Did any vintage toys fire missiles?

[crazysteve]

I understand the rocket Fett situation but it seems like the policy of no missiles extended to the entire line all the way through '85. I can't think of any vintage figure, vehicle or playset that fired a missile of any type. My mind is drawing a blank but maybe there was something during vintage that shot missiles and I'm just not remembering right. If not vintage, could someone help me out and name the first Star Wars toy released that shot missiles?

 

[KiAdiRandy]

It all started with a kid in Decatur, Ga who shot a missile from a Battlestar Gallactica ship down his throat and choked to death. There's a story floating around the net if you're interested. The toy industry changed significantly after that.

 

[AJ_van_Zelst]

Can only think of the Ewok Catapult.

 

[Snowbi_Wan]

It all started with a kid in Decatur, Ga who shot a missile from a Battlestar Gallactica ship down his throat and choked to death. There's a story floating around the net if you're interested. The toy industry changed significantly after that.

That must pre-date the Darwin Awards.

 

[Snowbi_Wan]

ROBOPLASTIC APOCALYPSE-Incomprehensible Transmissions from the Nostrodomatron

 

[crazysteve]

The Ewok Catapult! That's a great answer. Thanks. I had the Hoth playset with the exploding bunker and that was about as close as I could come to remembering projectile based action in the Star Wars line.

ROBOPLASTIC APOCALYPSE-Incomprehensible Transmissions from the Nostrodomatron

Yes, I wrote that blog post so I'm pretty caught up on the Robert Warren situation but what I'm interested in now is a larger exploration of the impact that debacle had on projectile firing toys in general. And Star Wars looks like it had a complete ban on projectile firing toys across the entire line, almost from the beginning. Now obviously the rocket firing Boba Fett was on the drawing table early on so Kenner probably didn't have an aversion to projectile based play from the outset. But as the line continued, Kenner had many opportunities to stick missile launchers in their vehicles and playsets but they never did (at least as far as I can remember). So I'm wondering if this was due to some internal company policy they always had or if it was a direct result of Mattel's situation.

Thanks everyone for your inputs.

 

[Leif_G]

I understand the rocket Fett situation but it seems like the policy of no missiles extended to the entire line all the way through '85. I can't think of any vintage figure, vehicle or playset that fired a missile of any type. My mind is drawing a blank but maybe there was something during vintage that shot missiles and I'm just not remembering right. If not vintage, could someone help me out and name the first Star Wars toy released that shot missiles?

As was already mentioned, the BSG ships originally had firing missiles. Also, as I recall, some of the Micronauts toys from the mid-seventies also had firing missles, fists, etc.

 

[crazysteve]

As was already mentioned, the BSG ships originally had firing missiles. Also, as I recall, some of the Micronauts toys from the mid-seventies also had firing missles, fists, etc.

So would it be correct to say that the entire vintage Kenner Star Wars run including Star Wars, Empire, Jedi, Ewoks and Droids throughout the entire duration of their existence went without a single missile firing ship, figure or playset and the only projectile firing toy from this entire range was the Ewok Catapult?

 

[Ian_C]

Do the 'exploding' wings on TIE Fighters count?

Ian

 

[crazysteve]

When I was a kid I had a friend that thought so!

 

[Snowbi_Wan]

Do the 'exploding' wings on TIE Fighters count?

Ian

If you popped the actual wing panels off, those things would shoot out a lot further. :wtf:

 

[jaisonline]

I understand the rocket Fett situation but it seems like the policy of no missiles extended to the entire line all the way through '85. I can't think of any vintage figure, vehicle or playset that fired a missile of any type. My mind is drawing a blank but maybe there was something during vintage that shot missiles and I'm just not remembering right. If not vintage, could someone help me out and name the first Star Wars toy released that shot missiles?

A few Japanese items.

Takara Die Cast C-3P0
Takara Rocket Firing R2-D2 in Alternate Box
Disc-Firing R2-D2

side note: i like that Kenner didn't include firing projectiles in their US toys during my childhood. As a parent of a 3 yr old and a sorta uncle to a 7 yr old, I've seen what kids can do with "flying missiles". Hence, why I don't mind buying POTF2 vehicles for my son w/o missiles. It actually saves me the time of throwing them away.

 

[bigbarada]

That must pre-date the Darwin Awards.

