Red Baron

Description
Red Baron was a car in the 1970 Hot Wheels series.

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.

For a short time, Mattel owned Monogram, and the Hot Wheels "Red Baron" was included as a bonus in some model kit boxes.

1970 versions
Capped redlines front and back.Tall point on helmet

1973 Versions
The  1973  Red Baron has come out in the following 1/64 scale versions: Notes: Capped Redlines on the rear, Open axle redlines front,Tall point on helmet,Enamel Paint.

1974 thru 1977 versions
The  1974  Red Baron has come out in the following 1/64 scale versions: Notes: Stubby/blunt points on helmet, open axle redlines front and back.One of three Flying Color to never have a tampo?

1993 Recast versions
The 1993  Red Baron has come out in the following 1/64 scale versions:

The Full Size Red Baron



 * Reversing the usual procedure of developing plastic models from full size vehicles, the Red Baron show car was inspired by the Tom Daniel's Monogram model kit of the same name. Commissioned to custom car builder Chuck Miller by the Show Car Division of the ISCA. It was unveiled at the Detroit Autorama in January 1969. The Red Baron was originally designed by Tom Daniel for Monogram Models, and converting the design to full scale was much easier to design than build. For instance, Daniel incorporated a 1914 Mercedes aircraft engine to power his Red Baron. However, due to its improper scale, (hey, Daniel is an artist, not a car builder!) Miller had to improvise, powering his Red Baron with a Pontiac overhead-cam, 6-cylinder.
 * One other non-cost-effective situation were the custom wheels conceived by Tom Daniel: Miller was forced to replicate these by using Sheet Metal. He cut them to resemble the wheels in the model kit, painted them black, and attached them to chromed steel wheels. The hand-formed, all steel body, equipped with replicated machine guns, sits atop a custom built frame and is topped off with a large fiberglass German WWI helmet. This is where another problem arose for Miller. Although Daniels' kit featured a chrome plated helmet, Miller was unable to achieve this with his car. Unfortunately, there were no companies at the time that had large enough plating equipment. Miller was forced to settle for a silver metal flake paint job instead.


 * The Photo and information for the full scale Red Baron is sourced from the book "Showtime" by Michael Sheridan and Sam Bushala