Merehall Toys No. 474 Rocket Launcher MKII

I posted a couple of photos of this toy last year when I was covering REMCO's Hamilton's Invaders as it is clearly based on the Hamilton's Invaders Mosquito Jeep. However, as usual, I got distracted and didn't post the entire photo essay. Merehall made a series of cool military vehicles but this is the only one I have so far as they are a tad pricey. It's not so much the cost of the item, but rather the cost of shipping from the UK (where they are normally sold from) to here. The toy features three spring loaded rocket launchers on a traversable launch turret and measures 5" (12.7cm) L x 2.75" (6.98cm) W x 3" (7.62cm) H.

Ed

Shown here with a Tim-Mee Galaxy Laser Team 50mm astronaut

Marx Battleground, Training Center, and Other Military Playset Pieces - Marx Long Range Rocket with Launch Pad

Marx called these "Long Range Rockets with Launching Pads" in the write-up for the 1961 Sears Wishbook, but I'm not sure what prototype rockets/missiles these were meant to represent.

The hard plastic launching pads came in three pieces - two hard plastic launch pad pieces and one spring which is missing from my launchers - and were usually color-matched (I switched the colors around for the photos to provide a bit more contrast). The Ajax style rockets had a hard plastic 1st stage and a soft plastic 2nd stage with a set being one launcher and three 2-stage rockets. There appears to be three different types of rockets - that is, three different second stages (I only have two variations in my collection). Eventually, all components were molded in a variety of colors, but early sets tended to have all white launchers. The launch base is 2.5" (6.35cm) diameter base. Overall, the height with launch pad is: 6.5" (16.51cm) (Rocket #1) and 7" (17.78cm) (Rocket #2).

Ed

The yellow HP launch pad on the far right has perhaps shrunk with age and won't allow me to push the rocket down all the way, and I don't want to force it and risk breaking it.

NOTE: all my launchers are missing their springs.

Two different 2nd stages are shown here.

There were three different castings for the 2nd stage pictured at far right. I only have two. From looking at catalog pages, the third casting appears to have additional little nubs at the very top.

Marx Battleground, Training Center, and Other Military Playset Pieces - Repo Nike Missile Launcher White HP

I bought this years ago as a repo. Repo's are always missing the launch mechanism and little compass on the base, and yet - I was not aware of any white repos. Gray yes, white no. However, this is could be an early repo by one of the big hobby shops back in the '90s, as all the more recent production pieces are gray. Another possibility as that it came in one of the 90's Marx Toys, Inc. (aka Marx of Miami, Modern Marx) playsets which were popular during the '90s. It's just gonna take time, money, and research to figure it out! 

Ed

Deluxe Reading Rocket Base U.S.A. - Pt 3 Rocket Launcher

My Rocket Launcher is in fairly decent shape. There are broken railings and the stabilizing post which sits in the middle of the spring is missing, but overall it displays well. There are four different rockets included with this set and all four can be launched from this platform. Without the rocket it measures: 10" (25.40cm) W x 8" (20.32cm) D x 10.5" (26.67cm) H. Be Blessed and Relish Life! Ed

The rockets have tabs on the bottom which fit into slots on the launcher. You arm the rockets by pressing down hard on the rocket (that's fairly powerful spring) twist the rocket so that the tabs engage, then turn the metal handle to lock everything in place.

To launch, you turn the metal handle to the right. It will turn the whole rocket to the point where the tabs are freed of the slots and AWAY IT GOES!

This photo from eBay shows a black plastic post next to the spring. That was placed in the center of the launch mechanism, and the spring attached afterwards

My sample is missing the plastic post which would have stuck up in the center of the spring