1964 Marx (Japan), Battery Operated Fighting L.S.T. in Original Box
Incredible battery operating tin litho "Fighting L.S.T" manufactured by Marx, Japan. Huge 18" long complex toy with many parts. Purchased from the original owner. In spectacular near mint condition complete with original illustrated box. Awesome toy with many battery operated and manual functions....and every one works! Very difficult toy to find, it was originally available as a one year Sears exclusive. It sold for $4.44. I got it from the original owner who received it as a Christmas present. He was not allowed to play with the toy when his mother realized that it shot firing rockets. It was promptly stored in the attic and only recently rediscovered. L.S.T. (Landing Ship, Tank) is a three deck camouflage tin litho ship with red tin litho hull. The small rear rudders and propellers are plastic and stationary. The Sears catalog described it as follows: "Flip the switch and this model of an army LST rolls to the battle. It stops, doors open and tank automatically rolls down ramp. Push buttons to launch 4 plastic rockets and 2 depth charges. Red and green lights blink, radar and gun mounts turn". That translates to stop and go battery operated action. It moves forward, stops, and a set of "barn doors" opens at the bow. A ramp automatically extends out from the inside of the ship and discharges a 2½" long plastic tank. Once the tank is discharged, the ramp retracts back into the ship, the barn doors close, and the ship advances. Yes, the original tank is included, plus it has its original strip of chrome plated steel fixed to the underside. Without this strip of metal (specific weight and length), the tank will not discharge. Simultaneously other automatic functions are working. This consists of a rotating metal radar screen (original included), the front two cannons alternately turn right and left (both original and working), the red and green mast lights blink on and off (original and working), and it produces a realistic grinding motor sound (working). In addition, it manually fires four, 2" long, clear plastic rockets (all four present and working), and two, 1" long, black wooden depth charges (working replications produced by Randy's Toy Shop). The tank is set into place using the spring loaded deck launcher (working and original). The six remaining cannons are stations are stationary. The box is just as awesome as the toy. It has a huge full color illustration on the front cover along with a listing of all the L.S.T.'s actions. Note the incorrect spelling of the word "manual" as "munual". The front and rear aprons present another color illustration which labels each action in detail. The endflaps include a rehash of the actions printed on the front cover. Don Hultzman's book on battery operated toys rates the rarity of this toy as 9. (Scale 1-10 with ten being the most difficult to find). Size: 18". Sold: Mar. 2008
Price Sold: $ 463
