MECHANICALLY-POWERED SUBMARINES (1)
That is this museum’s main dish, together with science-fiction submarines. Let’s note right from the start that all mechanical submarines, with or without a water ballast, just like rubber-band powered subs, use dynamic diving, the presence of a ballast only enabling the user to adjust the buoyancy, which must ALWAYS be slightly positive (in other terms: when not moving, it remains on the surface). To treat the subject, I started from an alphabetical list of those brands which were AVAILABLE to the museum, which means that some firms are TEMPORARILY absent, and will be added in the site’s updates (monthly). This is the case for Carette, to name but one... Next, I dealt with the Japanese production separately, as it is sometimes impossible to visually dissociate some brands (Linemar, Marusan...) except when stamped, and when the boxes can (rarely) be found.
Some items cannot be found in the West (e.g., Toshiba’s robot torpedo). Finally, nearly all Japanese mechanical toy submarines use the friction system that is their trademark. Of course, many collectors throughout the world build or sell their collections; for instance take a look at Buzzboats’ (http://www.buzzboats.com)
A as Arnold: This German firm hit the spotlight in the late 30s; production resumed after the war in US-occupied zone, then under a license in France. Arnold made at least three submersibles, the best known of which is the U29, sheet metal, 14”; no diving bars: this sub only cruises on the surface. It has its own history:
This item was made in the late 40s in the US-occupied zone; but its former version was made until 1942. How can you differentiate them? By the swastika on the front of the first edition’s tower. You can see an example in the March 1999 issue (n° 153) of “39/45 Magazine,” p. 7. The Ace Joachim Schepke is giving one to Horst Plenk, the son of then-Olympic cross-country skiing champion, Tony Plenk.
G ****, with swastika *****
Other post-war Arnold submarines: the Baby Arnold, sheet metal, 9”; ballast under the hull and inside the bow, diving bar on the rudder. This sub uses successive dives.
G ***
The same applies to this one, the A 2004 with US star, 12”, sheet metal:
G ****
B as Bing: as far as production is concerned, this is good, dodgy dessert! They can be found anywhere, many were made before WW1, then resumed after, sometimes under license. The boxes are quasi-unfindable, few bear the Bing logo, and often nothing can be found on the toy itself, so you have to check in contemporary catalogues and specialized books to sort them out. Beware, the prices for Bings are much over-rated. I have seen wrecks sell for unreasonable prices, but have always refused to pay the amounts demanded for the very big Bings. If the dealer offering you a sub from this brand refuses to discuss the price, drop it and go somewhere else.
Mario, who restores old toy submarines with winders (http://www.esu.edu/~jmg3973/new_design/rustysub/gallery.htm) told me about possible confusions between Bings and Fleischmanns. According to him, many Bings shown here are in fact Fleischmanns, while a few « Fleischmanns » show a Bing brand. Therefore we only attribute the toys shown here to either Bing of Fleischmann with due reservations. Here is the mail from Mario, take this opportunity to visit his restoration workshop.
Mario: " Hi, You have a fantastic collection and website of the old antique submarines. I am also an antique sub collector, I did notice you have some id errors in the Bing categories. At least 7 of the subs you ID'd as Bings are actually Fleischmann. They look very similar shaped to the Bing Designs. Differences occur in the rudder plane configuration and the hull itself, I used to also think they were Bings myself until I saw The Fleischmann catalogs ,and some of the boxed specimens. These Boats are in the Fleischman catalogs.I don't have on catalog on hand but if surface search for the Fleischman catalogs you will see them. I am also compiling a website for categorizing these submarines, but it will be a long time before it gets completed. Here are the first few pages.
http://www.esu.edu/~jmg3973/new_design/rustysub/gallery.htm
These designs between the Bing, Ives,Fleischman's are commonly mistaken since they all shared the tear drop shape. BTW did you notice the Japanese one you have with the friction lever? That one has a tower and shape similar to the old Fleischman's, Looks like Japanese makers were imitating the Old German designs."
Lastly, beware mix-ups! Bings offered for sale as “submarines” are in fact Monitors (battleships the bridge of which is level with the water, first built during the American Civil War); they do not dive and look like submarines. Here is an example I bought back when I was young and foolish; it is, moreover, an amateurish restoration job with additions (rail at the front, flag and propeller at the rear, Humbrol-like model paint)...
