paulleve
NES Member
During WWII steel was necessary for the war, so toy companies had to switch over from using metals to making their products out of wood. There are a lot of ships, tanks, and trucks out there from the period, but it's the guns that have been a bit of a side quest for me. Here are a few of the items that may have been placed under the tree on Christmas Eve in '43.
The most famous of the wooden WWII guns were the Daisy Commando and Chattermatic. The Commando is a cork pop gun, and came with cork tied to a string. The forward pump seated the cork, and the rearward motion created air pressure and launched the cork with a satisfying pop. This one could be had directly from Daisy for only $1.19 plus $.11 for postage, if you read the fine print. The Chattermatic has a crank built in that turns a gear against a thin piece of wood, making more of a clicking sound than the "rat a tat" Daisy promised. This one was cheaper at $.89 plus that $.11 postage. (The ad shown below was from the back cover of the October 1943 Superman comic.)
These toys are hard to find in decent condition! I've been watching for them for over 20 years and have seen a few Commandos here and there, but very few Chattermatics. Based on the broken ones I have come across, the barrel connection to the drum seems a weak point where they tend to come apart.
The Victory decals on the stocks tend to have a lot of wear. It's also not uncommon for these to show up with repairs that dads and grandpas made in the last 82 years.
Other companies made different versions of wooden guns, ranging from pistols up to this 3.5 foot long ".50 cal" machine gun! The American Craft Raider was manufactured by the American Toy and Furniture Co in Chicago, and sold for a whopping $1.95. This one is mostly constructed out of solid wood, but the scope and barrel shroud are cardboard tubes. It has a crank action like the Chattermatic, and can be mounted on the tripod or carried John Basilone style.
I can't believe the condition this one is in. If I got this for Christmas in the 70s or 80s I would have played with it 'til it fell apart!
Merry Christmas, NES!
The most famous of the wooden WWII guns were the Daisy Commando and Chattermatic. The Commando is a cork pop gun, and came with cork tied to a string. The forward pump seated the cork, and the rearward motion created air pressure and launched the cork with a satisfying pop. This one could be had directly from Daisy for only $1.19 plus $.11 for postage, if you read the fine print. The Chattermatic has a crank built in that turns a gear against a thin piece of wood, making more of a clicking sound than the "rat a tat" Daisy promised. This one was cheaper at $.89 plus that $.11 postage. (The ad shown below was from the back cover of the October 1943 Superman comic.)
These toys are hard to find in decent condition! I've been watching for them for over 20 years and have seen a few Commandos here and there, but very few Chattermatics. Based on the broken ones I have come across, the barrel connection to the drum seems a weak point where they tend to come apart.
The Victory decals on the stocks tend to have a lot of wear. It's also not uncommon for these to show up with repairs that dads and grandpas made in the last 82 years.
Other companies made different versions of wooden guns, ranging from pistols up to this 3.5 foot long ".50 cal" machine gun! The American Craft Raider was manufactured by the American Toy and Furniture Co in Chicago, and sold for a whopping $1.95. This one is mostly constructed out of solid wood, but the scope and barrel shroud are cardboard tubes. It has a crank action like the Chattermatic, and can be mounted on the tripod or carried John Basilone style.
I can't believe the condition this one is in. If I got this for Christmas in the 70s or 80s I would have played with it 'til it fell apart!
Merry Christmas, NES!
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