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			Lufthansa Douglas DC-7 D-AGEO made by "Daiya". Fantasy model. This tin airplane is a very strange model because Lufthansa never had a Douglas DC-7 in its fleet. The German airline ordered the direct competitor - the Lockheed Super Constellation for its intercontinental routes. "Daiya" - a Japanese toy-manufacturer - didn't seem to care about this fact. The company already sold DC-7 models in the colours of various US and European Airlines - so a Lufthansa airplane was made for the German market. A friction-mechanism turns the four propellers when the model is moved along the floor. eBay was the source for the Lufthansa DC-7 in June 2007.
			Lufthansa Lockheed Electra D-ABOB made by "Yonezawa". Fantasy model. Version 1. And here's another fantasy-model: Lufthansa also never flew the Turboprop Lockheed "Electra". The German airline decided to buy the British competitor "Viscount" made by Vickers. Still, the Japanese toy-manufacturer "Yonezawa" released a tin "Electra" in the colours of Lufthansa after having made the model in the liveries of various US-airlines. Unfortunately my "Electra" is not in a very good state. The battery-functions don't work properly and some propeller-blades are missing. I bought the model on German eBay.
			Lufthansa Lockheed Electra D-ABOB made by "Yonezawa". Version 2. The Lufthansa "Electra" was later released by "Yonezawa" in a second version with plastic wings. Again the model sported the Lufthansa-livery of the early 1960s and carried the German registration D-ABOB, which was originally allocated to a Lufthansa Boeing 707 at the time. The "Electra" now featured red and green lights in the propellers bringing a special effect especially when operated in the dark. The rubber nose-wheels look much better than on the first version. I bought the model from an Italian eBay-seller with the original box in summer 2011.
			Lufthansa Canadair CL-44 freighter D-ALOB made by "Toys Nomura". Fantasy model. Although Lufthansa was a pioneer in the air-freight business the airline never had this aircraft in its fleet: The Canadair CL-44. "Toys Nomura" released this battery-operated model probably in the late 1960s. After the propellers have started, the toy starts rolling - then it suddenly stops, the propellers stop spinning and the rear fuselage opens, just like on the original aircraft. Later this action starts all over again. Unfortunately, the cargo cannot be removed from the model. One of the largest operators of the CL-44 with the "swing-open tail" was the former U.S.-carrier "Flying Tiger Line". I bought the model from a Swiss collector in January 2011.
			Lufthansa Vickers Viscount made by "Tomy Toys". Version 1. In the mid-1960s "Tomy Toys" aimed this Vickers Viscount model at the German toy market. It is very similar to Schuco's "Radiant 5600" which was available since 1958. My guess is: The "Tomy Toys" Viscount is just a very good copy - although it differs in details: Especially the flip-open cockpit and an opening passenger door make the model an interesting toy. Unlike the Schuco Viscount the lower fuselage and the wings are made of plastic. An eBayer from Great Britain sold me this model in October 2007.
			Lufthansa Vickers Viscount made by "Tomy Toys". Version 2. Another variant of the Viscount model made by "Tomy Toys" was this so called "Talking Viscount": A built-in record of a stewardess announcing the departure of the aircraft can be heard through the built-in loudspeaker on the upper fuselage. Like the other versions this model is 47 cm long with a wing-span of 48 cm. Note the "LUFTHANSA"-titles that had to be moved to the front part of the fuselage to make room for the loudspeaker. I was able to buy this Viscount with its original box from an eBayer in the United States in February 2011.
			Lufthansa Vickers Viscount made by "Tomy Toys". Version 3. A third version of the "Tomy Toys" Viscount was available with an open passenger-cabin under a plastic fuselage. One of the battery-operated functions included a stewardess moving along the aisle after the propellers had started the model was taxiing along the floor. Again the lower fuselage and the wings are made of plastic. Note that no passengers can be seen in the windows of this variant. I bought this model on German eBay in March 2010.
			Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABOB made by "Yanoman". Version 1. Entering the jet-age most Japanese manufacturers changed from full-metal toys to models with more and more plastic parts. This was one of the last Boeing 707s with a fuselage completely made of tin - made by "Yanoman", probably in the late 1960s. Instead of the front gear the model features a third wheel at the rear end - not very realistic. The 707 is battery-operated but comes without cable-control. The position-lights on the wings light up when the jet moves across the floor. The first version of the "Yanoman" 707 landed in my collection in March 2011 with its original box.
			Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABOB made by "Yanoman". Version 2. A second version of the Boeing 707 made by "Yanoman" came into the shops with an electric-drive and cable-steering. Again the position-lights on the wings light up when the 707 is started. The early 1960s Lufthansa-design is done very good on both versions - friction and battery - especially the curved cheatline on the front fuselage. I bought version 2 of the "Yanoman" 707 for my collection in January 2009.
			Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABOB made by "Alps". After Lufthansa had started into the jet-age with four brandnew Boeing 707s delivered in 1960/61 this Japanese model was available in German toy-shops. Made by "Alps" it was not a very realistic-looking Boeing-airplane but which child really cared? The 707 featured many battery-operated functions, for example a stearable front wheel and flashing jet-engines. As far as I know "Alps" sold this jet in the Pan Am livery also. I was very happy to find this classic tin jet with its original box on eBay USA in June 2007.
			Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABOB made by "Toys Nomura". Passenger version 1. After the first Boeing 707s had been delivered to Lufthansa, the Japanese toy-manufacturer "Toys Nomura" made this model in the livery of the German airline. The registration is D-ABOB. It has various battery-operated functions: The jet-engines light up when the model starts moving. Contrary to other toy-companies Nomura started using plastic-parts for its "tin"-airplanes very early: The lower fuselage of this model is completely made of plastic. eBay was the source for this toy-jet in autumn 2007. I was able to buy it with the original box.
			Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABOT made by "Toys Nomura". Passenger version 2. The same model as above was released later with some minor changes to the appearance: This 707 carries the newer Lufthansa-titles that were introduced in the mid 1960s. The aircraft-registration is D-ABOT. Also Nomura changed the plastic jet-engines - they look much more like the Pratt & Whitney turbofans that Lufthansa had ordered at that time. Again this model is battery-operated. As it moves along the floor the jets light up. I bought this 707 on German eBay in October 2009.
			Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABDS made by "Toys Nomura". Freighter version. In the mid-1960s many airlines began to fly cargo in jets - and so did Lufthansa. With convertible 707-freighters the German airline wanted to play an important role in the growing logistics-market worldwide. The toy-industry acted quickly: This 707-freighter was made by the Japanese manufacturer Nomura. The clear advantage of models like these was the fact that they didn't only drive along the floor - children had much more to do loading and unloading the airplane through the opening cargo-door. The 707 landed in my Lufthansa model-collection in early 2007.
			Lufthansa Boeing 707 D-ABFP made by "Tomy Toys". This is probably the best looking tin model of a Lufthansa Boeing 707 ever made. The Japanese toy-manufacturer "Tomy Toys" sold it in the mid-1960s. Scale is approximately 1:100. The Tomy 707 has various battery-operated functions like most of the tin airplanes of that time. The most interesting feature is a retractable undercarriage which is operated by a switch on the upper fuselage. The plastic wings and the turbofan-jets are very detailed. Also the control surfaces on the wings and the LH-livery of the 1960s are very well done. The model landed in my collection from an English eBay-seller in April 2008.
			Lufthansa Boeing 727 D-ABIB made by "Asahi". Version 1. When Lufthansa introduced the Boeing 727 "Europa Jet" to its short and medium range routes in 1964 this strange model was released the Japanese toy-manufacturer "Asahi". The 727 is a full-tin model with friction drive. Instead of the front nose-gear it has a wheel at the rear. The registration is correct: D-ABIB was used on the first 727 delivered to Lufthansa. The brand "Europa Jet" is also lithographed on the fuselage, but only on one side of the plane. The model joined my Lufthansa-collection in September 2010 with the original box.
			Lufthansa Boeing 727 D-ABIB made by "Asahi". Version 2. Asahi also released this battery-operated Boeing 727, which is almost identical to the friction-driven model pictured above. The fuselage and the wings are also completely made of tin. The only visible difference is the main gear with its cable-based remote-control system. Again the registration used by Asahi is D-ABIB - and it also says "Europa Jet" on one side of the fuselage. The model joined my Lufthansa-collection in early 2008.
			Lufthansa Boeing 727 D-ABOL made for "Louis Marx Co." by "Toys Nomura". With the arrival of the first Boeing 727 jets in the Lufthansa-fleet in 1964 the US toy-manufacturer "Louis Marx Toys Company" had 727-models produced in Japan: On the original box it says "Made in Japan by Toys Nomura". The Marx-727 is not a perfect model: Especially the air-intake of engine #3 is not very realistic. Like other tin airplanes from the sixties the model is battery-operated and the jets light up. The Marx-727 is in my collection since early 2007 with the original box.
			Lufthansa Boeing 727 D-ABIC made by "Masudaya" ("Modern Toys"). Because the Boeing 727 was so popular in the mid-1960s many manufacturers of tin airplanes released models of this aircraft. "Masudaya" made a 727 which was a little smaller than the other available models of this trijet - it is 32 cm long and has a wing-span of 27 cm. The plane is battery-operated and wears the Lufthansa-livery of 1964 - the year the first 727s were delivered to the German airline. I bought this model on German eBay in February 2010 with the original box.
			Lufthansa Boeing 727 D-ABIF made by "Jyesa". This Boeing 727 is not a Japanese model but I listed it here because it has a Japanese background. The Spanish toy manufacturer "Jyesa" made it under licence - the original was a 727-model by "Masudaya" from Japan, also known as "Modern Toys". "Jyesa" sold its 727 in at least three liveries: In the colours of the Spanish airline Iberia, of Air France and Lufthansa. This model is also not a very precise replica of a Boeing 727 - again it seems the only important thing was to bring a model into the shops that resembles a 727. A collector from Alicante/Spain, sold me the model with its original box in December 2007.
			Lufthansa Boeing 727 D-ABIN made by "Toys Nomura". Like many toy-airplanes from the early 1970s this Boeing 727 made by "Toys Nomura" also has a lower fuselage made of plastic. The model captures the lines of the 727 very well - I especially like the nose section and the flightdeck-windows. Note the grey air-intake of the upper engine which is not realistic, but very interesting. Although it wears the Lufthansa-livery of the 1960s the model was probably released in the early 1970s. I bought the Nomura 727 on German eBay with the original box in February 2010.
			Lufthansa Boeing 727 made by an unknown manufacturer. Made in Hong Kong around 1970 this Boeing 727 does not quite fit into the section with my Japanese models, but still I listed it here due to its Far Eastern origin. The manufacturer is unknown. The 727 has a lot of non-tin parts - for example the lower fuselage, the wings and the complete tail-section are made of plastic. It is battery operated. The jet-engines and the position-lights on the wings light up when the toy moves along the floor. I bought this model on German eBay with the original box in November 2009.
			Lufthansa Boeing 737 D-ABEA made by "Toys Nomura". Version 1. In December 1967 Lufthansa took delivery of the first Boeing 737 worldwide. Together with United Airlines the German airline had been one of the launching customers for the short-range jet in the mide-1960s. The Japanese manufacturer "Toys Nomura" made a model of the "City Jet" - as Lufthansa called its 737s - in the delivery-colours. At this time most "tin airplanes" were no longer made completely of this material - like many Nomura-Jets the lower fuselage is plastic. On this 737 the "LUFTHANSA"-titles are is printed completely in capitals. Some time later a second version was made with the current titles.
			Lufthansa Boeing 737 D-ABEA made by "Toys Nomura". Version 2. This later version of the "Toys Nomura" Boeing 737 is nearly identical with its predecessor - only the "Lufthansa"-titles were adapted to the new corporate-design. The German graphics-designer Otl Aicher had restyled Lufthansa's appearance in the late 1960s. The model is battery-operated. Large position-lights on the wings light up just like the jet-engines when the 737 moves along the floor. A fellow model-collector from Stuttgart/Germany gave me this fine reproduction box as a present in March 2010. Thank you very much!
			Lufthansa Sikorsky S-55 helicopter D-ABIB made by "Koyo Metal Co.". And last but not least an aircraft that Lufthansa never had in its fleet: A helicopter. No problem for the Koyo Metal Co. which released this fictional tin-helicopter in Lufthansa-livery anyway. As far as I know it's a model of a Sikorsky S-55. Incidentally the registration D-ABIB was assigned to a Lufthansa Boeing 727 in the mid-1960s, so I assume the helicopter was sold in that time.
			Volkswagen T1 bus made by "Masudaya" ("Modern Toys"). This interesting "Air-bus" was made in Japan by "Masudaya" ("Modern Toys") probably in the mid-1960s: A Volkswagen T1 bus in Lufthansa-livery. The model is battery-operated and cable-controlled. Volkswagen started producing the T1 with the famous split windscreen in 1950. Production of the first generation vehicles continued until 1967. In 2005 the Volkswagen-museum restored a so called "Bulli" in Lufthansa-colours to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the German airline. I bought my little T1 with the original box via eBay from a seller in Buenos Aires in September 2010.
			Volkswagen T1 bus made by "Ichiko". The Japanese toy-manufacturer "Ichiko" also made a Volkswagen T1 bus in Lufthansa-livery - probably in the mid-1960s. The model is friction-driven. On the front part of the roof the T1 has a flashing light, in the rear we can see an antenna. Unfortunately I don't know if this is an original feature on this toy. I have seen pictures of other "Ichiko" Volkswagen buses that have a second, smaller flashlight on the rear roof. The Volkswagen pictured here was on offer on eBay in October 2010.
			Lufthansa V.I.P. Airport Service Car made by "Kyoei". Large U.S. road cruisers were frequently reproduced as toys by Japanese manufacturers in the 1960s. This tin car with Lufthansa-titles was made by "Kyoei" with a friction-mechanism. It was sold as a box-set with five other cars in the liveries of Aer Lingus, BOAC, KLM, Pan Am and SAS. I bought my Lufthansa "V.I.P. Airport Service Car" from a French eBay-seller in November 2010.
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