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504 - Crew wagon |
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| available 1953 - 1965 | |||
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Contrary to my previous assumptions and
knowledge, the figures of the first generation—that is, the ones with
suspenders—were probably manufactured by the Christian Friedrich Ley
company in Roth. Unfortunately, this isn't documented. However, Mr.
Heinz-Jürgen Frömter states that FröHa only produced the figures from the
second generation onward. The exact date of this is (still) undocumented.
The figures of the first series had suggested suspenders on their backs - NOT the one wearing the dark blue workers suite. These figures are now mostly characterized by severely deteriorated material. Later crews had another "mixture" and the suspenders disappeared. For "Spare Crew" please visit the "Tipps" page for more information |
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| The later figures were manufactured by the Fröha company
(Frömter Hans) in Hilpoltstein, Bavaria. The composition was apparently
improved, and the suspenders disappeared. In the summer of 1963, production
was gradually switched to plastic. Fröha made a name for itself through this
and by supplying figures, particularly to Josef Neuhierl (Carrera). The
company still exists today with a slightly modified product range. The cars were populated with three composition figures in eight different versions/paint schemes. |
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Figures from the first series wearing suspenders on an orange bench. The car has a green chassis. |
Figures from the second series without suspenders, sitting on an orange bench. The car has a red chassis. | ||
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Orange bench with plastic figures without suspenders. The car has a green chassis. |
4 seat colors on a green chassis: Beige, orange, dark brown and light brown. |
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With green chassis and light brown bench. |
or with green chassis and dark brown bench. |
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with green chassis and beige bench |
also available with a light blue chassis and beige bench - always with plastic figures. | ||
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unpainted massive crew from the factory's archives. These figures were originally designed as "Tractor drivers" for GAMA, Kellermann and Tipp & Co - but Biller took them (slightly modified) as working crew for the 504 and trucks. |
Plastic crews were produced after 1963 - here we have the unpainted red and blue version. Everything except the shirt was hand-painted by mainly female home workers in the Nuremberg area. | ||
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The mould for the plastic figures. A quite heavy piece of tool - 12,6 Kg |
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This original mould for the Crew was sold at ebay Germany 07th JAN 2011 for 357 EUR. |
| The figures were of different heights of 42 mm or 44 mm. This was depending on the "haircut or hat". Trousers Brown or Blue. Hair, as far as visible, Brown. | |||
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Crewmen wearing yellow and light blue shirt. No caps, the light blue man with bend arm, brown shoes |
Figures with yellow and light blue shirt, both wearing bent caps, arms straight on the thigh, black shoes |
normal and bent-up cap |
Figure wearing dark blue workers suite, brown "normal" cap, arms straight on the thigh |
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Figure wearing red shirt, dark blue or beige bent cap, arms straight on the thigh, brown shoes |
also seen with red shirt and bent red cap |
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generated: JAN-07-2001 |
last update: Spring 2026 |
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