A Little Gift From A Reader!

Reader Michelle had some extra Little Green Army Men and sent them my way! We can always use some extra troops (and the scatter terrain casualties come in handy as well). Many, Many Thanx Michelle - much appreciated!!

Ed

 

Payton Products, Inc. Little Green Army Men - Pt 37 Airplanes: Pt 2 4-Engine Bomber - Cast-in Wheels Green SP (Backward '3')

Payton made two bombers in this approximate size: a four engine and an eight engine version. They were made with cast-in, non-operating wheels, and with separate rolling wheels and all of them have the 'Payton' hallmark under the wing. While my collection has some obvious flaws I'll post what I have. In addition, nearly each one has a different number molded into the underside of the fuselage spine. Today's sample has a backward '3' molded in (backward numbers on toys is quite common and I see it on many of the pieces in my collection). I'm not sure exactly what the numbers mean but am surmising they refer to the mold number. That way, should an inspector see flaws in any of the toys being pulled from the molds, they can tell who the culprit was. Anywho, that's my guess.

Ed

This 4-engine bomber appears to be Payton's version of the B-47 Stratojet which would have been all the rage back when these toys were made. It measures 4.625" (11,74cm) L x 5.5" (13,97cm) wingspan x 1" (2,54cm) H (w/cast-in wheels)

Culled from the Internet

(L) Made for separate wheels (wheels are missing on nearly all my bombers) (R) Cast-in wheels

Cast-in wheel version

The cast-in wheels are barely discernible but they're there.

On the four engine bomber the hallmark is underneath the starboard wing. On the six engine bomber it's under the port wing.

Payton Products, Inc. Little Green Army Men - Pt 36 Airplanes Pt 1 Overview

I think before we start this next segment of Payton Little Green Army Men, I should point out that everything in this series was geared towards their 45mm Army Men and vehicles. To be sure, they made larger GI's as well which did include a set of small accessories, much like Marx. However, I have nothing from that series of toys.

This next group of posts will cover Payton airplanes which were essentially made in large and small sizes (actually, they made a couple of much larger aircraft that we'll take a peek at further down the line). The larger planes in this series came as 4-engine and 6-engine bombers, with and without separate wheels. The mini-planes had at least four different types of which I only have three to-date.

Ed

Payton Products, Inc. Little Green Army Men - Pt 34a Field Accessory's Heavy Weapons Sub-Group: Bazooka UPDATE #2

This whole Marx vs. Payton Bazooka thing is buggin' the heck out of me. Okay, so let's beat this dead horse one last time. I went out in The Cave and pulled out my long bazooka's, of which I only have three. The comparison shots were taken and compared, and I did notice a couple of minor differences.

Here's the three I have

Here's what I noticed:

-On the bottom bazooka, the open triangular area behind the angled brace is sharper, more well defined than in the two above it

-The trigger is less pronounced

But which is Marx and which is Payton?

Does anyone really care? Anywho, like I said before, until we get a mint in unopened bag/box we'll probably never know for sure

Ed

Payton Products, Inc. Little Green Army Men - Pt 35 LCT - Olive Green SP

Payton's landing craft was one of the best designs made during the golden age of Little Green Army Men. Let's face it, as good as Marx was overall, their landing craft was crap! Payton's could actually fit tanks, trucks, Jeeps, bunches of Army men. etc., and there was no idiotic hump on the deck to impede off-loading. The LCT measures 8" (20,32cm) L x 3" (7,62cm) W x 3"(7,62cm) H to top of ramp.

Ed

Marx

The diminutive Marx landing craft with that hump on the deck - meant to accommodate the wheel set underneath.

Payton