by Mike Albright
This 9-inch long tinplate M.P. jeep is marked "Made in Japan" on the rear, with a small drawing of a bunny head. As is often the case with these friction-motor toys, the back seat is filled with printed-on electronic gadgets.
Two United Nations peacekeeping Jeeps: on the left is Victoria release R023, "Jeep Willys, United Nations, Lebanon 1978." The vehicle, used by French troops in Lebanon, would probably have actually been a Hotchkiss M201, rather than a Willys MB. But it makes for an interesting variation of the Victoria model.
On the right is the UN version of MiniMac's 1/43 "Jeep Ford, Made in Brazil."
Brazilian police and military observers have been involved in UN missions including El Salvador in the early 1990's. See the MiniMac in a larger photo (40K JPEG) revealing the squared rear fenders typical of the Jeeps built by Ford of Brazil.
This is another Victoria release -- R003, "Jeep Willys, Military Police".
This plastic Military Police jeep is an interesting toy for several reasons. It's a mid-1950's product of Thomas Toys, but is basically a reissue of one of their first toys made ten years earlier, and based not on the Willys MB but on the Bantam BRC40. Thomas also molded it in red, and possibly other colors, still with the Military Police markings and siren. Some included figures wearing military helmets, but some used these slightly eerie white civvy figures. Possibly aliens, or at least alien-chasing government men? See more details on Thomas Toys on the Bantam Jeep Toys page.
Another nice example of lithographed tinplate from Japan; similar decoration but not the same stamping. I'm sure there were lots of U.S. Army jeeps around in postwar Japan, but it doesn't seem likely these colorful softops were based on a real prototype.
One more tinplate example is the Saxo Policia Militar Jeep (50K JPEG) from Argentina.
The Soldiers Of The World (SOTW) Jeeps are plastic, but are big -- 21 inches long (54 cm), with excellent details. This is the MP version in the 1:6 scale series.
See a rear view with the dashboard details (70K JPEG). See also the Navy Shore Patrol version (30K JPEG) from the Deluxe Edition series, which is gray-blue with a matching canvas top.
This small China-made Grand Cherokee is a "Navy Coast Patrol" vehicle. Is there any prototype basis at all for this toy?
At the very small end of the size spectrum, but still incredibly detailed, is this HO scale (1:87) Roco Minitanks model #632. It is approximately
1-1/4 inches long (3.5 cm). The hood opens to reveal a detailed flathead engine. See the model in the original package (30K JPEG).
This Military Police flatfender is one of the Mini-Tonkas. It is approximately
6 inches long (15 cm), and has a really interesting feature: unlike the other Tonkas, this one has a 'fixed' windshield that can't be folded down.
It was obviously made this way so that the red emergency light on the hood would not get damaged. See it in comparison to two other military Mini-Tonkas (50K JPEG).
Also on The CJ3B Page, see Police Service Jeep Toys and a U.N. Tonka Jeep.
Thanks to Jarek Skonieczny and to Mike Albright for this latest page based largely on his collection of Jeep toys. -- Derek Redmond
See more Emergency Services Jeep Toys.
Return to the Toy Jeeps Pages.
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