Batboat - Whizzwheels Blister Pack

http://www.thebatmobile.nl/ provides images for hobbyists to make reproduction packaging for their old Batman toys.

Here's one for the 1967 Corgi Juniors #1003 Batboat Whizzwheels Blister Pack.

They have several more cool '60s Batboat toy boxes but they are too big to post here. Go to http://www.thebatmobile.nl/ to check them out.

Hot Wheels Batboats found

This evening I arrived home from a nice long, relaxing trip to Genesee County in a search for Hot Wheels Bat toys and a visit to the mall. People at the 66Batfan.com forum said the 1:50th scale stuff was showing up on shelves again.

After making weekly road trips to various stores in the tri county area since February, I finally found my first two 1966 Batboats at the Toys R Us down the road a few weeks ago.

Today, to my surprise, the Toys R Us near the Genesee Valley Mall had four 1:50th scale Batboats on the same peg, a Batcycle and two Batmobiles. One 1:64th scale $.99 Batmoble was there too, hidden beneath other cars.

Can't believe that those $.99 Batmobiles are still popping up in stores this late in the game! Hot Wheels stopped shipping those a long time ago, they say.

In all, I came home with all four Batboats, one Batmobile and the $.99 Batmobile.


I took one out of its packaging for the first time today. This vehicle is fairly accurate to the original vessel in many ways and to hold a three dimensional version gives a different perspective on how it looked verses photographs.


I'm not the toy collector type but this has been the first time in decades that a manufacturer had been given licenses to make 1966 Batman vehicles. They are low priced and I am a sucker for '60s Bat-stuff.

These are shipped to stores boxed with later Bat vehicle incarnations but the '66 toys seem to sell the quickest and are hardest to find.

From my trips around eastern Michigan to date I've brought home ten $.99 Batmobiles, three 1:50th scale Batcycles, three Batmobiles with trailer hitches, and six Batboats. Most will be given away as presents and maybe displayed with the Batboat vessel.

There are a few updates coming soon on the full sized Batboat work. The deck is almost ready to go in. Stay tuned!

Hot Wheels Batboat is out now.

The new 1:50th scale Hot Wheels Batboat have been shipped but so far none have made it here in all of North Eastern Michigan yet. However, I did find three of last year's 1966 Batcycles at a WalMart during my weekly tri-county search so there is hope.

If you are looking for your own Batboat here are important tips:

Remember, the 1:50th scale Batboats are several times larger than the normal sized 1:64th scale, $0.99 Hot Wheels that we are all familiar with and are priced around $6.99, depending.

Because of their big size, they do not hang on the same hooks with the $0.99 cars and may be found stacked on shelves or hanging in their own displays.

The dark purple packaging sets them apart from all other items in the section. Most other items seem to have black, dark green or dark blue packaging.

Make sure to check all toy department endcaps. These are the displays facing outward at each end of the aisles.

Also, sometimes Hot Wheels products are displayed in two or three areas in the same toy department.

If you have other tips that will be helpful to others please post them in the "Comments" section.

Hot Wheels releases new Batboat

The most recent addition to Hot Wheels' 1966 Batman vehicle line is the Batboat.

The Mini Man-O-Wars are shipping to stores now and should be available everywhere Hot Wheels are sold by late January.

Get them while you can. The '66 Batman vehicles move off the shelves fast.

Two More Batboat Toys

A couple more 1970s Batboat toys from some other countries.

I know nothing else about them. Just found the photos on the net.

Whitman Batman Coloring Book

(front)

The Batboat made the cover of "Adventures Of Batman" coloring book, published by Whitman, copyrighted 1966.

Is Robin trying to run over Batman?? The evil grin on his face makes one wonder.

This sold on eBay April 20, 2008 for $4.95 plus $2.95 shipping.

Auction description...

Here is a very nice Batman item.
Featuring a colorful illustration of Batman and Robin in the Batboat.
The adventure inside features "The Frogman" as the foe.
The book is complete and uncolored.
I'd say condition is excellent to near mint.
A nice addition to any collection.

The back cover has a UPC code. Wikipedia says the first commercial use of UPC barcodes was in 1966.

(back)

'60s Argentine Toy Batboats.

Two other Murciel Lancha "Bichi" Argentine Batboat are on eBay with some interesting variations.

Click on the photos for larger versions.

The amount the sellers are asking are a little high. Whenever I see one of these on eBay I'll post the photos here.

1970s Batboat Toy From Argentina

This interesting toy was produced in Argentina during the 1970s. I find this rendition odd because the box has the Batboat painted like a Checkered Taxi Cab.

This battey operated (alkaline battery, not sealed atomic) vessel incorrectly has Batman and the steering wheel on the port (left) side. However, the box picture has them on the correct, starboard side. An interesting alteration I've seen in some of the other vintage toy Batboats.

Alfred probably forgot to stock the vessel with fresh Shark Repellent before that mission. Robin and Batman are dismembered from the knees down and slumped over!

One of those unintentionally grotesque, weird childhood toys!

When turned on, this 10 inch long Batboat would run along the floor until it bumped into something, making the wheels change to another direction until bumping something else.

I forget what this type of battery operated toy is called. If anyone knows please post a comment.

These images are from an eBay auction that ended on April 12, 2008, 18:11:47 PDT. It sold for US $57.00 plus $15 postage.

Click on these pictures to see them in their original size.