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Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mattel R1795 1:43 Scale Elite Hot Wheels 1966 Batmobile

Happy Mother's Day! For those of you with families I hope your day goes well - treat Mom like a Queen today, after all she has one of the toughest jobs in the world!

Today MIGHT be the last Batman post for a little while. Understand that I really don't have a huge collection of Batman toys and sooner or later I'm gonna flat run out of toys to feature. That being said, my immediate problem is the need to photograph what I do have. Just this week I received: the whole series of McDonalds Young Justice figures; the currently running McDonalds Brave and the Bold Series; and another of the Corgi Chassis Art vehicles. Also waiting in the queue are a Corgi 1:24 scale 1966 Batmobile and a the Mattel Elite 1:18 Scale 1966 Batmobile. This week has been busy though as I've been photographing the Marx Super Circus Playset for an upcoming issue of 'Playset' magazine.

OK, now for today's Sunday Comics feature: Mattel's 1:43 Elite Hot Wheels 1966 Batmobile, #R1795. I've said it before, I just can't seem to get enough of this vehicle - what a beauty! (Is this what obsession is like? Need I seek professional help? LOL) Mattel's smaller scale Elite version is an excellent addition to the Pantheon of 1966 Batmobile's. Now, I'm not a purist and am not going to compare photos of the actual car used in the filming of the series to this toy car. I have come across websites where the various toys were absolutely dissected down to near molecular level - that ain't gonna be me!! What matters to me is, first those gorgeous lines of what used to be the Ford Futura concept car, and second, the overall appearance of the car as customized by George Barris. My take on it is this: this is a toy, minor differences in detail aren't going to be noticed by any but the most hardcore of enthusiasts. Me? I just like the toy - period. Now, speaking of details there are some real nice touches on this car: the Batphone which is a separate casting (vs a molded-in detail); the cockpit detailing; the nicely executed rocket tubes and antenna on the trunk and more. The car is packaged in a plastic display case with angled base the whole of which is inserted into a matte black window box sans cellophane. No bright colors or fancy artwork - the car is the star here! So here it is finally. Enjoy!