Skybusters (Lesney)

[SuperFast]

Hi collectors and moderators,
I am missing a section for Lesney Skybusters, is there no interest?
Sven

[GHOSTHUNTER]

A very valid point Sven.

If there is more than a passing interest in Lesney produced aircraft then I think we should have a section but suspect it will always be in the minority compared to the usual Lesney output from all the other ranges.

Feel free to do something here in the lounge and see what interest it creates.

Ghosthunter.

[charliep]

Hi Sven,
The Skybusters is another range of Matchbox Toys that often times is not given much attention. First produced around 1973, the number of
different models is well over 100 not counting the hundreds of variations & scores of prepros.
For the serious collector, the best reference book is Les Veitch's publication "The Skybuster Range of Diecast Aircraft". It is the bible of skybusters,
extremely informative, highly detailed & easy to follow with many pictures.
Charlie

[matchboxkiwi]

I have Les's books too. He also put out some newsletters which were also very good reading.
Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[SuperFast]

Thank You Charlie and Steve,
for the short introduction. I didn't know the book you mentioned.
Do you know a way to get such a book. Google is not very productive on this question.
Sven

[Idris]

Thank You Charlie and Steve,
for the short introduction. I didn't know the book you mentioned.
Do you know a way to get such a book. Google is not very productive on this question.

Curious.

I’ve tried all the book-hunting sites I know, but no hits whatsoever. I can only assume that it was published privately, in a very small print run, and without an ISBN.

[Idris]

I have found another “book” by Les Veitch (see Ebay listing here).
Entitled “SUTC Diecast Aircraft Guide”, the cover carried the words ‘desktop publishing’, suggesting a small, possibly on-demand, print run. Furthermore, the book apparently consists of colour pictures in a plastic folder/binder. (According to the listing, SUTC is/was the Shanghai Universal Toy Company. It produces/produced a range of diecast aircraft the same size and design as the Matchbox SkyBuster series. Apparently the SUTC models were made by Universal Toys exclusively for the Chinese market.)

My guess is that the elusive SkyBusters book was probably produced in much the same way as the SUTC volume, making it nigh on impossible to track down a copy.

[matchboxkiwi]

Hi Idris,
Yes I'm sure your right - desk top publishing, and as I remember on demand as you say. I remember corresponding with Les on a regular basis with various items and photo's both from when I lived in England at the turn of the century and back here in New Zealand.
I'm sure there were three publications plus the news letters.

I know a couple of other people did sky buster publications also but they were generally just listings of what was produced. Les's publications were a little more informative.

I'll try and dig some out over the weekend.

Cheers Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[charliep]

Attached are pictures of more Skybuster publications and the updates.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

If permission could be sought, all the pages could be scanned and reprinted for other collectors to have these guides.

Ghosthunter.