The Batmobile, circa 1940

I saw those a while ago but thought they were much smaller than 1:43! (How can you tell?) 🙄 The fine print on the box says it though!  Nice find!

According to Corgi, this is the first Batmobile. I'll have to take their word for it.

I have seen pictures of this Corgi Batmobile, with Corgi dating it as 1936.  I'll try a little more research.  

A good site is     

https://oldnewsclub.com/the-complete-history-of-the-batmobile/#:~:text=The%20very%20first%20appearance%20of,not%20suspicious%20at%20all!).

Since Batman dates to 1939, and the first Batmobile is a red convertible (also used by Bruce Wayne), I think Corgi is using some artistic imagination here.  I'll looks further.

I just found a site that looks verrrrry promising,

http://www.batmobilehistory.com/index.php

   This is a special site!   It's getting late and I'm sleepy, but here's something I found on the site:  the first picture (comic book) of a car driven by Batman:

 Do you think this is what Corgi tried to reproduce in scale?  If you're interested, I strongly suggest a visit to the batmobile history site.  I'm going back there tomorrow!

     David   

Posted by: @d-m-holcombe

This one just arrived, only a few years after Corgi made it in China (2004).  THIS is the one I remember from my childhood comic books!

Can you imagine seeing this on the main street of your home town when you were a kid?

Enjoy!   David H  

Here's your Batmobile:

and in 1/24

That's it, Rich!  Now if I can date BATMAN No. 20, we will have it down pat.   Many thanks!      David  

How much license Corgi took on this model, I can't say but the Batmobile images in the comics changed with just about every issue early on. Other cars were used in the Batman movie serials in the 40s. As a matter of fact, TCM is now showing a Batman serial on Saturday mornings.

Found it!  Here's information from the Batmobile history site (which I'm still reading):

"The December 1943/January 1944 issue Batman #20 featured the first ever Batmobile cover. Shown bursting straight out of the book with Batman leaning out the side window, Robin behind the wheel, and a windshield full of bullet holes, this now iconic image caught everyone's attention

"Drawn by Dick Sprang, it retained much of Robinson's design with the Bat-mask grill, fender skirts, and large roof fin. However, his car had visible headlights and sported a pair of red stripes at the trim and belt lines on the car. Thanks to the dramatic image and high visibility (you no longer had to look inside the comic to see the car), it quickly became the "standard" car of the era and remains the default "1940s Batmobile" for many fans to this day."

He also mentions that the first (?) model of this first (?) Batmobile was the Corgi 1:24 version with opening doors and a finished interior.  That was at a much later date, probably around 2004. Based on pictures, it seems this is the same design that Corgi used in the model I have that started this whole tirade.  My 1:43 version dates only to 2004.  

@d-m-holcombe My red one probably dates back to the same time, I remember a rack of the Corgi Batmobiles at Toys-R-Us and having a boatload of period Batmobiles in 1/24 and 1/18, this was the odd ball that stood out. The coolest one is the successor to your model (both shown in that last panoramic illustration) that has a whole crime lab in the back under glass.

Here's the DC Comics by Corgi that stumps me:

This is a 1/43 diecast by Corgi, based on the Batman comic books of the 1940's, but it looks great IMO!  Is it based on a real car?  This one fascinates me.  

  David H  

@d-m-holcombe Here's your "mystery" 1940 Batmobile in 1/18 scale also by Corgi. It came in two editions. One was driverless and this "deluxe" edition has Batman behind the wheel. I don't remember if there were any other embellishments in the deluxe edition. The undercarriage is emblazoned with a bas relief of Batman in a heroic pose. I hope we're not boring everyone else.

Thanks to all for this wonderful tour of Batmobiles.

@marmon16 Frankly, we have barely scratched the surface on Batmobile variants. I'm thankful you all put up with these postings.

Here are the Batmobiles, as produced by Corgi in 2004, in 1:43 scale:

There were other vehicles as well in the series.  Here's the back of the boxes: