Boys' Toys - Models & Gee Dees


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We used to have  throwing arrows made just as you describe, these gave way to slingshots later in the 50's. these we made from a pair of bootlaces (preferably leather) and the tongue from a boot or shoe, with one of these we could  get a stone over a mature tree on the opposite bank of the Trent.

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Amazing what could be bought from the chemists in the 40's and 50's. As well as the usual salt petre etc. you could get photographers flash powder - whoooo!  Think I mentioned the big explosion we cau

Richard was encouraged in his explosive pursuits by his great uncle, also named Richard. A major in the Army and a weapons instructor. As a child, this maniac made a 'cannon' from a length of Victoria

#50 Used make them out of those thin green short garden canes with playing cards for flights, knot on the end of piece of string, remember one sticking in the back of this kids head on Bilborough park, strangely he never knew until we ran up & told him "Oi kid sticking in your head".

 

School we used cut about 2 Cms off inside of felt tip fluff one end up to make dart, a pin & bind with cotton then fire via a pen like a blow dart ..... Lethal.

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2 hours ago, PeverilPeril said:

Yep - a little Grey Fergie would do me fine.smile2

We had one, 1947 I think.  My husband thought it would be a good project for him and our boys to restore it.  He was overseas working for a few weeks and while he was gone our youngest (the practical one!) took it to bits, literally ........ I never noticed, I was just happy that he was quiet and occupied!  It didn't go down too well when Dad got home.  He'd acquired it to pull a very old Steam Roller out of the garage that he was also restoring.  Both were eventually up and running but when we moved from countryside to suburbia they had to go sadly.  

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Still got a throwing arrow in my shed,teaching my grandson how to use it when he comes up to see me,this throwing arrow is a modern version,a fibre glass shaft and nylon flights,there is an original pea stick one with cigarette card flights in the shed as well, oh,  and a bit of string with a knot in it

 

Rog

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Lead Soldiers mostly 'Red coats'........and when their heads snapped off mended em with a 'matchstick' and Plasticine (about the only things I ever mended in my life)..........then it was my Football gear,always dead smart ofcourse me white England shirt had collar and cuffs,remember 'Continental Boots coming out with 'Rubber Nogs'............well Posh...............lol.

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Throwin' arrers! Wow! I had forgotten all about those.  Thanks for the reminder, gang.

thumbsup

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Anybody remember 'Zeta Jets' ?

Just a very simple plastic delta winged plane about 6" wingspan or maybe less.  Just a delta wing and a tailfin.  You got a little elastic band 'launcher' with them.  Cost 6d from the 'Newsy' on Andover Road.

 

If you got it right they would fly quite a distance in big loops etc.  Much better than the little balsa things.  Very easy to lose in long grass though, so we used to take them onto Bulwell Common opposite the old station.

 

We also made throwing arrows.  Billy Bayliss, who Benjamin recalls, was a champion arrow chucker.

 

Col

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On 18/11/2016 at 7:59 PM, catfan said:

Home made catapults !

We NEVER killed or injured animals or birds...

We never did either, we were such crap shots!

 

Anybody have a BB gun? Redmaynes used to do a nice cowboy .45 revolver one. Way better than your spuds!  

 

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Talk of poo sticks reminds me of a trick we played as kids. After dark, we'd pick up dog shit on the end of a sucker stick, put a little pile of it on a drawing pin pointed end up on the thumb latch of the back yard gate, and wait for Bill to come home from the pub up the footpad. Oh how we laughed when he pricked his thumb and sucked it.

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The Meteor is still made,some of the older types are fetching a couple of hundred quid,still a good rifle.The R10 in the picture has a ten shot magazine,the air tank holds 325 bar of breathing air pressure filled via a 3Ltr divers tank,it is a regulated power output of 11.6FtLbs,from that I should get about 200 shots from one filling,stock is Italian walnut,the pistol I use for target shooting in the back garden,charged using a Co2 12Gr capsule and it has a blowback action just like the real thing it has a double ended magazine in the pistol grip with eight shots per end,weighs just over a pound and I get about 35 shots from one capsule depending on the weather,less shots if it is cold

 

Rog

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I would love to install a zip wire. Tried enthusing a couple of our grandsons to no avail. Think they would prefer creating a virtual zip wire:( 

Do you remember the Tarzan Slide(?) on Goose Fair before the elf and safety epidemic?

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#66 Yes, the modern technology is great isn't it? I kept my BSA for quite a few years before I part-chopped it for an Anschutz target rifle, when I started competitive shooting. I did pistol too, a FAS 604, but I still have my Webley Junior from my teenage years. I then got an FAC and shot full-bore pistol until the regs changed.

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Yes shame the regulations changed,probably got more gun crime now anyway,another case of the minority spoiling things for the majority,I had a Webley Premier in original box up till a few years ago,took it to the local gunshop for a part ex on some bits,got a gun bag for me rifle,cleaning kit,gun oil and a tin of pellets,I think I was done looking back now,never mind you live and learn don't you,The name Anschutz brings back some memories from when I used to shoot locally in Nottingham, one of the railway tunnels off Carlton road (mentioned elswhere in these pages) always fancied an Anschutz but settled for a Feinwerkbau in the end quickly followed by the then new Webley Vulcan 5.5mm my brother in law had the other German favourite Weirauch 35 now that was a nice rifle if a bit on the heavy side,gosh some pellets gone through the barrels since them days eh?

 

Rog

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I have always been of the opinion that it was the chief constables who drove through the banning of firearms particularly hand guns.

 

They had watched as Police Pistol and  Combat Pistol disciplines took off and realised that the high standard achieved by some meant that they would have to properly train their supposed experts and this of course would cost money. Even the bog standard club shooter was well above the police standard which was/still is abysmal.

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On the 'Boys Toys' thing.  Who made model planes?

 

Did anyone have rubber powered, mini diesel powered planes?

 

Did anyone have 'control line', 'free flight', or 'radio controlled' models?

 

Col

 

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