There's a prototype for everything, eh?

[El Fixes Things]

I always thought the little drum loader on the American Flyer 779 was an object of fantasy... turns out it was based on something very real! Sort of.
Check out this doc on the invention of the Bobcat skid steer:

Doesn't that first creation look an awful lot like the little flyer drum loader?
It seems like there really was a 1:1 scale machine just like it!
There's just one problem...
The flyer accessory was introduced in 1955. That early pre-Bobcat machine was created in 1957! Perhaps flyer was ahead of their time.

-Ellie

[fifedog]

That certainly looks close, to be sure. Cool video. If I add a turkey farm, might have to pick one up.  Not sure it would make a good gondola load though. 

I like the histories behind the toys we collect. From the Criss-Craft boats in the Lionel boat loader, to the Allis Chalmers equipment on flat cars.