Popy-Bandai die-cast metal Hound Tank

[Brendroid]

I took one of my favorite and most valuable toys out for a photo session this afternoon.
 

This is a Popy-Bandai "Hound Tank," from the anime TV series, "Gatchaman II."
 

If you're of a certain age, you might remember an animated series called "Battle of the Planets." This show was a true fixture of my childhood. It was brought to the US in 1978 by Sandy Frank, who created the series by heavily editing and Americanizing the 1972 Japanese series, "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman."
 

1978 was also the year the sequel series, "Gatchaman II," debuted in Japan. I never got to see that sequel series, but I was aware of it because the magazines I got at San Francisco's Japan Town gave it a lot of coverage, and because toys like this, which came from the sequel series, were also sold at Japan Town.
 

All the vehicles changed between Gatchaman and Gatchaman II, and, as a child, I was fascinated and frustrated to know there was this other version of Gatchaman out there, which I could see in magazines, but never watch on television.
 

I coveted the associated toys, but never got one when I was a kid. Of the six vehicles associated with the sequel series, I felt the Hound Tank was the most beautiful.
 

I got this one on eBay in the mid-2000's. I believe I paid maybe $250 for it. If you can find one on eBay right now, the seller will probably be asking about twice what I paid.
 

When I bought this toy, it was in mint condition, in the original packaging. The box shows some shelf wear, but the original instruction sheet and Popy catalog are present, and the missiles and other accessories have never been taken out of the bag.
 

Unfortunately, I discovered today the rubber tank treads have grown brittle with age. One tractor tread is now broken, and I'm sure the other would break too if I played with it.
 

I did find a Web site that sells reproduction tractor and tank treads for a wide variety of vintage toys, in any width and diameter you can imagine. So this is somewhat fixable. I can replace the treads, but they wouldn't have the same tread pattern.
 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoy obsessing about this lovely object.

I'm attaching a few pics to this post, and you can see more in this imgur photo album:

https://imgur.com/gallery/WASdCzj

 

[Roboto]

Great photos!

[Brendroid]

Thank you kindly!

[Golddalek]

Never seen this before....Interesting tank.....Reminds me of that Bird guy on 1980 Buck Rogers movie.