MPC Mobile Missile Vehicle - Olive Green SP

MPC's Mobile Missile Vehicle is a standout from other military toys of the era as a result of its chunky, squared-off look. It resembles nothing else on the scene at the time and one would wonder why MPC chose this design but after a couple of threads in the facebook hobby groups there may have been a real life inspiration for this. The first was the Antarctic Snow Cruiser built by the Armor Institute of Technology for use in the Antarctic, only one was built from 1937-39. It was a failure from the outset and basically had one short mission before being abandoned in the Arctic.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The second was the LeTourneau Snow Train or Overland Train, essentially a semi-truck on steroids! Developed in the 1950s this design was more successful than the Snow Cruiser. Successful enough that the Army ordered a unit for testing and designated it as "Logistics Cargo Carrier" or LCC-1. Operating in a test environment from 1956-62, the tests were so successful that the Army ordered an updated version designated the TC-497 Overland Train Mk II. Construction lasted most of 1961 and it was handed over to the Army in 1962. The total train with all the trailers stretched over 570 feet! The train performed well enough but advancements in helicopter technology and design prompted the Army to cancel the program. Thanx to Mike Creek  over at the 'Bunker Talk' blog (see link on right panel) for putting me on to this!

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Soooo, if you were a toy designer in the early 1960s trying to design cool looking gear for your company's little green Army men, there's a good chance you would have known about one or both of these designs. I realize that the MPC toy is not a straight-up copy of either of these but I can't help but wonder if they were partially an inspiration for the toys. The vehicle measures 10 1/4" (26.03cm) L x 3 3/4" (9.52cm) W x 3 5/8" (9.20cm) H Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina