Safety Firecracker Rocket Pistol, Metalcraft Co., 1943

[Nick Danger]

A small cache of these turned up on eBay a few weeks ago, and I managed to snag two in different colors (the last I checked, there were still a couple left).  I came across someone saying they found a stash in an old hardware store.  Something like that must've happened, because none of them appeared to be played with.

 

The question of whether this is a space gun is one for the philosophers.  For me, it is, for three reasons.  

 

1.) The name ("Rocket Pistol").

 

2.) The styling fits into that Buck Rogers aesthetic (at least, to my eye).

 

3.) The action involves controlling a firecracker explosion to light and launch a second firecracker to explode in mid-air WHICH IS FREAKING INSANE!  I've included a closeup of the instructions on the cardboard backing because nothing I write could possibly make it sound more ludicrous.

 

7 inches long by 4.25 inches tall, made of thick-gauge steel (it would need to be; it contains firecracker explosions).  The manufacturer is Metalcraft Co. of Junction City, Kansas (USA).  As far as I can tell, they had no association with Metalcraft Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri (USA) which made all sorts of steel toys in the early twentieth century (including zeppelins).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nick Danger]

After a little searching, I found the patents, which are dated 1943 (filed in 1940).  I figure, since the toy actually includes the patent number, it must've been manufactured after 1943.  Detective work!

 

SFRP patent 01.pdf

 

SFRP patent 02.pdf

 

[Nick Danger]

The site doesn't seem to like my pdfs.  Trying to convert them to jpgs...

 

 

 

 

[Andyman]

Safety?