Hot Wheels Red Baron With Iron Cross Tampo

Hot Wheels redline Red Baron

When I started my Hot Wheels collection, one of the first Hot Wheels I remembered was the iconic Red Baron. The story behind this casting is complex - in 1968 (possibly due to the popularity of the "Peanuts" cartoon character Snoopy's imaginary battles with the Red Baron) Monogram introduced a model kit of a stylized hot-rod incorporating a WWI German infantry helmet (Pickelhaube) and an Iron Cross motif on the radiator. In 1969, Chuck Miller built a working life-size version of the car, and the Hot Wheels casting appeared in 1970. Interestingly, although the Hot Wheels version has fenders (UK: mudguards), neither the Monogram kit nor Miller's car has them.

The Red Baron seemed to be the one Hot Wheel every boy had. It seemed to come in every multi package set, and was one of the few Hot Wheels released in multiple years. Because of this it was not one of the first Hot Wheels I added to my collection. I decided to buy the Hot Wheels I didn't have. But recently I took a second look and decided this is just a cool Hot Wheel. 

Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago. It's a 1970 Spectraflame Hong Kong casting with tampo of the Iron Cross and black interior. It looks mostly like this one in the picture, which is probably from 1973-1977. I'm very happy to have one again.

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