Let’s start with the smallest and oldest: those three date from before 1910. Successive dives from the look of the bar and ballast; sheet metal, 8”.
Notice the nose cap: this is where you wind those subs, that use a lengthwise spring acting directly on the propeller through a reduction.
G ****
This sub series was made from 1911 onward; production went on during the 20s. Sheet metal, traditional spring with transmission and reduction, alternate dives:
9” long.
G ***
This small Bing from the 20s was visibly copied by Arnold after WW2. 8”.
G ***
Bing’s post-WW1 production is more beautiful and sophisticated (due to competition and exports), witness this 1921 sub. Sheet metal and brass, 11”:
G *****
Or this one, with elevated tower: sheet metal, 12”, dated 1922 (1911 according to some sellers).
G ****
This model, visibly restored, also dates from the 20s – until, that is, I can trace it back pre-war! Sheet metal, 11”, alternate dives.
A ***
This big Bing from the late 20s, shown “as is,” lacks bridge equipment. 17”; notice the adjustable diving bars at the rear.
G ****
Those two models could have been made by Planck (notice the shape of the diving bars), so a doubt remains, but the logo carved at the front of one of them seems to indicate a pre-WW1 Bing model. Sheet metal; the one with the carving bears n°J9 at the stern. 10 and 9 inches.
G **** (big model) *** (small model)
This sheet metal and brass submersible was distributed in Italy in the early 40s; it is certainly either a licensed Bing model, or an exported German product. The remaining sticker under the hull at the bow says: “Bianchetti shop;” however, the shape of the ballast and that of the tower allow the hypothesis of local manufacture. Does anyone have an answer?
9”
G or I *****
To conclude (temporarily) on Bing, here is a big (17”) submarine, dated 1912 and rather sophisticated since it includes a rail with a lead pellet that moves forward and back depending on the toy’s angle.
Notice the forward rod on which was fixed a waterproof primer that exploded when a boat was hit! How very Hunnish....
G *****
Here is an anecdote about German toy submarines, as told by author Jacques Milet in one of his books: Kaiser William II, while visiting a Nuremberg shop, vainly asked for a submarine, and finally declared: “You should sell submarines, they are the future.”
Now we know exactly what he meant...
F as Fleishmann. Small but good quality pre-war production, that briefly picked up in the 50s. Here is a nice model, complete with its three flags. Sheet metal, 11”, very rare.
G *****
The same goes for this model with external engine and pellet on internal rail. The diving bars/rudder block is missing. Sheet metal, 11”, 1930s.
G *****
J as JEP. The “Jouet de Paris” (Paris Toy) was born of the merger and buy-out of several brands (including Heller & Coudray); see the book by Clive Lamming. At the time of the Popular Front (1936) JEP made this very efficient key-wound submarine with water ballast, of steel, issued in three different colours. One remark to illustrate the difficulty of cross-checking information sources: this submarine is shown on a page of a Bon-Marché catalogue from... 1921 (Jacques Milet, “Les Bateaux-Jouets,” p. 35). We’d rather explain it by a printing error, or else Mortimer (from Blake and Mortimer fame) and his Chronoscaphe are out of the time-race!
It was named “Corsair” and was technically the most efficient sub of its time; notice the two brass traps, one for the key, the other for the ballast; 16”.
F ****, ***** new in its box.
Here is the light brown and gray Corsaire restored by Patrick Gautier.
The Nautilus was the brand’s leading product; it appeared in 1954 (no link to the Disney event) and evolved from the Corsair: simplified construction, more powerful engine, the brass trap to the engine (to wind it up) has been moved to the side, the diving bar is now fixed, and the tower is removable (see the two brass nuts) to access the engine; “retro” tower.
Here is the wreck restored by Patrick Gauthier. One of the problems encountered was that of the weight, insufficient in this case even with water-ballast entirely filled: a recurring problem on some series. The answer is to add fishing lead in the ballast. It works, here is the proof...
16” long. For a continuous dive, completely fill the ballast; for alternate dives, only fill it up to half. This toy can still be found in diving condition. It used to be a real event when a kid (myself included) would bring one of those to a public basin: not to mention the iron-chair bridges to go and fetch the thing blocked underwater by a hose, or one of those chairs thrown into the basin. The trick was to avoid the ire of the park-keeper, always ready to pounce...
