Richard---Very nice models! I missed out on the Caravelle when I was a young collector, and have not focused much on the airplanes in my later collecting life, but I sure appreciate them. I am assuming that the one with the hole is a somewhat rare version?
Terry

Some of my favourite photos of the Caravelle:

A pity that the water slide transfers of the French aircraft tend to suffer a lot from discoloration (especially when exposed to the light too much).

Jan---Lovely model and great photos of it. A very impressive airplane for sure!
Terry

With great help from the late Geoffrey Webster and John Beugels, I have been able to write the story of the Dinky Toys Caravelles. This takes 17 pages in the book "French Dinky Toys Aircraft" (only nine left) but I suspect that there may be one or two more variations.

There are many casting and finish variations and this is a rare example of a Dinky Toys die having been used on both sides of the Channel and been cast with two reference numbers.

1) The die was made in France. Wether by Meccano or subcontracted, we will never know and the initial batch issued as 60F made in France. The marking reads made in France 60F (See Jan's picture above).

2) The die was then modified (in France or in England, again we will never know). Made in England has now replaced made in France on an interchangeable insert. The painting hole is added under the fuselage and the ref. number 997 is added under the star board wing. The die is now ready to travel back and forth between Bobigny and Liverpool, how many times did it ?

Was there a batch made with made in France and the painting hole ? For explanations of the painting hole, see the Dnky Toys encyclopaedia under : home --> Meccano factories --> Meccano Ltd. --> page 2.

There are three more variations so the models with the painting hole may be the most commouns. The last models made came from Liverpool and had plastic wheels

The models made in France and England have different transfers, The name Caravelle printed near the cokpit appears on the French models only.

Note that the word SUPER TOYS is in two words which could mean that the making of the die was subcontracted.

The three very scarce SAS, Swissair and Air Alg

Two remarkable catalogue misrepresentations of the Caravelle below:

1. The introduction as a 'nouveauté' in the French 1958 Meccano catalogue, showing a straight blue band, even extended over the cockpit area and even over the engines sides. The blue tail flash is very plump compared with the actual model. The AIR FRANCE capitals are too large as is the odd CARAVELLE name at the front of the blue band. The main landing gear seems to be represented showing tyres. 

2. The Dutch (and other similar) 1959 Dinky Toys catalogues show a fully distorted Caravelle model. Possibly lacking an appropriate example or just being in a hurry to finish the job the artist apparently 'borrowed' the main fuselage and wing details of the Super Constellation, the registration numbers included. A fantasy cockpit and a crude, plump tail section were added to complete the design.

Jan—-Just when you think you’ve seen everything....right? That is downright amazing!
Best regards,
Terry