M is for Mini-trucks, Part 1 - Cab designs and overview

This set of 7 posts (following) was born out of the catalogue page the the boys over at Moonbase let me use the other week (month?!), and the fact that some time ago (over a year and a half) I said I'd do a thing on the mini-trucks from Hong Kong that were born out of the Kleeware trucks that were themselves apparently copies of the Dinky original of the post-war Humber.

Along the way it ties up a couple of other loose-ends...

Bottom right shows the two larger scale Banner trucks, I've looked at before, they were also produced in the UK by Kleeware (from borrowed moulds), next to them is the small scale Pyro/Kleeware lorry.

At the top are a Pyro cab unit (or 'Semi', or...see 'comments' the other day!!) in army green next to a Wannatoys red one.

Sandwiched between them all are a Cheerio pick-up truck apparently from the UK and the Wannatoys cab again to compare.

These mostly generic 1950's Lorry Cab Designs all have some features in common, such as the divider down the bonnet (hood) or the cab-roof lights, or the military 6x6 truck type wheel-arch headlights.

Alongside them ran metal vehicles of similar design and these are all from a Mettoy Playcraft (later; Corgi) catalogue of unknown age. The lower engines look very 'Denis' in execution, my local Lorry builder, they used to test-drive the chassis round Fleet when we were kids.

One of the loose ends; the upper shot shows the Triang Mettoy Breakdown Lorry, it is as you can tell the same vehicle as the two military ones in the original Littlewoods ad. Below it is the Lone*Star Cab Design.

The Matchbox take on the Humber lacked the sentry-holes and detail of the Dinky version and was not a copy, while the Dinky Lorry begot all the others!! I think?

The Humber was the Post-war (WWII) replacement for the plethora of 15cwt (UK) and 3/4-ton (US) trucks in service by the end of it. It would also provide the chassis for the wheeled APC immortalised in Northern Ireland as the PIG.

Kleeware (top left) to modern Christmas cracker toy (bottom right), these are the little beasts we look at in the 6 posts below this one.

M is for Mini-trucks, Part 2 - Types 1-1B

So looking at the various types in turn; it is of course my own numbering system, and is both entirely arbitrary and subject to change many years from now!!

The three 'best quality versions of the 'Mini-truck'. Kleeware originals which we have seen before here, and the better Hong Kong pirates, these early (or 'first generation') copies try to reproduce the undercarriage and Kleeware mounting method.

Type 1 - Kleeware (and Pyro?) - originals

Hard polystyrene plastic
Multi-part, plugged and glued
Steel axles with black styrene wheels
No windows
Unmarked
Same colours all over; bodies, cabs and plug-ins
Set – ARMY VEHICLES

Type 1A – direct copies of Kleeware originals

Soft polyethylene plastic
Multi-part, plugged
Steel axles with black ethylene wheels
No windows
Marked with small ‘MADE IN HONG KONG’ along under frame
Same colours all over; bodies, cabs and plug-ins
Passable colour match for Kleeware
New load - Pile of ammo-boxes similar to Giant western wagon
53mm long

Type 1B

Soft polyethylene plastic
Multi-part, plugged
Steel axles with black ethylene wheels
No windows, loss of detail to underside
Marked with larger ‘HONG KONG’ along under frame
Plug-ins now black, rest an emerald green
New load – Low canvas cover
53mm long

More Type 1B body types including some of the civilian versions. These (the military ones) are among the darkest green plastic of all these trucks, of all types.

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.

M is for Mini-trucks, Part 4 - 2/3 Hybrids and Type 3

The line-up again, the Type 3 is not quite as much of a step smaller than the 2/3's than the picture suggests.

Type 2/3 Hybrid A (may post-date 2/3B)

Type 2 detailing, nearer Type 3 size
Soft polyethylene plastic
Steel axles, black ethylene wheels
No windows
Unmarked
Plug-ins green, smaller cab, narrower body
48mm long

Type 2/3 Hybrid B (may predate 2/3A, seems to have replaced Type 2A)

Type 2 detailing, nearer Type 3 size
Soft polyethylene plastic
Steel axles, black ethylene wheels (same as 2A and 2B, sensible length)
No windows
Marked with small ‘HONG KONG’ across cargo-bed
Plug-ins articulated with ovoid-headed pintle, green with white insert for searchlight
48/9mm long
Set – US ARMY ATTACK FORCE (Woolbro, 1968)

Type 3

Soft polyethylene plastic, loss of detail to rear-bed which is wider than cab
All plastic black ethylene ‘ring’ wheel/axle mouldings
No windows
Marked with circular ‘MADE IN HONG KONG’ across cargo-bed
Smaller vehicle, multi-coloured plug-in bodies and loads, civil only (?)
46mm long
Sets - (probably Christmas Crackers or Gum-ball machines)

M is for Mini-trucks, Part 5 - Types 4A-4E

Another line-up, these are really very similar to look at, the differences being either on the underside, as markings or in the number of grill-bars to the radiators (something I haven't documented as it's a step beyond the level of fartiness I've already taken this to!!

Type 4A

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene ‘spoked’ wheel/axle mouldings
Windows appear for the first time
Marked with ‘HONGKONG’ (all one word) across cargo-bed and ‘666’ (or inverted 999?)
Smaller still, various coloured bodies, black plug-ins some of which are semi-flat
42mm long

Sets –
MARINE INVASION SET

Type 4A - sets - continued;

ARMY VEHICLES (small, bagged)
ARMY VEHICLES COMBAT SET (larger, carded, 1966)

Type 4B Fire engine ladder-truck and sketch of underside

Type 4B Bell/water-tank fire engine and markings either side of centre-line

Type 4B

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene ‘spoked’ wheel/axle mouldings (flimsy)
Windows
Marked with ‘HONG KONG’ at angle or offset from the centre-line by 90-degrees
Red bodies, silver plug-ins; semi-flat, mould damage to underside
42mm long
Sets – Budget Christmas Crackers (where one of mine came from, approximately 1974)

Type 4C

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene ‘spoked’ wheel/axle mouldings (crude)
Windows
Marked with ‘HONG KONG’ across cargo-bed
Green, black plug-ins, poorly moulded, low sides to cargo-bed
42mm long
Sets –
TANKS WITH SOLDIERS AND ARMY VEHICLES 
BATTLE OF THE SEA

Type 4D

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene ‘spoked’ wheel/axle mouldings
Windows
Marked with remains of large ‘HONGKONG’ (all one word) across cargo-bed
As 4C but poorer quality, plug-ins unknown
42mm long

Type 4E

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene ‘ring tyred’ wheel/axles
Windows
Marked with neat medium sized ‘HONG KONG’ across cargo-bed
Cleaned-up/redesign, flat underside to cargo bed, various coloured bodies with black plug-ins, new loads include an ambulance cabin and a ‘blunderbuss’!
42mm long

M is for Mini-trucks, Part 6 - Types 5, 6 and 7 (all known)

The final line-up of these little trucks, for which - as if you haven't guessed - I have a real soft-spot for, they were everywhere when I was a kid...and you can still get them!

Type 5

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene ‘ring tyred’ wheel/axles
Windows
Marked with very small sized ‘MADE IN HONGKONG’ across cargo-bed
Quite clean design, smaller still, green plug-ins
40mm long
Set – ARMY VEHICLES T707

Type 5/6 Hybrid’s A and B

Windows gone again, Type 4 or 5 detailing, type 6 size
Soft polyethylene plastic bodies (both sub-types)
Steel axles, black ethylene wheels (Hybrid A)
All plastic black styrene wheel/axles (Hybrid B)
Various markings in various positions
Good design, smaller still, bodies similar to Type 2E’s (ABC) and may be smaller version of same makers work (?), black plug-ins
42mm (built-up bodies), 38mm (Jeep) and 37mm (plug-in cargo-bedded vehicles)
Sets –
MOTOR CARS (Hybrid A, with Merit/Manurba/Hausser civil copies)

If you take the bridge off the ferry, it can instantly become a larger-scale vehicle raft, to take your twin PzIV ray-gun across the great grey-green greasy Limpopo!

