3470 Aerial Target Car

Production: 1962 - 1964 

History
The 3470 Aerial Launching flatcar is a creative and imaginative freight car, which obviously, does not have a real-life counterpart. Lionel engineers created this car to be used in conjunction with one of several rocket launching items currently in production during the early 1960's.

The aerial launching car is a complicated car with many new components not previously used on any Lionel item. The flatcar is frequently found with damaged or incomplete parts that are critical for proper usage. Luckily, many of the commonly missing items are available as preproduction parts. In any case, locating a complete, undamaged and all-original flatcar in its original box is extremely difficult.

The play value of this car is unique compared to any other Lionel product. Youngsters try to hit the hovering balloon with a target firing freight car or accessory. Any of the following Lionel items would be perfect to use with the aerial launcher car; 3349 turbo missile launcher, 6650 missile launcher or 470 missile launcher.

Features
Standard features on the 3470 include: unpainted white superstructure with red lettering, blue flatcar and balloon cradle body, red control on top of the superstructure plus a brakewheel and AAR trucks, usually with two functional couplers.

Within the white superstructure, there is a small blower motor powered by two D-cell batteries. Original balloons are impossible to locate as they have deteriorated with age.

Additional Detail, Photos & Box Information

Dark Blue flatcar - Shown in the photo above - This is the common version and was produced from 1962 thru 1964.
Light Blue Flatcar - Although exact production dates remain unknown, this variation was probably produced early in the production cycle since it's almost identical to the 6502 flatcar from 1962. This is a very hard variation to locate.

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