Matchbox Superfast MB9-d Boat and trailer

The #9 boat and trailer joined the SuperFast range in 1970 packaged only in ´G´ boxes or blisterpacks with 1969-1972 copyright dates.
Lesney must have kept a significant quantity of ´G´ boxed #9 boats in stock after deletion from 1-75 series as these were included in new production of the ´Drive on CarFerry´ giftset into 1974 and perhaps beyond.

The 9x2mm 5 slot thin wheels were held onto the trailer using the same design axle clip fitted to most trucks.These wheels are usually hollow however solid wheels are common on the dark blue issues.
All SuperFast trailers were painted blue, standard dark regular wheels blue on the less common earliest issues but the vast majority made in the 1970s were painted in light powder blue or powder blue shades.
Orange trailers were 1980s issues which continued in production beyond Lesney. There have always been 2 slightly different tow hitches, one narrower than the other, reflecting a small difference between the twin trailers made each time the tool for this trailer is filled with metal.

The boat deck was made in a lighter shade of blue that was close to the common trailer shade post 1970 compared to the regular wheel era boats although the hull and interior remained pure white. Collectors need to be aware of the extremely close copy/lookalike of this Lesney boat in multiple colours made throughout the 1970s by Playart of Hong Kong which can sometimes be found offered for sale combined with Lesney trailers.
This casting was revived in 1976 for the Two Pack series TP5 or TP29 intially in the same Superfast colours but with the axle clips now rivited to the trailer and with 9.5mm wheels with a plain cut out pattern to all TP5 and some TP29 trailers. Wheel type switched to 10mm dot dash wheels for the rest of the TP29 issues and all subsequent issues made until UK production ended.

The top deck of the boat was soon recoloured black for one run of TP5 and then back to blue before gaining a blue hull and white top.The white top was perfect for the chosen sticker which soon became a tampo print. Note some all white crossovers exist but are hard to find!
This toy is not known to have been made in Brazil or Eastern Europe.