
Comparison of bases of Command Vehicle (top) and NASA Tracking Vehicle (bottom). The NASA Tracking Vehicle has retained the opening side door, operated by turning the red semicircle seen near the bottom of the picture. The Command Vehicle does not feature an opening door, but nevertheless has the opening in the base where the door would go. Silver marks are artifactual. Josiah Carberry Collection. Click to enlarge.
Evolution of Casting
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The Mobile Home, in its original form, is a motorized camper. The casting was adapted at least twice, first by adding a radar/communications dish to the rear roof (NASA Tracking Vehicle), and later by adding emergency lights, sirens, and either a radar/communications dish or a cannon to the forward roof (Command Vehicle). The cannon was variously styled as a foam cannon (for fire suppression), a water cannon (for fire suppression or crowd dispersal), or a gun (for military use).
The Mobile Home casting has a plastic door in the right side, operated by rotating a small wheel in the base. This door was retained when the casting was adapted for the Tracking Vehicle, but although the Command Vehicle's base still has the cut-outs to allow for it, the door itself was replaced with a cast-in-place metal door when the body casting was reworked. At the same time, many of the side windows were eliminated, the skylights were eliminated, a heavy gutter was added around the roof, and heavy fenderettes appeared above the wheels.
Versions
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The Mobile Home has come out in the following 1/114 scale versions:
As Mobile Home
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Col # | Year | Series | Color | Tampo | Base Color / Type | Window Color | Interior Color | Wheel Type | Country | Notes | Photo |
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MB54 | 1980 | Matchbox 1-75 | Tan | No tampos | Black painted / Metal | Clear | Red | ![]() | England | Opening side door (brown) | ![]() |
MB54 | 1981 | Matchbox 1-75 | Tan | No tampos | Black painted / Metal | Amber | Red | ![]() | England | Opening side door (brown) | |
MB54 | 1981 | Matchbox 1-75 | White | Brown side stripes | Gray/ Metal | Smoke | Orange | ![]() | England | Opening side door (brown) | ![]() |
As NASA Tracking Vehicle
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Col # | Year | Series | Color | Tampo | Base Color / Type | Window Color | Interior Color | Wheel Type | Country | Notes | Photo |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MB54 | 1982 1983 | Matchbox 1-75 | White | Red "NASA" tampo on roof, blue space shuttle tracking center on sides and roof | Black painted / Metal | Clear | Red | ![]() | England | Opening side door (red), revolving radar/communications dish on roof (chrome) | ![]() |
As Command Vehicle
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The Command Vehicle version of this casting lacks an interior, and has the side door molded in place. Two round emergency lights are on the forward roof, as part of the window casting. Two sirens are also on the forward roof, as is a cannon or a radar/communications dish.
Col # | Year | Series | Color | Tampo | Base Color / Type | Window Color | Wheel Type | Country | Notes | Photo |
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MB54 | 1984 1985 | 1-75 | Red & white | FOAM UNIT | Black/ Metal | Pale blue | ![]() | Chrome sirens, red cannon, not open doors | ![]() | |
MB54 | 1986 | 1-75 | Red | Yellow Graphics: "Foam Unit 3", "Metro Airport" and striping | Black-painted metal, later black plastic | Pale Blue | ![]() | Chrome sirens, red cannon. COMMAND VEHICLE on base. | ||
MB54 | 1989 | 1-75 | Yellow | Red & White graphics: "Foam Unit 3", "Metro Airport" and striping | Black Plastic | Pale Blue | ![]() | Grey sirens, red cannon | ![]() | |
N/A | 1989 | Commando | Olive Green | 9, Red and white stripes | Black/ Plastic | Pale Blue | ![]() | Macau | Black radar, Black sirens | ![]() |
1992 | Orange | Blue & White graphics: "Foam Unit", "City Airport", "Emergency Rescue" and striping | Black Plastic | Pale Blue | ![]() | Chrome sirens, black cannon | ||||
N/A | 1995 | Gift Pack | Red | Black, White and Gold graphics: "Fire Rescue", "F.D. #1" and striping | Black Plastic | Pale Blue | ![]() | Chrome sirens, chrome cannon | ||
N/A | 1997 | Five-Pack | Blue | White graphics: Police lettering and striping | Black Plastic | Pale Blue | ![]() | Chrome sirens, chrome cannon | ![]() |
See also
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- Truck Camper, a later casting of a similar subject
- MBX Motor Home, an even later casting of a similar subject
References
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- ↑ www.mbxforum.com Retrieved 24 October 2016