Red Baron

Red Baron
Debut series	Mainline
Produced	1970 - 1977 (Original) 1993 - 2012 (Retool)
Designer	Howard Rees
Number	6400

Description

Red Baron is a custom hot rod with a cockpit shaped like a Pickelhaube, powered by a six-cylinder warplane engine that's been retrofitted with a turbocharger. The Red Baron is one of the more popular Hot Wheels models released; even featuring in Pixar's Toy Story.

The origin story of the Red Baron is complex. Originally a Monogram model kit, a show car version was commissioned, built in a six month timespan, and unveiled in early 1969. The Hot Wheels version then debuted a year later, in 1970; with added fenders not present in the original. The initial version of the car featured 'Capped' Redline wheels, Spectraflame red paint, and a pointed spike on the helmet; it was packaged with either a metal, or rarer plastic, Collector's Button. Additionally, for a short time Mattel owned Monogram; and the Hot Wheels version of the Red Baron was included as a bonus in some model kit boxes.

Some 1970 Red Barons have been found with a white interior instead of the normal black interior. These are very rare, and only a handful are known to exist. They have been found with a completely blank base, or with the copyright information found on the regular release; it is unknown whether these were a pre-production prototype or a very small production run. Michael Zarnock's "Warman's Hot Wheels Field Guide: 3rd Edition (Values and Identification)", notes this variant as the fifth rarest Hot Wheel to date, with an estimated value of $3,000 or more. So far, no Red Barons with a white interior have been found in the original packaging. (Note: The Red Baron has been re-released with a white interior, and these are NOT worth the above stated value!)

In 1973, the Red Baron's Spectraflame paint was replaced with flat enamel paint, and the front wheels were changed to the newer 'Hole-Through' style Redline. The rear wheels stayed the 'Capped' style Redline wheels, and the pointed helmet spike remained. One year after that, due to safety concerns, the pointed spike was dulled to a small bump; this version was found with the Capped/Hole-Through combination of wheels from the 1973 version, but more commonly with all four Hole-Through wheels. The Red Baron was then produced with Blackwall wheels in the 1977 Flying Colors Series, 1979 Classy Customs Series and the 1983 Mainline series. All of these versions are identical, except for the card. 

In 1993, The Red Baron was re-tooled for the 25th Anniversary Series and has been used many times until 2012. In 2002, it additionally got a smaller, more detailed version closer to the original model and hot rod in appearance as part of the 100% Hot Wheels series, produced once for a 2-Pack before 100% castings were discontinued.

The Red Baron featured as car #31 of the Highway 35 anniversary event, driven by Harrison Lau from the Scorchers team.

The Real Red Baron

Reversing the usual procedure of developing plastic models from full size vehicles, the Red Baron show car was inspired by Tom Daniel's Monogram model kit of the same name; a stylized hot rod incorporating a German helmet and Iron Cross motif on the radiator. Daniel had been inspired by the helmets being worn by social rebels at the time; a notable example being the "Surfer Helmet" Pickelhaubes sold by Ed Roth.

Commissioned to custom car builder Chuck Miller by Bob Larivee, who had seen the kit at a toy fair in 1967, it was unveiled at the Detroit Autorama in January 1969. Converting the design to full scale was much easier to design than build. For instance, Daniel had incorporated a 1914 Mercedes aircraft engine to power his Red Baron; Due to its improper scale (Daniel being an artist, not a car builder), Miller had to improvise; powering his full-size Red Baron with a Pontiac 6-cylinder. One other situation was the custom wheels conceived by Daniel: Miller was forced to replicate these by cutting out sheet metal to resemble the wheels in the model kit, painting it black, and attaching it 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 helmet. Although Daniels' kit featured a chrome plated helmet, Miller was unable to achieve this with his car; as 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 enclosed photo and some info sourced from the book "Showtime", by Michael Sheridan and Sam Bushala.

1970 versions

Note: All four Capped Redline wheels,Spectraflame' paint, pointed helmet spike.

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

Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Red	Black Iron Cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	White	RL	6400	Hong Kong	Rare, Only found Loose
1970	Mainline	Spectraflame Red	Black Iron Cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	6400	Hong Kong

1973 Versions

Note: Capped rear wheels, Hole-Through front wheels, enamel paint, pointed helmet spike.

