Mobile Home Debut Series Matchbox 1-75 Produced 1980 - Number 54 Scale 1:114

Evolution of Casting Edit

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 Edit

The Mobile Home has come out in the following 1/114 scale versions:

As Mobile HomeEdit

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Window Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Country	Notes	Photo
54	1980	Matchbox 1-75	Tan	No tampos	Black painted / Metal	Clear	Red		England	Opening side door (brown)
54	1981	Matchbox 1-75	Tan	No tampos	Black painted / Metal	Amber	Red		England	Opening side door (brown)

As NASA Tracking VehicleEdit

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Window Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Country	Notes	Photo
54	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 VehicleEdit

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
54	1984	Matchbox 1-75	Yellow	Red & White graphics: "Foam Unit 3", "Metro Airport" and striping	Black-painted Metal	Pale Blue			Chrome sirens, red cannon
54	1985	Matchbox 1-75	Red	Yellow Graphics: "Foam Unit 3", "Metro Airport" and striping	Black-painted Metal	Pale Blue			Chrome sirens, red cannon
54	1986	Matchbox 1-75	Red	Yellow Graphics: "Foam Unit 3", "Metro Airport" and striping	Black-painted metal, later black plastic	Pale Blue	, or later		Chrome sirens, red cannon
54	1987	Matchbox 1-75							Sirens, cannon on roof
54	1988	Matchbox 1-75							Sirens, cannon on roof
	1989		Yellow	Red & White graphics: "Foam Unit 3", "Metro Airport" and striping	Black Plastic	Pale Blue			Black sirens, red cannon
	1992		Orange	Blue & White graphics: "Foam Unit", "City Airport", "Emergency Rescue" and striping	Black Plastic	Pale Blue			Chrome sirens, black cannon
	1995	Gift Pack	Red	Black, White and Gold graphics: "Fire Rescue", "F.D. #1" and striping	Black Plastic	Pale Blue			Chrome sirens, chrome cannon
	1997	Five-Pack	Blue	White graphics: Police lettering and striping	Black Plastic	Pale Blue			Chrome sirens, chrome cannon

See alsoEdit

• Truck Camper, a later casting of a similar subject
• MBX Motor Home, an even later casting of a similar subject