I'm never comfortable when die-cast makers stray into boats and aeroplanes. I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that I think they should make cars and trucks - motorbikes too I find a bit off message. So this boat is never going to be a favourite. However it had a good run in the Lesney range, from 1976 to 1981. It was revived post Lesney by the new owners of the brand and more than nine post Lesney versions are known.

For most of its run it had a blue plastic hull with a white die-cast superstructure and two police figures standing on deck. Some of these have air-horns on the roof but these were dropped in the last year of production. Also in 1981 we get the 'Code Red' versions which have a red hull and red tampo printing on the rear deck and cabin roof and stickers reading Los Angeles Fire Department on the sides of the hull. Some of these have blue figures and some have yellow figures.

No version is particularly rare or expensive, Code Red models tending to be most sought after and of these look for blue figures. Of the blue ones look for air horns on the roof.

Matchbox/Lesney 52d; Police Launch; White Deck, Blue Hull, Roof Horns	Matchbox/Lesney 52d; Police Launch; White Deck, Red Hull, Roof & Rear Deck, Blue Windows, Orange Stripes, Two Yellow Figures, Los Angeles Fire Department (Code Red)

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Last Edit: 12/06/2024		Page Added 02/04/2021