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

Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
1973	Mainline	Enamel Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	?	Hong Kong	Playable in Hot Wheels: Turbo Racing

1974-1983 versions

Note: Enamel Paint, blunt helmet spike. The Red Baron has come out in the following 1/64 scale versions: 

Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
1974	Flying Colors	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	6964	Hong Kong	Blunt Spike, Capped Rear Wheels
1974	Flying Colors	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	6964	Hong Kong	Blunt Spike, All Four Hole-Through Wheels
1976	Flying Colors	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	6964	Hong Kong	Blunt Spike, All Four Hole-Through Wheels
1977	Flying Colors	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	BW	6964	Hong Kong
1978	Classy Customs	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	BW	6964	Hong Kong
1983	Mainline	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	BW	6964	Hong Kong

1993 Re-Tooled Versions

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

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color / Type	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
	1993	Vintage	Metalflake Red	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	10960	China	25th Anniversary 8 Pack
	1993	Vintage	Metalflake Pink	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China	25th Anniversary
	1993	Vintage	Metalflake Green	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China	25th Anniversary
	1993	Vintage	Metalflake Olive	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China	25th Anniversary
	1993	Vintage	Metalflake Gold	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China	25th Anniversary
	1993	Vintage	Metalflake Lavender & Pink	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China	25th Anniversary
	1993	Vintage	Metalflake Bright Red	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China	25th Anniversary
	1994	Vintage	Burnt Orange	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Aqua	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Black	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Blue	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Burgundy	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Magenta	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Pink	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Silver	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Turquoise	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	Metalflake Yellow	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	Vintage	White	White	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	FAO Schwarz Gold Series Collection	Metalflake Blue-Green	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	White	RL Gold	5700	China	Limited to 3000
	1995	FAO Schwarz Gold Series Collection II	Gold Chrome	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	Gold RL	13828	China	Limited to 4000
	1996	Target Retro Wheels Set	Metalflake Dark Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	White	RL	15741	China
	1996	Toy Story Super Stunt Set	Metalflake Red	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	White	RL	16539	China
	1999	Big Stunt Buzz board game	Metalflake Red	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	White	RL	41538	China	Board game is not Hot Wheels product
	2003	Highway 35 World Race: Scorchers 31/35	Orange & black fenders & helmet	"No. 31", flames, skull on helmet, iron cross on front of engine		Red	Red rim CM5	B0897	Thailand
	2008	Since '68: Top 40 3/40	Black	Black skull w/pistons on helmet sides, "Der Rote Baron" on back of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Red	Red Line BW	L2840	Thailand	Base code(s):
	2008	Classics (Series 4) 8/15	Spectraflame Red	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL	M3662	Thailand	Came w/ button Base code(s):
	2008	Classics (Series 4) 8/15	Spectraflame Purple	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL	M1865	Thailand	Base code(s):
	2008	Classics (Series 4) 8/15	Chrome	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL5SP	M1865	Thailand	Base code(s):
	2008	Classics (Series 4) 8/15	Spectraflame Green	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL5SP	M1865	Thailand	Base code(s):
	2008	Classics (Series 4) 8/15	Spectraflame Pink	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL5SP	M1865	Thailand	Base code(s):
	2008	Since '68: Top 40 Set	Pearl White	Red skull pistons on helmet sides, "Der Rote Baron" on helmet back	Unpainted / Metal	Black	Red Line BW	N4608	Thailand	Wal-Mart exclusive Base code(s):
	2009	Fright Cars	Metallic Black & Satin Black helmet	White skulls w/orange flames, HW pumpkin logo on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Orange	Orange Chrome 5SP	N8565	Thailand	Wal-mart Exclusive Base code(s):
	2009	HWC.com Series 8: Neo-Classics 2/6	Spectraflame Red	Silver painted guns, black & white iron cross on helmet sides	Chrome / Metal	Gray	NCRL	P9092	China	7,500 produced
	2009	Falling with Style Toy Story playset	Enamel Red	No tampos	Unpainted / Metal	Black	5SP	P4835	Thailand	Base code(s): C05
	2012	Hot Wheels Boulevard: Show Rods	Red	Silver painted guns, black & white iron cross on helmet sides	Unpainted / Metal	Grey	RR	W4619	Malaysia	Base code(s): E05

See also

• Red Baron (100%)

Gallery

Patch Card Classy Customs Red Baron 6964

Sketch powered by ©Bruce Pascal

2009 Halloween version still in package

RLC and Boulevard

Red Baron in Highway 35 World Race

RLC 2009

1976 Card

back

1973