F ***, **** new in its box
Around the mid-60s, JEP produced this ultimate version of the Nautilus, nicknamed “Nuclear Nautilus”. Built on the same basis as its predecessor (hull, engine, size), the modern-shaped tower and its cannon are of plastic; whence the addition, under the hull, of a steel ballast to compensate for the weight.
F ****
M as Marklin. This “top of the range” brand is well-known for its electric trains (still in production). The golden age of Marklin submarines was between 1920 and 1939. That even wrecks of these subs cost a fortune goes without saying! Thanks to Mister “indispensable” Mestrot, I was able to acquire a rather representative range of that mythical brand’s production. The rudder, always painted red, bears the “Marklin – Germany” logo. The dates of production are estimates, best guesses from contemporary shop catalogues or information from Jac Remise’s works, and are sometimes contradictory.
This small model, 9” long, only cruises on the surface and dates from 1926; varnished sheet metal.
G ****
This one, also from the mid-20s, is 12” long and uses alternate dives; varnished sheet metal.
G *****
This magnificent specimen, restored and in working order, dates from 1921; it includes forward and rear diving bars, set by a sophisticated timing device. Varnished sheet metal, 16”.
This restored Marklin handles superbly. Warning: Once the engine is wound up, make sure the forward bars are up. Once in the water they tilt forward, the sub dives, then emerges when the bars return to high position. It then finishes its dive at periscope depth, then slowly emerges once the engine stops. Great endurance! An 80’ (at least) basin would be needed for these toys to perform a full cycle! The rubber band visible on one of the diving sequences was used to attach a security buoy (a cork stopper) for the first try, as buoyancy seemed uncertain. It was removed thereafter, and everything worked perfectly.
G *****
This one is the same type and date as the previous one, but “as is;” 22”.
G *****
Please note that the biggest model (30”) is unfindable; it is the one that sold for 7000 euros at an auction (see Introduction).
To conclude with Marklin, here is a 1931 model, with rear diving bar, varnished sheet metal, 17”.
G *****
U as “Unknown Brand.” This submarine is English and dates from the 1920s. Lengthwise spring with reduction. Notice the cork cap protecting the key-operated winder.
11”, black varnished sheet metal.
UK *****
This submarine is English and apparently dates from the 30s. It is peculiar in that it has an oil-filled ballast tank. No diving bar: this sub cruises just above the water.
Painted and varnished sheet metal, 11”
UK*****
This big tin submarine dates from before 1914. Originally without a rudder, this sub does not dive. Unknown origin (Austria ?). 26”.
*****
P as Plank. The few subs made by Plank are rarities, such as this mechanical torpedo (13”) armed with a percussion primer. Zis toy vould pleasse ze Kaiser ! Varnished sheet metal, 1920-30s.
G ***** (in that condition)
S as Schuco. This dynamic-dive submarine with adjustable diving bars dates from the 60s; lithographed sheet metal and plastic, 12”. Also exists in an electric version.
G **
S as Sutcliffe. Between 1950 and 1970 this English firm built a small series of subs all based on the same model, the “Unda Wunda.” They all use alternate dives. Notice the big forward bar as well as the classical bar/rudder block. Painted and varnished sheet metal, 9”.
UK. 1950 model: *****; 
1953: *****; 
1955 Nautilus: ***; 
This small 50s sub dives very well. Warning: it only emerges when its engine stops! It therefore continuously hugs the bottom, so no ponds or natural pools! See the introduction for more about this.
both 1960-64 Seawolfs: ***; 
last Unda-Wunda (blue, 1970) ***
V as Ventura: This Italian wooden submarine dates from the 50s; it does not dive. 28” long.
I ***
W as Wolverine. Those four dynamic-dive submarines are equipped with ballasts (notice the small caps at the rear) and have adjustable forward diving bars. Lithographed sheet metal, 13”; 1948-52.
USA ***
A few mechanical subs are still made nowadays – made in China, that is. The key has been replaced by a small winder of the same plastic as the toy itself – and, surprise, surprise, that thing works perfectly. Alain Bonet brought this small Tobar back from England:
And here’s how it performs:
Despite an erratic trajectory (no rudder) it combines endurance and performance! 9 inches.
UK, made in China.
This section’s second part could be nicknamed the “Sushi Section,” so abundant the Japanese production is. That’s why it is dealt with in a second chapter of this section dedicated to mechanically-powered submarines.
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