Mobile Home

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

Command and Tracking Vehicle Bases 20120525 JSCC — 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 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	Country	Notes
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 VehicleEdit

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Window Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Country	Notes	Photo
MB54	1982 1983 1984	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
MB54	1985	1-75	Red & white	FOAM UNIT	Black/ Metal	Pale blue			Chrome sirens, red cannon, not open doors
MB54	1986 1987 1988 ^[1]	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 Set	Olive Green	9, Red and white stripes	Black/ Plastic	Pale Blue	Black	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