Close your eyes and travel back in time to 1985. Picture this scene at the corporate headquarters of a toy company: there are ten or fifteen kids in a room as a focus group. A couple people from the toy company's research department have been asked by the executives to build WHATEVER the kids ask for. When the kids are asked what kind of toy they want to see made, they all begin screaming, and when the dust settles one idea has taken shape. The children have spoken and they want a toy tank that is motorized to go over any terrain, and can actually float in water, and travel like a boat-- oh and it can also travel underwater like a submarine. The toy company researchers are thinking "this is crazy!" "What are we going to tell the executives?" "That's what happens when you have kids help you design toys." "We can't build a toy that does all these things!"
Well, if you are the Schaper Manufacturing Co. from Minneapolis Minnesota You actually CAN build this toy. And they did.
Shaper is best known for creating the game Cootie in 1949. Then, in 1980 they launched a line of small, battery operated 4x4 trucks known as Stomper 4x4's. The Stomper line was later supplemented with military vehicles, semi trucks and a futuristic line that targeted fans of Star Wars and Battlestar Gallactica. Stompers have been re-released throughout the years and have a thriving collector market.
In 1986 a line of Stomper vehicles called Aqua Fighters was launched and they may have been one of the first submersible, amphibious, battery operated toys ever made. Tyco acquired the Stomper line in 1987 and rehashed Aqua Fighters into a line known as Diving Devils If you are even slightly curious to see these rare, vintage machines, then strut on over and take a look at the Stomper Amphibious Crawlers, in the vehicles gallery of the Cabinet of Curious Frivolities.
I have additional vintage Stomper vehicles to add to the museum at a later time so stay tuned.
For a real trip back in time take a peek at this compilation of vintage toy commercials on YouTube in which a Stomper Diving Devil commercial appears at the 1:18 mark.
Full Steam Ahead.
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