V-X Space Rocket BEBU No. 41, Air Pump/Water Toy Rocket, Germany-West, 1950's

[Zeitreisender]

Here from my collection. I love the graphics on the box. I have a number of the rockets without the launcher/pump in a few different colors.  There was a version in 1960, featuring Curt Jürgens on the box and "Ich greife nach den Sternen" which came out in conjunction with the release of the West German movie I Aim at the Stars, a 1960 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Wernher von Braun. The film covers his life from his early days in Germany, through Peenemünde, until his work with the U.S. Army, NASA, and the American space program. The film stars Curt Jürgens, Victoria Shaw, Herbert Lom, Gia Scala......The movie version of this toy I am still looking for.

 

Satirist Mort Sahl has been credited with mocking von Braun by saying "I aim at the stars, but sometimes I hit London." In fact that line appears in the film I Aim at the Stars, a 1960 biopic of von Braun.

 

 

 

 

[Joe K.]

A related 1957 Timeline thread:

 

[Zeitreisender]

Thanks, the manufacturer is BEBU and there were two versions at least, one with satellite and one without. Rocket is completely plastic, and is not made by Schopper.