Red Baron

Red Baron
Debut series	1970 Hot Wheels
Produced	1970-1977 (Original Casting), 1993-Present Day (Retool)
Designer	Tom Daniel (Real car) Howard Rees (Hot Wheels Model)
Number	6400

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.

The History of the White Interior

Back in 1970, there was a very limited release of the Red Baron featuring a white interior. Most of these models possibly ended up worn, chipped, or even destroyed by play wear. Today, only about 10 or less of these infamous Red Baron cars exist in good shape, and, as you can guess, are extremely hard to come by. According to Michael Zarnock's "Warman's Hot Wheels Field Guide: 3rd Edition (Values and Identification)", the car is the fifth rarest Hot Wheel to date, with an estimated value of $3,000 or more. These are also only found loose.

Note: any and all casts of the Red Baron beyond 1970 do not measure up to the stated value, including any retools, repaints, or spin-off cars.

1970 versions

Capped redlines front and back.Tall point on helmet

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

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.

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

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?

Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
1974	Flying Colors	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	6964	Hong Kong	blunt helmet point/capped rear
1974	Flying Colors	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	6964	Hong Kong	blunt helmet point
1977	Flying Colors	Red	None	Unpainted / Metal	Black	BW	6964	Hong Kong

1993 Recast versions

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

Col #	Year	Series	Color	Tampo	Base Color	Interior Color	Wheel Type	Toy #	Country	Notes / Variations	Photo
	1993	25th Anniversary Series	Metalflake Red		Unpainted / Metal	Black	RL	5700	China
	1994	FAO Schwarz Gold Series I	Metalflake Blue-Green	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	White	RL Gold	5700	China	Limited to 3000
	1994	Vintage Series	Burnt Orange				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Aqua				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Black				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Blue				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Burgundy				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Magenta				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Pink				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Silver				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Turquoise				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	Metalflake Yellow				RL
	1994	Vintage Series	White				RL
	1995	FAO Schwarz Gold Series II	Gold-Plated				Gold RL
	1996	Target Retro Wheels Set	Metalflake Dark Red			White	RL
	1999	Toy Story Game	Metalflake Red	Tiny White Hot Wheels Logo	Unpainted / Metal	White	RL		China
	2003	Highway 35 World Race - Scorchers	Orange w/black fenders & black helmet	"No. 31", flames, skull on helmet, iron cross on front of engine		Red	Red rim CM5	897
N/A	2008	Since '68 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
8/15	2008	Hot Wheels Classics Series 4 - 8/15	Spectraflame Red	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL	M3662	Thailand	Came w/button
8/15	2008	Hot Wheels Classics Series 4 - 8/15	Spectraflame Purple	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL	M1865	Thailand
8/15	2008	Hot Wheels Classics Series 4 - 8/15	Chrome	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL5SP	M1865	Thailand
8/15	2008	Hot Wheels Classics Series 4 - 8/15	Spectraflame Green	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL5SP	M1865	Thailand
8/15	2008	Hot Wheels Classics Series 4 - 8/15	Spectraflame Pink	Black & white iron cross on sides of helmet	Unpainted / Metal	Gray	RL5SP	M1865	Thailand
	2008	Top 40 Set	Pearl White	Red skull w/pistons on helmet sides, "Der Rote Baron" on helmet back	Unpainted / Metal	Black	Red Line BW		Thailand	Wal-Mart exclusive
	2009	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		Thailand	Wal-mart Exclusive
	2009	HWC.com Series 8 - Neo-Classics 2/6	Spectraflame Red	Silver painted guns, black & white iron cross on helmet sides	Chrome / Metal	Gray	RL	P9092	China	7500 produced
	2009	Track Set-Disney Pixar Toy Story	Enamel Red	No tampos	ZAMAC	Black	5SP	P4835	Thailand	Base code(s): C05
	2012	Hot Wheels Boulevard	Red	Silver painted guns, black & white iron cross on helmet sides	ZAMAC	Grey	RR

Gallery

2009 Halloween version still in package

RLC and Boulevard

Red Baron in Highway 35 World Race

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