Those of us who grew up in the '50s & '60s fondly remember all those cheap tin litho Japanese toys. All kinds of toys for girls and for boys :-) Well, here we have one of the toys for boys. A nifty USAF (United States Air Force) X5 jet with friction motor, which measures 8 5/8" long x 3 1/4" high. Based on the 'F.W. Woolworth's' price sticker still attached to the wing, this was apparently a bin toy. Although the price itself is unreadable it must have been cheap because bin toys, those toys simply placed in an open bin without any packaging, were usually reserved for the bottom of the line stuff. Generally speaking, the premium toys had nice packaging and were either hung up on the rack or in boxes displayed on the shelves. I must say though this looks like a fairly decent item. I don't know who made it because the only maker's mark is the word 'Japan' on the rear fuselage. Today, the words 'cheap' and 'Japan' no longer go together like 'spaghetti' and 'meatballs' because in today's market, really good examples of '50s and '60s Japanese toys bring premium prices. Enjoy!
