Speedboats
Introduced in 1934 a range of five speedboats split into two series, Series 1, SM/1 10½", SM/2 12½", SM/3 15". Series 2, SM/4 "Shooting Star" 18" and SM/5 "Comet" 21". Smaller speedboats were fitted with wind up rubber band powered propellers. Clockwork mechanisms for SM/4 and SM/5 were originally made in Nuremburg, Germany. Series 1 had white enamelled hulls whilst the Series 2 had white cellulosed hulls with a red or green colour below the waterline. The decks had detailing such as hatches, tiller racks and ventilators and an imitation mahogany deck. SM/3, SM/4 and SM/5 had windscreens fitted. Series 2 had on / off switches for the clockwork motors.
SM/1 10½" hull with rubber band.
SM/2 12½" hull.
SM/4 15" hull showing motor.
SM/6 21" hull "COMET".
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1935 Saw two more models added to the range, specification changed. SM/1 10½", SM/2 11½", SM/3 13½", SM/4 15", SM/5 16½", SM/6 21", SM/7 21". SM/5 and SM/6 were clockwork, SM/7 was an electric motor version of SM/6. SM/5 was called "Shooting Star", SM/6 and SM/7 were both called "Comet". Hull colouring changed on the larger speedboats, SM/5 now orange hull with cream deck, SM/6 and SM/7 cream lined with red and red fittings. 1937 SM/7 discontinued, SM/5 now 17½" hull. 1948 Range reduced down to one, 18" Comet clockwork version. Hull painted in red or green with cream deck. Not sure who now makes the clockwork mechanism. 1950 Range now increased to three models, SM/1 11", SM/3 13½", SM/6 18". All clockwork now known as "Star Mechanical Speedboats", enamelled in bright colours. No names given. 1951 Ranged reduced back to one, SM/6 18". 1957 Range discontinued. Smaller variants were solid hulled with an engine cover screwed on, larger ones had a separate deck pinned on to the hull (No glue), then the engine cover and other fittings pinned on. Later post war models, when German stocks of motors ran out, some had the same clockwork motor as were fitted to Hornby equivalents.
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