1944 “Aeroplanes - Mixed Series” (R112-12)
Leaf Gum Company, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Series Title: “Aeroplanes Mixed Series”
ACC No.: R112-12
Copyrighted by: Whitman Publishing Company, Racine, WI, USA
Manufactured by: Leaf Gum Company, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Packaged with: CARD-O Chewing Gum
Number of Cards: 45
Numbering: Unnumbered
Card Dimensions: 2¼ × 3½ (PLC)
Circa: 1944
Checklist: Download

Overview

The Aeroplanes Mixed - Series of 45 cards may actually be parts from several different sets. What the sets were, appears to be lost in history. However, the common denominator throughout the Mixed series is the absence of any series identification or set total. Furthermore, the Mixed series is actually divided into four very distinct subsets. Each subset has its own characteristic look and basic theme. Examples of the four subsets are shown below.

1. The “Military Aircraft” Subset contains twenty-one (21) in flight color paintings of United States Army and Navy World War II aircraft. A heavy horizontal black line separates the image area from the title line. The title line identifies the subject aircraft and the military service branch. A 1944 copyright tag for Whitman Publishing Company appears slightly below the heavy black horizontal separation line. The reverse side of the card contains the card title and a descriptive text of the subject aircraft.

   

2. The “Civilian/Private Aircraft” Subset contains thirteen (13) color paintings of United States built civilian/private aircraft. A white title stripe is located beneath the aircraft image. The title line denotes the aircraft manufacturer/model and the country of origin. The reverse side of the card contains the card title and a descriptive text of the subject aircraft.

   

3. The “Aircraft Warfare Strategies” Subset contains six (6) paintings of Aircraft Warfare Strategies used during World War II. The borderless image area encompasses the entire card. The title for the card appears on the Backside along with a descriptive text.

   

4. The “United States Navy Equipment and Weaponry” Subset contains five (5) paintings and concentrates on United States Navy equipment and weaponry used during World War II. The image area on each of the cards is surrounded by a thick blue border. A white title strip appears beneath the image and denotes the type of equipment and the country of origin. The reverse side of the card contains the card title and a descriptive text.

   

Early reports of the set containing 46 cards appear to be incorrect. The “Evasive Action” and the “Torpedo Bombing” cards in the “United States Navy Equipment and Weaponry” Subset are in reality only one card … “Torpedo Bombing”. All of the cards in this Mixed series are of the PLC format (playing cards) and have rounded corners. The basic card dimensions are 2¼ × 3½. The American Card Catalog reference number for the series is R112-12.

Image-Guide

Military Aircraft Subset (21 cards)

Civilian/Private Aircraft Subset (13 cards)

Aircraft Warfare Strategies Subset (6 cards)

United States Navy Equipment and Weaponry Subset (5 cards)

Wrapper and Retail Store Display Box

All we have at this time is the information that we obtained from The Sport Americana® PRICE GUIDE to the Non-Sports Cards 1930-1960, Vol. 2 by Christopher Benjamin. According to Benjamin, CARD-O Chewing Gum stick wrapper purchasers got one stick of gum and their choice of a card for a penny. The Retail Store Display box shown below came with a lift cover. Each box also contained a stand-up insert panel with the same design as the cover lid. We are not sure which of the many CARD-O series (R112-3, R112-4, R112-12, etc.) used the wrapper and the box show below. Any insight into this would be appreciated.

Albums versus Original Artwork

To the best of our knowledge, Leaf Gum did not issue any companion albums with this series. However, the Whitman Publishing Company of Racine, Wisconsin issued a series of wartime booklets that contained the original artwork used by Leaf Gum for this series. The artwork is spread over at least five of these 3⅝ × 5¾ inch booklets. The artwork was also used in the Tydol UO-1 Aeroplane series, the Spaulding Krullers D87 and DC-6 series, and a similar Cracker Jack series. To date, we know of the following six booklets. There might be more of them out there, but we have not seen them.

Checklist

References

1. Dahlquist, Richard (RIP): Numerous telephone, email, and snail-mail conversations.
2. Shupek, John A.: Card images from the Skytamer Archive Digital Image Database
3. Kramer, Albert: Cards scans from the Kramer Collection
4. Kuchta, Vladisla: 2/19/2010 email, Scan of CARD-O Retail Store Display Box
5. Sheppard, Christopher: 8/4/2008 email, Airplanes of the U.S.A. Booklet scan and information
6. Benjamin, Christopher: The Sport Americana Price Guide to the Non-Sports Cards 1930-1960 No. 2, Edgewater Book Company, Cleveland, Ohio, ISBN 0-937424-66-8, 1993, pp. 40-48.

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