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I may be off a year one way or the other, but the point of this post is how few 1940s era vehicles are represented.
To be sure, there were toy companies prior to World War II that made toy cars, some even in 3 inch scale. Companies like Tootsietoy and Dinky were fairly easy to find considering the shortages brought on by the war, but Matchbox pretty much was a game changer in small scale for automobiles...but that took place sometime after 1953. Yes, Matchbox was making toys before then, and yes, the first true Matchbox (as in fit inside a Matchbox) was a Road Roller and a couple heavy trucks...not cars. Anyway, Matchbox pretty well glossed over 1940s era cars...and at small scale so did other toy makers.
But apparently there were a couple of enterprising companies that created static display pieces to enhance or decorate the budding HO scale train sets that were becoming quite popular during that period of time. Authenticast got their start creating identification models for the US military, making small scale representations of wheeled and tracked vehicles, ships and aircraft to aide with identification in the field...which demand after the war dropped considerably. So they turned their efforts to civilian vehicles, and that is where these two Plymouths come from, one a Fire Chief and the other a Taxi.
I've noted in the past how Hot Wheels has covered a number of 1940 model Fords, and even a '41, most are Hot Wheel-ized and a good bit off from stock. Another popular model with diecast makers is the 1949 Mercury 8, though again typically modified from stock. Occasionally a late 40s Ford pickup might show up. There isn't much else out there. Oh, if I want to get particular, there is a hideous 40s Pontiac butchered beyond recognition, there are a few late 40s Cadillacs heavily customized, and I'm sure if I thought about it longer I could think of one or two more, but stock or close to models from the 40s in three inch scale, particularly non-Fords and especially Mopars and orphan brands, are VERY under represented in the diecast collecting community.
It was my search for 1940s models that led me to these shown here.
To be sure, there were toy companies prior to World War II that made toy cars, some even in 3 inch scale. Companies like Tootsietoy and Dinky were fairly easy to find considering the shortages brought on by the war, but Matchbox pretty much was a game changer in small scale for automobiles...but that took place sometime after 1953. Yes, Matchbox was making toys before then, and yes, the first true Matchbox (as in fit inside a Matchbox) was a Road Roller and a couple heavy trucks...not cars. Anyway, Matchbox pretty well glossed over 1940s era cars...and at small scale so did other toy makers.
But apparently there were a couple of enterprising companies that created static display pieces to enhance or decorate the budding HO scale train sets that were becoming quite popular during that period of time. Authenticast got their start creating identification models for the US military, making small scale representations of wheeled and tracked vehicles, ships and aircraft to aide with identification in the field...which demand after the war dropped considerably. So they turned their efforts to civilian vehicles, and that is where these two Plymouths come from, one a Fire Chief and the other a Taxi.
I've noted in the past how Hot Wheels has covered a number of 1940 model Fords, and even a '41, most are Hot Wheel-ized and a good bit off from stock. Another popular model with diecast makers is the 1949 Mercury 8, though again typically modified from stock. Occasionally a late 40s Ford pickup might show up. There isn't much else out there. Oh, if I want to get particular, there is a hideous 40s Pontiac butchered beyond recognition, there are a few late 40s Cadillacs heavily customized, and I'm sure if I thought about it longer I could think of one or two more, but stock or close to models from the 40s in three inch scale, particularly non-Fords and especially Mopars and orphan brands, are VERY under represented in the diecast collecting community.
It was my search for 1940s models that led me to these shown here.
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