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The Sinking Battleship ~

Gspragge

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I went to a "vintage/antique" show and picked up this toy boat from
the early 1920s (13" in length). Called "The Sinking Battleship" it originally came
with one or two wind up torpedoes. I of course now need to find one,
should I live that long. Made in Germany for an American toy company.
I show an image of a complete example from an auction and another. The idea is that
you float the ship and then aim a wind up torpeado at it. If you hit the target disc,
the ship folds up and sinks. I tried it out in the bathtub and as advertized
gone with all hands in a flash ~
:xd:
 

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I bet thats fun to play with especially the torpedoes. I like tin toys especially ships, made some tin pop pop ships, bit of fun.
 
I only found the ship, the other ones are images I found online - so I'll
be watching for those. But I don't imagine that many were sold up here.
There is of course a whole different level of these things where I dare not tread !
 

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I would like to see what keeps your ship afloat and how it collapses to sink. I was also watching a youtube video where someone was trying to make a Co2 powered torpedo which he was trying out in his swimming pool. I wonder how your torpedos faired in the water.
 
I can't comment on the torpedoes not having any.
Each half of the shi has a bulkhead which seals the hull
when it is floating level. But the bulkheads do not run to the
deck and have a dip in them. So when the ship folds the water
is able to flow over the bulkheads and down she goes ~
The target/catch assembley is quite delicate and just a slight touch
will release it.
 

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Seeing the prices realized for those toy ships makes me very happy that I collect cartridges! Thanks for posting.
 
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