WARTIME CHILDREN
World War Two took its toll on every country and every person - especially the children. In many households,
the adult males were in the service. Children, with young minds, could not fully fathom what was going on
around them, but they were still able, at times, to be children. Toys were produced with a wartime marketing
theme. Children supported the war effort, on both of the sides of the war, by assisting with rationing and
recycling, collecting funds for war bond drives and helping around the household.
At the center of everything going on around them, they were still children. They wanted to play, have fun,
embrace a time of innocence and dream.
The following items in the QuestMasters museum collection are specific to the children of World War Two.
German GAMA Model 65-6 Toy Tank, above left photo.
This toy tank was produced in Germany by the toy company GAMA (Georg Adam MAngold) as the Model 65-6. It was modeled
after the German Panzer II with accurate lithographed pre-WWII camouflage and many mechanical moving parts. This example
was made prior to 1940. It was repainted by hand with a blue and tan camouflage at some point after that. This example is
missing the rubber track and several small parts.
American Toy Tank, above right photo.
This American toy tank is modeled after a fictitious pre-WWII tank design. This toy is constructed from hard rubber due to
wartime material shortages. The bottom has four rubber wheel secured with a steel pin so that the tank can travel across a
horizontal surface.
Child Army Uniform Jacket, above left photo.
The jacket shown in the left photo is constructed from a Regulation Army Officer dark olive drab elastique
shirt and cut down, modified and sewn into a dress uniform jacket for a child around 2-3 years old. The jacket
has small brass buttons with a winged propeller on the front. The Should Sleeve Insignia (SSI) is for the 9th Air
Force, which served in Western Europe. A set of sterling pilot wings have been pinned above the left chest
pocket.
Child Navy Dress Uniform Jumper, above right photo.
The uniform shown in the right photo is modeled after a Navy winter dress uniform or "jumper". The uniform is
made from blue (black) wool for a child or infant under the age of 1. There is a zipper under the left armpit.
The sleeve rating on the right sleeve is for a Petty Officer 3rd Class Quartermaster.
1934 Buck Rogers XZ-31 Rocket Pistol, above left photo.
Although not specific to World War Two, many wartime children would still be playing with toys years after they had been
received as presents. The comic book character Buck Rogers of the 25th Century was first introduced in the magazine
Amazing Stories, in August 1928, as the character Anthony Rogers in Philip Francis Nowlan’s story “Armageddon 2419 A.D.”.
In 1934, The Daisy Manufacturing Company of Plymouth Michigan marketed the first "ray gun" named the XZ-31 Rocket Pistol
for Buck Rogers with dedicated display at Detroit’s J.L. Hudson department store. The wild popularity of the metal 50¢ toy gun
sparked a Christmastime price war between Macy’s and Gimbel’s department stores 1934.

1995 Foo Fighters Album Cover, above right photo. (why is this here?)
In 1935, inspired by the XZ-31’s success, Daisy created a smaller version pistol named for the series’ female lead character,
Wilma Deering. The XZ-35 Buck Rogers Rocket Pistol Toy was identical in every way to the original metal Buck Rogers XZ-31
gun, except for its reduced size.
Also in 1935, Daisy released a new pistol for Buck Rogers, the XZ-38 Disintegrator Pistol. It was available in both copper and
nickel finishes. In 1995, the alternative American rock band "Foo Fighters" released its self titled album. The cover of the album
featured the Buck Rogers XZ-38 Disintegrator Pistol, 60 years after the release of the XZ-38. During World War Two, the term
Foo Fighters was used by Allied aircraft pilots to describe various UFOs or mysterious aerial phenomena seen in the skies over
both the European and Pacific theaters of operations.
M-1917A1 American Toy Helmet, above two photos.
This toy helmet is modeled after the United States M-1917A1 helmet. It was made from pressed steel with a simple shoe lace
for the chin strap and a jute liner at the top inside of the helmet. This style of toy helmet was marketed by the Marx Toy
Company under the "Fighting Squadron" name. These helmets were produced before World War Two through 1942 when
production was halted because materials were needed for the war effort.
Elastolin Toy British Soldiers, left and above photos.
Elastolin is a trademark used by the German company O&M Hausser (founded in
1904) for the toy soldiers and other types of figures it manufactured from composite
material during and prior to World War Two. The factory was situated in
Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart. The British Toy Soldiers shown here were produced
after World War I and prior to World War Two. The bottom is marked GERMANY for
export to other countries.
