M is for Mini-trucks, Part 3 - Types 2A-2E

The Line-up, missing is the 2D colour variant and the 2E by ABC

Type 2A (seems to have been replaced by 2/3 hybrid B see Part 4; below)

Soft polyethylene plastic
Single moulding, smaller
Steel axles with black ethylene wheels
No windows
Marked with largish ‘MADE IN HONG KONG’ in cab roof
Plug-ins black, but silver rocket
Plug-ins articulated with arrow-head pintle as per type 2B
50mm long
Set – US ARMY ATTACK FORCE (Woolbro 1968)

 

Type 2B

Soft polyethylene plastic
Steel axles (weird lengths) with black ethylene wheels
No windows
Marked on load-bed underside with largish reversed, inverted or reversed-inverted numeral; 1, 2, 3, 4
Plug-ins green
Plug-ins articulated with arrow-head pintle as per Type 2A
50mm long
Set – MOBILE TASK FORCE No. 445 (Woolbro, was 6p, so post-1970)

Type 2C

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene wheel/axle mouldings
No windows
Marked on load-bed underside with large ‘HONG KONG’
Plug-ins silver
50/52mm long
Set – Airfix ‘ARMY’ knock-off (1967)

Type 2D

Soft polyethylene (or polypropylene?) plastic, quality loss pronounced
All plastic black ethylene or marbled wheel/axle mouldings
No windows
Unmarked
Plug-ins black (polypropylene), or marbled (ethylene), sometimes issued without one!
Vehicles brown (ethylene) or green (polypropylene?)
New loads include various guns
50/51mm long
Sets –
AIR FORCE COMMANDO CORPS (green with propylene plug-ins)

Type 2D - colour variant

Sets -
SOLDIER SET (marbled brown, all ethylene)

Type 2E – ABC (known for 54mm knock-offs)

Soft polyethylene plastic
Steel axles, black ethylene wheels (like Type 1A or 1B), only truck type with fully-enclosed axle-holes as opposed to clip-ins
No windows
Marked on load-bed underside with large ‘MADE IN HONG KONG’ and ‘ABC’ in cab roof
Plug-ins black, larger loads green, similarities with the Type 5/6 hybrids as far as underside detailing goes
50mm long
Set – COMBAT (1965)

The easiest way of identifying these (after/if the mark is unclear) is by the two mounting holes in the flatbed for the various loads/body-types and the corresponding locating-spigots on those plug-ins.

I should add that Michael7 from the 'Things of Plastic' blog kindly supplied me with a high-res image of the ABC marking, but by the time Hotmail had lost the first try I'd already uploaded the images, but all contributions and comments are gratefully received, so thank you Micheal.