1951 - Mondbahn 262 (Terra Luna, Meteor Express) by Technofix

[Joe K.]

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The dated catalog cover and inside page:

This close-up:

This is the version with the "spinner". The catalog description clearly calls the piece "Meteor Express".

The toy itself:

More info, photos and a video here:

http://www.historytoy.com/Technofix-262-Space-Trip-with-Orbiting-Spaceships-Tin-Litho-Windup-Toy-On

 

Where did the name "Terra Luna" come from? Is that the spinner-less version? Does the box have a name on it?

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[Brian..]

This space toy has no name on the box. The spinner version has simply Technofix No 262 printed on the side flap. I don't know what's on the non-spinner version.

I don't know where the popular collectors' name Terra Luna comes from. It's Latin for Earth Moon, so it's sort of descriptive and over the years it's stuck. Boogaerts? Kitahara? When American companies received examples I'm sure they provided a suitable name for their catalogs. Meteor Express. Rockets to the Moon etc.

I always wondered which came first, spinner or no spinner. I fall back on the old assumption that toys tend to get simplified, so I'd assume the spinner version is the first. It's also the better one.

Thanks for the date, Joe. Great find.

[Dirk]

Hey JOE - nice add - thanks for sharing!

The fantastic book from DIETER WARNECKE will share some more light on the TECHNOFIX (TF) toys.

Many complete listings of all TF toys - not only of the post war production are shown in the book & will give us the correct dates.

For the "MONDBAHN" that is the correct name for TF no.262 in german, the first appearance was 1951.

The Pictures in the book gave different names for both versions in english and France.

Meteor Express and Moon Train in english ... Voyage a la lune and Chemin de fer de la lune in France...

[Dirk]

Here is also a Picture of TF no. 279 FLYING SAUCER dated 1955: