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dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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--32aj Tracteur Panhard avec semi-remorque 'Kodak' [Panhard Articulated Lorry 'Kodak'] (1953-56)

One of my favorite French commercial vehicles has always been  the Panhard articulated truck in the Kodak livery.  When I was only about 14, I was looking at the Dinky Toys on display in a glass display case, in a department store in downtown San Diego.  Right away something caught my eye......it was this bright yellow truck and trailer, with the Kodak logo prominently displayed on both sides, and I quickly bought it.  These never came in their own box, so I never had a proper box to store it in.

    These made their first appearance in the 1952 French Dinky Toys catalog, and all the reference material says they were made from 1952-1954, however they are not shown in the 1954 French catalog.  In 1955, a few changes were made, and they were then sold only as an export model, shown in both the 1955 and 1956 US catalog.  The changes were adding the grids under the cabin roof, adding a structural web on the underside of the trailer, in front of the rear wheels, and an interesting change to the Kodak decals.  All the letters are slightly different, but the letter "a" in Kodak has a pronounced change to a noticeably different style.  I have never heard a complete explanation for this, but have heard that it then conformed to the correct lettering seen on the US Kodak logos.

   Another unanswered question is why it was not made for a longer period of time.  Most people seem to agree that it makes a striking model, and the Kodak name was certainly known world wide.  Perhaps Kodak backed out of paying a royalty to Meccano, which had helped offset cost.  The reality then is these are somewhat difficult to find in excellent condition, both due to the limited production, and also due to the yellow color, which, as usual, shows every tiny defect.

   So mine is a US export issue, with the grids under the roof, the structural web added on the trailer, and the slightly different Kodak decal.  Considering it has never been in a box after it was sold, it has stayed in remarkably nice condition after almost 60 years of ownership.

   As an aside, I always thought it would have been really neat if Meccano had made a matching trailer in this livery, to make an even more impressive display.  That has now been realized, as Atlas has made the original style articulated truck, and Dan Toys has made an auxiliary matching trailer.  I have attached a photo showing this very nice combination.

       Best regards,  Terry

 

 

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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Both versions of this model are exactly in the same colour and are rare. It is very likely that only one run of the first version was made late in 1952 before the model was issued in October. What I beleive is that when Kodak received a few models they noticed that the logo was wrong and told Meccano to stop making this model. Some companies are very touchy about their logos. This first version was available for a few monts only until the original run ran out.

In 1955, H. Hudson Dobson asked Bobigny to re-issue this model. Was this a request from Kodak ? This was probably because the range available in the States was limited and contained mainly old models or Kodak wanted a promotional model. This is one more question for which we will never have an answer.

Two questions remain which have not been raised yet :
• In which type of box was the US issue packed. Trade box for three models or end flaps box ? I have never seen an end flaps box for the Kodak.
• why the US issue has not been available in Europe ?

As for a matching trailer, road trains are not allowed in France.

Terry you posted this catalogue but which year is it ? 1956 or 1957 ?

The Atlas model is a copy of the US export version.

There are two threads for this model which is correct but confusing. Could the titles of these threads be changed to :
32aj - Tracteur Panhard avec semi-remorque "Kodak" Atlas (05-2011)
32aj - Tracteur Panhard avec semi-remorque "Kodak" (1952-1953) (1955-1957)

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dinkyfan
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Jacques--I well clearly remember buying my US example, at a large department store in San Diego.  I saw it in a glass display case, and I was told it was the only example they had left.  This would have been in 1958.  Since there was no box provided for it, I am assuming that it came in those trade boxes of three.  And that was the only model of this I ever saw, so I was somewhat lucky to see it.  Hard to say why it was not offered in Europe too, as it makes for a very striking and appealing model, in that bright yellow paint, with the contrasting Kodak livery logo.  If H. Hudson Dobson did request it for the US market, maybe Meccano thought it should stay there.  As you mentioned, many stories like this will remain a mystery.

   I am sure you are aware that Dan Toys did make a separate matching trailer.  However, Atlas made the normal tractor and trailer, so the two could be bought separately and combined.  What's interesting is that Atlas made their trailer like the US version, with the correct 'a', while Dan Toys modeled their separate trailer after the earlier European version, with the incorrect 'a'.  If one isn't aware of the difference, it is hardly noticeable.  I normally do not collect these copies, but since I absolutely love this model, I just had to buy that combination because it just looks beautiful.  Oh, and that catalog I showed is the later 1955 US catalog.

       Best regards,  Terry

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johnnyangel
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My own guess would be that H.H.D. simply asked for a re-do of the earlier Kodak version because it felt the SNCF version was drab and not very appealing to American children. If it had been a promotional for Kodak U.S.A. then the lettering should have been translated to "films and cameras".

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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Jon---Good guess, and that would make sense.  The Kodal yellow and livery was very prominent in the 1950's, and would have been appealing to US kids then.....at least it did to me!
     Terry

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janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

See also Dave Busfield's article in the recent January issue of The Journal.

johnnyangel's picture
johnnyangel
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DTCA MemberUSA

Alas, the January issue has not yet reached the colonies crying

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

A nice new photo of a nice new model, the yellow body contrasting particularly beautifully aagainst the blue background, in my opinion. This is the initial (standard) version of the Panhard 'Kodak'. 

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

Very nice picture Jan, yes this is the early version with the wrong logo.