MPC's LARGE Frontier Supply Wagon

Today marks a milestone: I've finally acquired at least one version of MPC's largest Old West wagon: the Frontier Supply Wagon, thus completing my mission of getting at least one example of each of MPC's wagons - more-or-less. The wagon measures 9 1/2" (24.13cm) L (without the hitch) or 13" (33.02cm) L (with the hitch) x 4 3/8" (11.11cm) W x 4 1/8" (10.47cm) H. It includes two barrels which are detachable, a rifle, and a pick axe - all of which can be attached to the wagon. The driver included in my wagon is most likely incorrect but I left him on there for the photos. For this to be a better representation of the real thing, it needs at least one or two more two-horses hitches. These were heavy wagons in real life that could carry many tons of cargo, which called for more than just two horses.

Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb here and call this thing MPC's answer to the iconic Conestoga Wagon. I know the outline isn't exact, but my reasoning is that deliberately trying to design a toy with a pronounced bow in the floor and the odd bow shape of the tarp (or bonnet as it is properly called) just wasn't practical, so they came up with this. Hey, works for me! Enjoy! Opa Fritz

Courtesy: National Oregon/California Trail Center

MPC Supply Wagon

 A very few days after I started this blog back in 2014, I posted this nice MPC 'PRAIRIE SCHOONER':

The follow-up to this post just never happened, but over the years a few more wagons happened to make their way down the Chisholm Trail to Ed's Cave (after a few detours of course) so we can go ahead and post them now. Enjoy! Opa Fritz

Today we'll look at the 'SUPPLY WAGON'. It is of course the exact same thing as the 'PRAIRIE SCHOONER' only the wagon cover/tarp says something else.  And all of these wagons were marketed without tops as 'buckboards', so MPC got a lot of use out of the same basic tooling. MPC wagons (covered or not) were made to accept either the early peg-butt drivers, or the later slot butt drivers. 

I always refer to these as being made by MPC, but you may see them being sold as 'Multiple Plastics', 'Multiple Toymakers, 'or 'Miner Industries'. Pretty much all the same bag of nuts.

MP115 Slot Butt & MP132 Peg Butt figures

WARNING: You risk breaking your wagons when trying to force these figures onto the seats!

If, when attempting to place these, you encounter resistance - STOP!

Don't ruin the wagon. Instead do this:

Peg butt: either file or whittle down the peg sticking down from the peg butt figure, and/or enlarge the hole in the seat

Slot butt: carve the slot out more in the slot butt figure so that it can slip over the tab on the seat, and/or carve excess plastic around the round tab sticking up front the seat (you'll notice it has a small lip at the top which can be carved down)

These drivers are extremely common - it's better to carve into these than ruin a wagon.

MPC made 1-horse and 2-horse hitches. The 1-horse hitch is the most common.

Either the lettering has been rubbed off on this side, or there never was any.