Air Blaster Gun
Was there ever a toy gun as cool as Wham-O’s Air Blaster? Not only did
the thing look like a spaceman disintegration ray, it actually fired a
blast. A blast of air, yes, but that was as close to a spaceman
disintegration ray as most kids were going to get. And maybe a good
deal closer than they should get.
Wham-O added the Air Blaster Gun to its line of space-age kids
toys—Hula Hoop, Frisbee, Monster Magnet, etc.—in 1965. And like those
earlier toy classics, the Air Blaster fell right onto the “gotta have
it” toy wishlist. A pump lever on the top of the gun built up its
concussive power. With each pump, the gun compressed a charge of air,
ready to blast with a pull of the trigger. Shot through the
funnel-shaped barrel end, a blast of air could blow out a candle at
twenty feet, or it could simply scare the mess out of friends, siblings
and/or housepets.
Unfortunately, not every kid played nice with the Air Blaster Gun.
The toy was eventually pulled from the Wham-O line in the late 1970’s,
and according to schoolyard rumor, the reason for the disappearance was
that certain less-than-genius-level kids were pointing the things into
their own ears or the ears of others (a sure recipe for hearing
damage). If the rumors are true, and if you happen to be that kid,
thanks for ruining it for the rest of us.
Perhaps for that very reason, Wham-O didn’t bring the Air Blaster
Gun back with the rest of its classic toy lineup in the late 90’s.
Absence does make the toy gun cooler, however, and the Air Blaster has
become a very hot property on the collectibles market. Times may
change, but nothing dims the dream of owning your very own spaceman ray
gun.
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