Type 5/6 Hybrid’s A and B - sets - continued;
LANDING CRAFT SET/L.S.T 62 (Hybrid B, harbor/river-ferry)

A fuller line-up of military and civilian body-types and plug-ins for the Type 5/6 A's with steel axles from various angles.

The odd thing is that while there is are dedicated 'one-off' box/office/communication shack and tanker bodies in the military series, they made plug-in box and tanker bodies for the civil series?

Type 6A

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene wheel/axles (similar to Type 2D)
Windows
Marked with neat ‘MADE IN HONG KONG’ across cargo-bed
Smaller still, green, black or silver plug-ins
36mm long

Sets – ‘Lucky Bags’ (mid-1980’s-mid-1990’s) and the above gum-ball / capsule / vending machine containers

Type 6B (green - above)

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene wheel/axles (similar to Type 2D/6A)
No windows
Marked with large neat ‘HONG KONG’ across cargo-bed
Loss of detail from 6A, silver plug-ins
35/36mm long


Type 7 (contemporary, multicoloured - above))

Soft polyethylene plastic
All plastic black ethylene ‘ring’ wheel/axles
No windows
Marked with small uneven ‘HONG KONG’ across cargo-bed
Smallest yet, various colours, civil vehicles only with plug-in body types
28mm long, some 30mm with load-overhang
Sets –
‘Lucky Bags’ (mid-1980’s-mid-1990’s)
Budget Christmas Crackers (to present)
Gum-ball machines (1980’s)

M is for Mini-trucks, Part 7 - Other types/sizes/makes

Finally - how other people treated the mini-truck and some larger versions of the truck showing the Dinky inheritance;

NFIC seems to have used the Dinky truck straight, just giving it a full range of different body types. The London Taxi-cab is also theirs and I've seen a red London Routemaster, so they were aiming at the tourist trade buyers, when not turning out Army-lorrys!

This Argentinian manufacturer; Industria Argentina/RM has gone with a medium range Mercedes truck-cab (3000 series?), but uses all the usual plug-in weapon systems, along with a double-rocket launcher which is a first in this size.

Cane's little carded army contains a Humber, but barely recognisable as such, but the Saracen is a nice little model for it's size/pocket money budget.

The Sam Toys is a clean-lift from Dinky with added crew and has been seen before here and elsewhere.

That's it, for now, I dare say we'll return to the subject in a year or two, in the meantime if you find a new variant let me know!

H is for Hong Kong, Part 1 - Overview and 'Past the Post'

Note; In the next three posts making this set of articles HK (italisised) refers to a specific company and not my usuall short-form for 'Hong Kong'.

Following on from posts above and the prolific riff-offery of Hong Kong, particularly in the late 1960's and 1070's, here is a quick three-part'er on the sort of products resulting from a bit of piracy of the British producers of larger-scale figures.

Top is a comparison between the ACW figures of CMV and HK (see part three - below). The main image shows from top left to bottom right; two colour variants of the Britains Herald, one UK (black with brown base) ethylene figure the other a Hong Kong vinyl (grey with green base), a Paramount with hollow base and a marked 'HONG KONG' figure (see below).

The second row starts with a HK copy, then three unknown British copies (could be either/or all or none of; Kentoys/Speedwell/Trojan/VP) while the last row is all CMV.

Note that one of the British rip-offs has no hat, while the Paramount is a very different sculpt.

The unknown Hong Kong figure marked neatly on the edge of a quite deep base, with the number '634' on the opposite rim.

Past the Post went with copies of the Monograme GI's (another of the most copied/pirated/licenced sets of figures ever) and an assortment of Indians/Native Americans, all just over 50mm. There were double-decked boxed sets as well and I have eBay pictures of Cowboy sets in the archive.