Bund Deutscher Mädel - BDM, Jacket, above photo.
The Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM) or League of German Girls was the female youth organization in Nazi Germany. The League
consisted of two sections: the Jungmädel, or Young Girls' League, for girls ages 10 to 14, and the League proper for girls
ages 14 to 18. In 1938, a third section was introduced, the Faith and Beauty Society (BDM-Werk Glaube und Schönheit), which
was voluntary and open to girls between the ages of 17 and 21.
The jacket shown above is the Kletterjacke, or climbing jacket. It was designed to be worn with the BDM uniform on colder
days of the year such as spring, and fall, and into the winter.

The Kletterjacke was made from fawn color faux velour suede fabric. The diamond shield on the left sleeve is the symbol of
the Hitler Youth. The black triangle on the upper left sleeve denotes the region this girl belong to. For this jacket, the owner
belonged to the Süd Württemberg District, which is located in south/central Germany with the capital of Stuttgart.
The original owners initials "A.M." are embroidered in red on the inside jacket collar.
M-1 Helmet Liner converted to Toy Helmet, above two photos.
This toy helmet is made from a WWII U.S. Government contract, first model, fibre helmet liner. This style of liner was made
from pressed fibre, formed into shape, then painted green on the inside before being covered with a thin fabric. This style of
liner was adopted in June 1941 and produced through November 1942. The first style of liners were made by Hawley and later
sub-contracted to General Fibre.
The child toy helmet, shown above, is made from an original U.S. Government contract helmet liner. The liner was either a
production overrun or rejected due to flaws prior to delivery. It is fitted with four rivets for the simple child liner (which is
missing), instead of the nine rivets on the U.S. Government liner suspension. Additionally, the liner has been factory stenciled
with tanks, aircraft and ships in white and yellow paint, and has been spatter painted in yellow.
M-1 Helmet Liner converted to Toy Helmet, above two photos.
This toy helmet is made from a WWII U.S. Government contract, second model, low pressure composite helmet liner. This
style of liner was made by pressing resin impregnated fabric strips together in a metal mold by means of an inflatable form.
This style of liner was adopted at the end of 1941 and produced through the end of 1943. This second style of liner was made
by Saint Clair and The Hood Rubber Company.
The child toy helmet, shown above, is made from an original U.S. Government contract helmet liner. The liner was either a
production overrun or rejected due to flaws prior to delivery. It has been painted a brown/red color at the factory with a slight
sand texture (not cork) on the outside. This liner was most likely produced by the Hood Rubber Company. It is fitted with four
rivets for the simple child liner, and held in place with the early first style steel coated aluminum rectangular washers.
The liner was not painted olive drab prior being painted brown at the factory.
1938 Kool-Aid promotional Pilot and Hostess Hats, above two photos.
In 1938, the Kool-Aid drink company offered promotional hats for girls and boys to support the Junior Aviation Corps. Each
hat was redeemable after mailing in three empty drink packages of Kool-Aid. A Pilot hat in blue with yellow lettering was
available for boys and a Hostess hat in red with white lettering was available for girls.
1938 Kool-Aid Packet and 1939 Advertising, above three photos.
The photo on the left is an original 1938 packet of Orange Flavored Kool-Aid. One the reverse is the advertisement for the
promotional hats for girls and boys to support the Junior Aviation Corps. Each hat was redeemable after mailing in three
empty drink packages of Kool-Aid.
The photo to the right is a 1939 advertisement for Kool-Aid.
M1A2-1-1 Noncombatant Gas Mask - Child, above photo.
During World War Two, every citizen of the United States needed to prepare for war, even the children. Gas was used as a
weapon in the Great War, or World War One, just two decades prior. Civilians on the home front were issued gas masks in the
event of a chemical attack by the enemy.
The gas mask shown above is the Model M1A2-1-1 Noncombatant Gas Mask, made for a child. It was carried in a tan web
container with a strap and marked with the United States Chemical Corps logo on the front.
Army Air Force Souvenir Stuffed Dog, above photo.
This souvenir stuffed dog was sold at the Army Air Force Base, Foster Field, Texas during World War Two.
Foster Field was established as an advanced single engine flying school for fighter pilots northeast of Victoria, Texas, in the
spring of 1941. Foster Field was inactivated on 31 October 1945.