1952 - Strato Gun By Futuristic Products Co. (revised)

[Joe K.]

It's been kinda quiet on the Timeline lately, so here's a space gun ad to tide us over.

See:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1953-Futuristic-Strato...1QQcmdZViewItem

And, specifically:

http://www.whentoyswerefun.com/HPIM9634.JPG

This page is from the January 1953 issue of Toys and Novelties.

The Strato Gun by the Futuristic Products Co. turns up in both Zap!, page 61, item #64 and in Ray Gun, where, if there were page numbers, it would be about 45 or so!

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

Here's the ad. Hey Joe - open your pages in Ray Gun a little wider and you'll see that the page numbers are hiding almost in the binding of the book at the bottom of the page. The Strato gun is in fact on page #43.

[Joe K.]

The Strato gun is in fact on page #43.

Son of a ray gun, you're right, Don!

[dratomic]

Thanks for the heads up, Joe. There're actually three variations of this neat gun. The first, in chrome, is common on ebay. The second has a matte finish -- doesn't turn up as much and, in my opinion, isn't as nice looking. The third... Um... I can't remember. It's a small variation on the chrome. Might be a nickel finish or something. I know, I know -- bad ray gun collector. Bad!

If Rocket ever pokes up on this board again, maybe he can clear this up since he's the one who told me about the third variation in the first place.

[Joe K.]

Here's another TOYS and NOVELTIES ad for the Strato Gun, this time, two months later, from March, 1953:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1953-Futuristic-Strato...1QQcmdZViewItem

And, specifically:

http://www.whentoyswerefun.com/47463.jpg

As pointed out by the good Dr., variations were produced. This particular ad is for both the "chrome model" and the "painted model".

Now, who can tell us about the third variation?

Justin?

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

Isn't there a pretty rare squirt gun based on the Strato Gun? Would that be the third variation by any chance?

[Joe K.]

You're probably right, Don. There's a photo of this Dan Dare Aqua-Jet Gun on page 179 of Blast Off! The front and rear sights are different, but the rest of the piece is definitely Strato Gun inspired (or was it the other way around?) Might you be able to post that photo, Don?

[Fineas J. Whoopie]

Sure thing Joe.

[dratomic]

Nope, that is NOT the third version. The third version is made by Futuristic Products Co., and is indeed nickel plated. (What sucks is that I had a chance to buy one of these rare variations for a measley $150... gr...). The one above is a British copy -- many British toy manufacturers would copy U.S. toys. In some cases, they would access the original molds (as in the case of the Renwal Planet Jet, for instance, which was also produced in Britain as the Cracker Jet). In others, the U.K. companies would make plastic versions of metal guns -- as in this one, or the Atom Splitter, which is based rather closely on the Hubley Atomic Disintegrator.

[Brian..]

Revisiting an old topic. Did we ever establish the third version of the Strato Blaster?

Here's Doc's advert from December 1953 (his link is long dead - always upload images if possible)  that gives a price distinction between two versions of the gun. The cheaper version is called the Strato-Blaster and the dearer chrome finish is the Space-Ray Gun. I don't trust those newspaper names, though.

 

[dratomic]

I think you mean Joe's ad...

 

I've seen boxed examples of the chrome version with the box labeled "Strato Gun." I've never seen anything labeled "Space-Ray Gun." So in this case... I definitely don't trust the newspaper names.

 

Interesting to see the different prices, though. Makes sense, I suppose. I'd definitely shell out the extra .20 for the chrome version! :)

[Nick Danger]

A yellow version of the Strato Gun box was sold on eBay a few weeks ago that, as far as I can tell, hasn't been seen here before.  You have to squint a little, but it looks like the model number on the box is SG-200, which I believe is the painted version.  The seller sold a Strato Gun in a separate lot, but I have no idea if the gun and box belong together.

 

 

 

 

[Red Dwarf]

Is this the elusive third variation of the strato gun ?

Painted but without the red highlights.

Sorry tried to load image, not working for me.

[Nick Danger]

Can't help you, RD.  And I won't even guess without looking at a pic.  Sorry.

 

In the meantime, I managed to pick up a painted version, myself (I won't bother posting photos; it won't add anything new to the conversation).  But, in the course of researching it, I came across an ad that I think pushes the release date of the Strato Gun back to September 1952.

 

 

 

 

[tikidoc]

16 hours ago, Nick Danger said:

I came across an ad that I think pushes the release date of the Strato Gun back to September 1952.

Nick, That is an advertisement I have not seen yet.  It does look like the Chrome version was available in late 1952.

 

According my research on on the Drome forums and on the interweb there were 3 versions of the Strato Gun:

1. Chrome Plated 

2. Painted both with red trim and some without red trim. ( According to Richard (big bang) the painted version without the red is rarer.)

3. Nickel Plated

  You can tell the difference between the chrome and nickel ones pretty easily. Chrome is a kind of bright white metal with slight blue like a cool white light bulb, Nickel plating is a little yellow like soft white light bulb. I have the Chrome plated  and I have the Nickel plated, you can easily tell the difference.

As far as boxes are concerned we know there is a Blue box, a Light Blue/ Gray box, and a Yellow box. Which one went with which gun I have absolutely clueless . In searches I have seen the Blue and Yellow with Chrome, the Light Blue/ Gray with Painted no red trim. Maybe someone with more experience can help distinguishing which box went with which version of Strato gun.

I hope this information helps.