type of reaction, but one thing is certain: no matter which version you try, you will enjoy it every bit as much as we did. Read the rest of this entry »

Inflation Hits Toy Balloon Market

IN SPITE of the depression toy balloons have continued to go up, but this can no doubt be laid to an inflation of the stock.

This cat, 12-1/2 feet high, is one of the many inflated comic figure balloons built for the use of parades, department store displays, carnivals, or what have you.

Toy Air Limousine Has One Hundred Fifty Rubber Band Prop Power
A TOY produced by a western manufacturer is guaranteed to fly several hundred feet. It is equipped with 150 rubber band propeller power, and has a steering wheel, gauges, levers, in fact about everything that is found on a regular machine. The windows are of celluloid and the passenger department is luxuriously upholstered.

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Intergalactic Space Control Panel

A fascinating, safe, electrical toy for junior space travelers.

By Robert Brightman

“GEE, Bob, when are you ever going to finish that control panel for me?” When your youngster starts off on a tack like this and keeps it up for a few weeks there is only one way to keep peace in the family. And that is to finish the job. The control panel as it is called by my son and all his friends is one of the most fascinating toys a father can make for his boy. Essentially it consists of a six-volt transformer, a series of toggle switches and miscellaneous lights, bells, buzzers and meters.
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Fold-Away Playhouse

Long-wearing, water-resistant playhouse in cottage or ranch house style can be folded quickly into storable. portable package. It will not crack or peel, can be cleaned with damp cloth. It stands 5-1/2 feet high, and has a roll-up door. The house is made of Vinylite plastic and has wooden frame for holding it extended. Doughboy Industries, Inc., New Richmond. Wis.

HE MAKES DOUGH FROM DOUGH

By Roger Fuller

PLAY-DOH is that mildly-scented modeling stuff your kid works into demented shapes, then shouts “Daddy! Look!” It comes in colors and your little Leonardo can blend the putty-like dough to his heart’s content. The guy who makes the stuff has kids, too, and they can play with platinum yo-yos now, if Daddy wants them to. Play-Doh was originally a wallpaper cleaner young Joe McVicker inherited, with built-in headaches. Read the rest of this entry »

Apparently typewriters were the must-have gift that season. They make up three out of 13 suggestions.

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More Christmas Suggestions

For the junior scientist what would be more appropriate than this photo electric eye apparatus. Motors can be made to run by waving your arm, burglar alarms installed without wiring and music can be produced from varying light beams.

Any member of the family will appreciate a flashlight. This model features a chrome case and a positive contact thumb switch.
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Also take a look at More Christmas Suggestions from the same issue.

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Christmas Suggestions

For the amateur scientist this Micro-photography outfit is the ideal gift. Permanent records of all experiments can be kept on photographic prints. The microscope and the camera can be used independently.

Cellulose wrappings add much to the appearance of gifts. At right are examples of what attractive wrapping will do. Below—This toy airplane will thrill any youth who receives it. Plane performs like a real ship.
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New Christmas Toys Declare All-Out War

A GENERATION of mothers and fathers, most of whom were determined a few years ago that they “wouldn’t raise their boys to be soldiers,” find themselves confronted this year with a selection of Christmas toys almost exclusively of a war-like nature. The toy-makers explain that the children demand them—and 5-year-old Billy Navard and Craig Smith, shown on this page, seem to be enjoying their martial playthings immensely. Above, Craig rides a pedal fighter plane and scans the skies for enemy craft. At left, Billy fires a coastal defense gun which shoots wooden bullets, while, below, he speeds over rough terrain in a motorized division’s army supply truck.

Vault Bank
Save-Master opens automatically, after pre-deter-mined amount has been reached for which the dial has been set. The owner himself sets dial for amount to be saved. It takes nickels, dimes and quarters, is made of metal, and has no key, opening when full. Patterson Distributing Co., 504 W. Second St., Dayton 2. Ohio.