So, exactly who do you think deserves the "Darwin Award"? The kid? For what, being 4-years-old? Do you have any kids of your own? If you did, you would think that you would understand things like this have nothing to do with intelligence when you are that young. And even if he was of below average intelligence, does that mean that he deserved to die? That's what your "joke" seemed to be implying.

My biggest question is why was this 4-year-old left unattended long enough to spend 4 minutes "choking and convulsing" until he was unconscious (according to the link you provided)? What were the big brother and mom doing during those 4 minutes? I understand that this news story is over 34 years old, but I'm sure the pain of that loss is just as strong for the mother and brother today as it was back then. It's NOT something that we should be making light of.

 

[DJ121]

Not really a "projectile" but the Y Wing does have the bomb drop button.....

 

[bigbarada]

Not really a "projectile" but the Y Wing does have the bomb drop button.....

If dropping objects counts as projectiles, then add the Ewok Glider boulders as well.

I seem to recall that not even the GI Joe line had firing missiles for the longest time. In fact, I seem to recall it being kind of a big deal when they reintroduced that feature into the line; but by that time I had already moved on to comic books and didn't care much about toys anymore.

 

[crazysteve]

Thanks guys, these are fantastic observations. The Y-Wing and Ewok glider are great examples of non-shooting, yet still projectile related play patterns engineered into the toys. Thanks again.

 

[MasterTyvokka]

This is a very interesting topic and here is another thought. The thing about counting things like the rocks of the glider and the Y-wing bomb is that although they look like projectiles they are really no different than any other small accessory. One thing I wonder is why the shift back to projectiles? Was kenner the only one who stopped making projectiles in the toys or did others do so as well? It seems that today projectiles are in the in thing for toys and some things that don't need them have them.

 

[crazysteve]

Well I know that on the Hasbro side there definitely was a mandate that no toys fired missiles and it came from their CEO Stephen Hassenfeld. This was related in a book called Toy Wars by G. Wayne Miller. Then when he died in '89 and his brother took over, that policy got reversed. So I know what the story was at Hasbro but I don't know who exactly was responsible for the apparent Kenner Star Wars projectile missile ban policy that ran the course of the vintage line.

 

[jaisonline]

Well I know that on the Hasbro side there definitely was a mandate that no toys fired missiles and it came from their CEO Stephen Hassenfeld. This was related in a book called Toy Wars by G. Wayne Miller. Then when he died in '89 and his brother took over, that policy got reversed. So I know what the story was at Hasbro but I don't know who exactly was responsible for the apparent Kenner Star Wars projectile missile ban policy that ran the course of the vintage line.

I remember G1 Transformers having flying projectile weapons. Maybe that was the exception? Like many, I don't recall GI Joe projectiles (many missiles fit into slots like the SnowCAT and Fang) for at least the first 3-4 years.

 

[41johnson]

I had a die cast Bariss style Batmobile that fired plastic pellets and had a metal piece that sprung out of the front.

I also had the Cylon ship but it was later and missiles barely shot out.

 

[krohlf]

I too remember G1 transformers shooting projectiles. I know the few I still own do.

 

[RussG]

So, exactly who do you think deserves the "Darwin Award"? The kid? For what, being 4-years-old? Do you have any kids of your own? If you did, you would think that you would understand things like this have nothing to do with intelligence when you are that young. And even if he was of below average intelligence, does that mean that he deserved to die? That's what your "joke" seemed to be implying.

My biggest question is why was this 4-year-old left unattended long enough to spend 4 minutes "choking and convulsing" until he was unconscious (according to the link you provided)? What were the big brother and mom doing during those 4 minutes? I understand that this news story is over 34 years old, but I'm sure the pain of that loss is just as strong for the mother and brother today as it was back then. It's NOT something that we should be making light of.

and to add ... my cousin had those Battle Star toys ... and they were pretty powerful launchers ... I remember one toy from the BSG line he had launched rubber ships off it's deck ... they hurt when he'd shoot me in the arm with one.

 

[RussG]

I too remember G1 transformers shooting projectiles. I know the few I still own do.

yeah but they were far less powerful than the dial con's of the same model ... most just kind of fell out more than really launch

 

[MasterTyvokka]

Well I know that on the Hasbro side there definitely was a mandate that no toys fired missiles and it came from their CEO Stephen Hassenfeld. This was related in a book called Toy Wars by G. Wayne Miller. Then when he died in '89 and his brother took over, that policy got reversed. So I know what the story was at Hasbro but I don't know who exactly was responsible for the apparent Kenner Star Wars projectile missile ban policy that ran the course of the vintage line.

