Doug Harke

            1/32 scale is becoming a popular topic among collectors.  With the National Farm Toy Show tractors changing to 1/32 and the detailed new 1/32 combines it is hard not to notice the scale.  This month I would like too look back at some 1/32 scale history to help give some perspective to the scale.

            International Harvester started the Ertl 1/32 line in 1967 with a model of the Farmall 656.  1/32 red toys whether IH or CaseIH account for the majority of 1/32 scale toys  from Ertl.  Ford, New Holland, Steiger, Allis-Chalmers, Massey-Ferguson and John Deere have had 1/32 toys. The CaseIH line has been the one OEM  to offer a wide range and the longest lasting line of tractors, combines and implements in 1/32.

1967 Ertl Toy Guide with new 1/32  IH  "Mini-Ertl Farm Toys"

           In 1968 Ertl introduced a line of implements to match the IH 656.  Included was a barge wagon with working tailgate,  manure spreader, single gang disk, two row corn planter, three bottom plow, drag harrow and a sickle mower.   these implements were available from 1967-75 except for the manure spreader which was marketed until 1980. 

New 666 IH tractor and 1/32 IH Implement Line

         The 1/32 scale line received a major change in 1970's.   1973 brought in Ertl's second 1/32 IH tractor with a narrow front 666. In 1976  the barge wagon was changed to a box with horizontal ribs a four bottom plow and a double disk was introduced.  The plow had plastic bottoms and the disk gangs were now closer to 1/32 scale than the earlier single disk.   This line of the new plow, wagon and disk were marketed through 1980.

1983 International 1/32 toy line. Notice the never produced 1/32 IH Mixermill

       Another major change in the 1/32 scale line came in the late 70's and early 80's time period.  Ertl introduced its first 1/32 combine in 1979 with the International Axial-Flow combine.  This model was offered at first with a black ladder an then with the more common red ladder.  In 1980 Ertl released its first detailed 1/32 tractor with the IH 784. This European style model had a windowed cab and fwa tires.  The implement line also changed in 1980 when the 6 bottom plow and barge wagon with flotation wheels were phased in to replace the 4 bottom plow and earlier wagon.  The IH round baler was released in 1980 .    In 1982 the line grew to include a 1/32 minimum tillage plow and wing disk and an anhydrous  tank wagon followed in 1983.  1983 also brought radio controlled power to 1/32 with the IH 6388.  The 2+2 was one of the most revolutionary tractor designs of the day. When the second generation of 2+2 was introduced IH looked to Ertl to offer a unique model in 1/32. A plastic battery powered 6388  was released that could drive forward and backward while pulling an implement  under radio control.   These items were sold by Ertl through 1986.  Unfortunately these items are quite scarce today because they were only offered for a short time.

Radio Control International 6388 2+2

         1986 was the first year of the new red brand under the CASE-IH banner.  A modern updated 1/32 CaseIH line rolled out from Ertl from late 1985-1986  The first models out included a die-cast replica of the Case 4894 crab steer 4w2d. Originally introduced by Ertl as a white and orange Case 4890 in 1980 the casting was updated to a black and white Case 4894 in 1984.  In late 1985 the black and white Case was reintroduced an an IH red Case International Collectors Edition.  A shelf model was released in 1986. Other Case-International tractor released in 1986 included a 1/32 plastic friction drive 2594 and a die-cast 2294.   The 2294 was updated in 1989 with a working three point hitch and again in 1991 with a loader package that included an interchangeable silage grapple, bale spear and regular bucket. 

1985 Case International Merger Toy Guide: 1/32 line up

     Further CaseIH 1/32 toys rolled out in the 1980's.  In 1987 the new Case International 1680 combine replaced the 1/32 IH Axial-Flow combine.  The old IH toy did not feature a model numbered but is most often thought of as a 1480.  The IH 1480 featured plastic tires and only had a grain head.  The new CaseIH 1680 toy sported an interchangeable 8 row corn head and grain head.  The new combine had a beefed up cab and rubber tires. The big 400 hp 4994 CaseIH 4wd joined the 1/32 line as a battery driven tractor with live pto.  This unique tractor had working headlights, drove forward and back wards through switches located on the rear of the cab.  The 4994's pto also worked.  With the production of the pto 4994,  Ertl marked a red generic dump wagon and side manure spreader which were powered by the tractors pto.  

1988 Ertl Case International Toy Guide with full 1/32 lineup 

     The pto implements were not the only items offered by CaseIH in the late 80's.   Ertl re-introduced the wing disk with gray CaseIH wheels instead of the past IH white rims. The six-bottom plow and barge wagon came back under CaseIH. Note that various  1/32 red implements have reappeared periodically as parts of farm sets.

Late 1980's Case International 1/32 line

      In 1989 CaseIH released a collectors Edition of the 9150 4wd. This model had dual wheels, working 3pt hitch and a collectors insert.  A shelf model on fat singles followed.  Additional 1/32 CaseIH tractors came out in the early 90's. 1990 brought several 1/32 Maxxum tractors including a Collectors Edition 5140 with fwa/duals, fwa 5130, fwa 5120 and 5120 with loader.   In 1991 a 956XL with loader was released.    In 1994 the 5230 and 5240 Maxxums replaced the 5130 and 5120 toys. In 1998 two cx 1/32 tractors were offered by Ertl.   

      The mid to late 1990's 1/32 CaseIH line was dominated by Axail-Flow combine toys. In 1995 a dealer edition, collectors edition and shelf model of the new 2166 combine were released by Ertl. All of the models like the 1680 had interchangeable heads and rubber tires. In 1996 a collectors edition 2188 was released in 1/32 with the AFS gps logo and cab mirrors.  The 2166 was replaced in 1998 by the 2366. In 2000 the 2366 was redecaled as a 2388.

1/32 MX Maxxums, Precision II STX450 and 2388

      2002 brought new MX Maxxum 1/32 toys from Britains which became part of the Ertl company in the late 90's.  A fwa MX 135 and an MX 120 with loader from Britains appeared in the Ertl catalog.   Precision detail has reached the 1/32 line in 2002.  Ertl's first Precision 1/32 tractor was a Steiger STX 450. This model had triple tires, opening cab door,  serviceable engine with an opening hood and front grille.  2003 has continued the Ertl/Britains combination and improved detailed with a new CaseIH MXU 125 with high detail, a new dump trailer and a highly detailed AFX 8010 combine.  

Latest 1/32 CaseIH Farm Toys

     The 1/32 line is set to grow in 2004 like never before.  Both Case-New Holland and John Deere for the first time will offer quite a range of new and classic 1/32 pieces.   The red brand has lead the 1/32 scale from Ertl for many years.  The AFX 8010's level of detail and big 12 row corn head shows that the next generation of CaseIH 1/32 toys has lots to offer. 

     Below is a complete list of International and CaseIH toys from 1967 through 2003. 

Les Sigrist 

The East Coast Partsman