Looks like not only is it still around, it’s in great shape too!
But Wait, something ain’t right here!
I can remember having to look hard to find the plastic model of that thing to put together when I was a kid.
It was an off brand model and I had to go to an Honest To God Hobby/Model shop to find it.
I was pretty determined though and I finally had the little box in my grubby little hands.
For nostalgia sake I just looked it up and something caught my eye right away.
A detail that I didn’t remember from so long ago.
In the video above, this version quite obviously has great big, Fire Breathing V-8 engine in it.
All the pictures of the original model I just looked up show it having a Straight 6!
Doing some quick internet searching, I re-discovered that the original full size cae car did feature a Straigt 6 and was built by the Monogram Model Car company, based off of a model car in 1969!
The Red Baron was a custom t-bucket hot rod built in 1969.
The project was designed by Tom Daniel and built by Chuck Miller at Styline Customs.[1]
The car was inspired by a Monogram model kit that Daniel had designed which was on display at the 1967 Chicago Toy Fair.[2] Seeing the popularity of the kit, Monogram arranged to have a full-size version built. It is currently at the Smith Collection Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, Nebraska.[3]
It later inspired a Hot Wheels car.[
So the picture of the model I found was made by the Atlantis model car company but the original was made by Monogram!
It also featured a Straight 6 engine.
So if the original is sitting in a museum in Nebraska, then someone has built another one, with the fire Breathing V-8, and it’s currently running around.
So I had to do some more digging and I came up with this,
1923 Red Baron Replica Roadster
VINOK2063597568
event_availableOct 4, 2018
visibility14
bookmark_border1
Specs
Details about this vehicle – decoded from the VIN & CLASSIC.COM curators.Year1923Make-Model Family-Model Generation-Model Variant-Model Trim-VINOK2063597568Mileage-Originality-Engine-Transmission-Drive Type-Vehicle Type-Body Style-Driver Side-Doors-Color Group (Ext)-Color Group (Int)-
Vehicle History
A timeline of events that we’ve detected for this vehicle.
gavel
Oct 4, 2018
Sold at
Auction
Sold:
Dallas, TX, USA
View Sourcelock
Pretty interesting and quite the Rabbit Hole to fall down just from looking at one video that brought back old memories.
Still have my Hot Wheels Red Baron. It’s patina is EXACTLY the same as is pictured in this post.
Phil, someone the other day commented about a museum in Lincoln I replied to, may be same museum.
Thanks Phil, nostalgia is fantastic
I recently spent several hours at the Museum of Speed and they had recently had a car show on the main floor and moved all of the display vehicles out for the car show and hadn’t moved them all back in yet. I didn’t see the Red Baron but the rest of the place is well worth the visit but plan on at least three hours to tour all three floors. One wall I’d guess is 8′ x 100′ is nothing but two deuce manifolds for Ford Flatties and all different. I have a two deuce manifold and it’s different than anything on that wall. Motors I’ve never heard of before, modifications of motors I’ve seen and heard, Land Speed Record holders, and so, so much more.
Off brand is right. AMT & Revell were busy cranking out the regular car models and they were like $2 back in the day. AMT models at Hobby Lobby are almost $20 now.
I had the Hot Wheels version as a kid. I saw the V-8 firebreather in Daytona 06 Bike Week. It was there cruising around and the Monkey Machine was on display.
As a 5 year old in 1972, I can say cars like that are exactly the reason I currently have a T-bucket settin in my garage waiting on a little free time so I can get out and terrorize a some winding 2 lane.
Thanks for sharing that bit of nostalgia.
Another detail, the one in the video is armed.
Yes! Was hoping someone saw it too.
The original has been improved with a V-8 and miniguns. Noble additions!
I had that model. It was awesome.
Man, I haven’t thought about that car in 50 years.
Thanks!
Here is the snap together model for those that might relapse if they use glue!!
https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Baron-Model-Daniel-Atlantis/dp/B07Q7QJ47K
I’d drive the ever-lovin’ shit outta that vehicle.
That’s bad ass. I’d seen pics and videos of it from time to time, but didn’t know the history, or that it had been around that long.
If you want to go even further down the rabbit hole go on YouTube and look up the people who are restoring original Hot Wheels cars.
I used to have a model of that, that I put together true to form and paint scheme.
Straight 6!?!?
I had a tractor on the farm; a 1952 Co-op with a straight 6 International truck engine.
In high gear it went about 35 miles an hour.
The Red Baron was one of my favorite kits back in the day.
Here is a brief background on the kit.
http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/red_barron.html
Notice that it calls out the engine a Mercedes Airplane engine!
The real Mercedes DIII engine displaced almost 15 litres, or 902 Cubic Inches, and produced 170 Horsepower.
The Machine Guns are also German. MG.08.
Both the engine and guns are from a Fokker DVII.
A neat kit.
And, that same Atlantis models has restored the 1/12 scale version of the kit. It should for sale by December 2026.