It makes since that a change in leadership would be the cause for a change in policy. Was this the only firing missile incident or were there other involving firing projectiles? Because the thing that I find interesting is the ban on firing projectiles when it seems that kids choking on small accessories would be more prevalent. Yet there was no ban on small accessories or weapon. Maybe those weapons were too important to the play value of the toys but the missile weren't?

 

[crazysteve]

I too remember G1 transformers shooting projectiles. I know the few I still own do.

As do I, but from what I understand of interviews with former Hasbro employees, the launchers on all the '84 and '85 toys that had them were drastically neutered compared to their original Diaclone/Microman releases and even their Japanese Transformer counterparts. The springs were included with many of the early TFs because that's how the toys were designed, but the spring tension in the US versions was reduced so they didn't shoot very far beyond the bare minimum of what was required to keep the launchers functional. Many like Jetfire and Megatron had their missile firing innards completely gutted and/or had their missiles excluded. So nothing released in the Transformer line came close to the projectile firing power of Mattel's Shogun Warriors or Battlestar Galactica ships, which shot their missiles several feet.

 

[Tim_McShane]

If I recall correctly, Mego's Micronauts line first came with all kinds of hard plastic projectiles--but as the line went on, a lot of these were replaced by softer rubber-tipped missiles, and the final releases of the line had no projectiles at all.

 

[Nerfherder]

I seem to remember the guns on the back of the rebel transport having missiles, but maybe it just *looks* like it has missiles.

 

[MasterTyvokka]

I seem to remember the guns on the back of the rebel transport having missiles, but maybe it just *looks* like it has missiles.

Unless there was a proto with them it didn't have them. I own one...Although I could possibly it looking like it might if you were a kid.

 

[JMiller]

The He-Man Battle Ram had the launching projecticles, and that was what...'84? On a semi-related note, I remember the change in Galactica clearly. There was a local department store (Gold Circle, for you fellow mid-westerners) that always seemed to have some open toys on the shelves. I remember going in there one day and tried shooting one of the missles from a Colonial Viper and was suprised that it didn't fire and only stuck out about a quarter inch or whatever. I had no idea at the time why the change was made, but it's kind of interesting in hindsight knowing the full story now.

As for SW, I believe the first projectile-firing toys were the POTF2 deluxe figures, which included Boba Fett w/(lame excuse) for flying backpack, Probe Droid, Rebel Soldier w/radar laser cannon, and Snowtrooper w/ion cannon. Obviously not vintage, but a definite shift for SW.

 

[MasterTyvokka]

The He-Man Battle Ram had the launching projecticles, and that was what...'84? On a semi-related note, I remember the change in Galactica clearly. There was a local department store (Gold Circle, for you fellow mid-westerners) that always seemed to have some open toys on the shelves. I remember going in there one day and tried shooting one of the missles from a Colonial Viper and was suprised that it didn't fire and only stuck out about a quarter inch or whatever. I had no idea at the time why the change was made, but it's kind of interesting in hindsight knowing the full story now.

As for SW, I believe the first projectile-firing toys were the POTF2 deluxe figures, which included Boba Fett w/(lame excuse) for flying backpack, Probe Droid, Rebel Soldier w/radar laser cannon, and Snowtrooper w/ion cannon. Obviously not vintage, but a definite shift for SW.

Yes that is true as far as the SW stuff goes. Once POTF2 came out it appears they started back with projectiles, which has been said is due to a change in company leadership. Now a very large number of Hasbro SW stuff has firing projectiles. In fact I think every vehicle has a firing projectile in some form or another.

 

[ScorpioAttack]

You could shoot people with the Speeder Bike. Sort of.

 

[Toyhunter80s]

What about the Radar Laser Cannon mini-rig, that "exploded" kind of. Did the little version that came with the Hoth Ice Planet play set explode too?

 

[jaisonline]

What about the Radar Laser Cannon mini-rig, that "exploded" kind of. Did the little version that came with the Hoth Ice Planet play set explode too?

the cannon pretty much fall apart. same for all hoth playsets.