eskimo2...the Verty Bird Lives!

[Curval]

Eskimo2...last night I read a post you wrote asking what were everyone's favourite toys from years ago - dunno where it is now...can't find it.  

Strangely you and I are somewhat kindred spirits on this issue....I had a Verty Bird that had a base made of styrophome (sp?)shaped like battlecruiser...it had a helicopter pad as its landing point.  Man, I loved that toy.....it kept me busy for hours and hours...

Anyway....I was in the toy store looking for a present for my 3 year old this morning.  There it was - no battlecruiser, but essentially the same thing!!!  I can't recall that it was called a Verty-Bird or not, but I have convinced myself that this is a toy my "son" must have for Christmas...assuming he can wrestle the controls out of my hands. It's only about $50!

I did not see the Evil Knevil bike...but I also had one of those as a kid.  The real Evil Knevil is responsible for a couple of my broken bones and also a large scar on a friend of mine's head....he was our hero as kids and we used to jump anything and everything on our pedal bikes.
 
Two other toys that were great when I was a kid were, "Rock-em Sock-em Robots" and the "STP Smash-em Up Cars" that had a large serated plastic cord that when pulled through the mechanics of the car drove the wheels around...you would then line two of them up and smash them into each other...the car doors, hood, and trunk door would fall off as a result of the impact, but could be simply snapped back into place again.

As you can tell I'm getting psyched for Christmas this year....it's amazing how the majic comes back into the holidays when you have little kids!

[ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: Curval ]

[Udie]

are you my long lost next door neighbor from 1977?    I had each of the toys you mentioned and they were all among my favorites    My verti bird and ship had a little plastic space capsule with a ring in the top so you could hook it to the viri bird and return the astronauts back to the ship   Ahhh evil kineval, what can I say? Many  bruises caused by him.  Love his toy.

 One toy I didn't see mentioned was Smash up Derby.  They had the same plastic pull thing and gear in the car, but you'd face them towards each other and let them smash each other.  All the pieces, doors and bumbers ect.. would fall off  

 The 1970's was an awesome time to grow up  

[Eagler]

best Xmas present was 1972, I was 11.
It was a game called NFL Strategy
It had offense and defense cards, the defense cards had clear windows which layed over the offense card with results of the combo of cards showing through in three colors depending on the hash mark the ball was on. The results were determined by this springy ball thing on the side you'd flick. Came with a playbook and all. Pretty neat for an 11 year old. I liked it better than the spider bike I got the same Xmas.

Yep, Xmas is for kids(younger the better) and the retailers  

[skernsk]

One toy I didn't see mentioned was Smash up Derby. They had the same plastic pull thing and gear in the car, but you'd face them towards each other and let them smash each other. All the pieces, doors and bumbers ect.. would fall off

Wow!  I completely forgot about this one.  I had a blue car with yellow decals.  I "think" it was a Volkswagon bug but am not sure.

I went to the toy store the other day looking for yos for the kids.  The wife kept reminding me we aren't buying for ME

[Curval]

Undie...haha...the neighbour thing was almost what I said to myself when I read eskimo2's post....awesome toys man!!

I'm going at lunch to pick up the new verty bird....it's gonna be one fun Christmas morning this year....the box says it is for 10 years and up....my son is three!  Well, I guess Daddy is gonna have to show him how this thing works!!  

But, hey...I wonder what the box should say on a computer - 10 and up too?  My son has been playing on my computer for a year!!  He has a number of games and he needs no help from me to play them!

[Udie]

be honest  

 How many here got thier finger hurt trying to learn how to stop the prop on the verti bird?  

[capt. apathy]

for you newer fathers.
this is just to let you know that after they go to bed, it is perfectly acceptable to 'test for function and saftey' any presents you get your kids, when my son was 6, a friend and i 'tested' his train set every night for a month b4 Christmas.

ps
the verti-bird rocked. also sizzlers(battery powered hotwheels)

[AKDejaVu]

Rock'm-Sock'm Robots was neet at first, but it only lasted about two days before falling apart.  It never even made it to the "firecracker" stage of toy play.... a real letdown.

We did have the smash up derby cars too... anything that exploded was always a big hit.

Of course, we had 3 toys that were by far the most used of everything... a baseball, a football and a basketball.  To say we got our money's worth out of them was a complete understatement.  The sad thing is that I have never seen the neighborhood kids on my block playing football in the streets, catch or any other sport... only the images from the 36" screen through their living room windows.

Most of my toys were lost and or destroyed as a result of playing outside.  Getting together with a bunch of friends and testing the limits of virtually everything.  How I survived childhood is still unknown to me.

AKDejeVu

[Curval]

Apparently after one of my very early birthdays my parents could not find me in the house.  I had just had about 25 kids over for the party and they had all brought presents...my family had obviously also contributed to my horde that year...

Apparently, when they found me I was outside playing in a puddle with a rock and a stick....I had left all of my new toys inside!  

Just goes to show that expensive gifts can be no substitute for a kid's imagination.

 

[Curval]

Udie...guilty as charged!
 

[Curval]

It is not a Verty-Bird these days....the one I just bought is called Chopper Patrol...manufactured by a company called Jasman...

Looks bascially the same...has the hook on it etc.

Funny....I just felt a sore throat coming on...must go home to rest....  

[ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: Curval ]

[midnight Target]

OK, as a fairly old guy I gotta say....Radio Flyer!

My fondest memory of the old red wagon is when they were constructing the new Jr. High School near my home. The layout of the school included a long hill of at lreast 50 yds. covered in juniper plants or something, but during construction it was a "MOGEL HILL FOR WAGONS".
 We would actually rig the wagon with a seat belt, pillows to sit on, crash (football) helmet and gloves. No one ever reached the bottom of the hill without wiping out, but it was fun trying!

Young, Dumb and .....well you know.

[Oosik]

Udie - Mine never got hurt but eskimo (my little bro) with  littler fingers did  
0osik

[Curval]

Testing sig....