WAR TOYS SALES EXPLODE, ESPECIALLY FIGHTER PLANES

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Persian Gulf war has sparked sales of military toys, particularly models of combat aircraft, several local retailers said Tuesday.

Toy military aircraft, both model kits and pre-assembled ones, have sold so well that retailers are having trouble keeping their shelves stocked with the toys.

Store managers for three major retailers here said war toys have sold so well over the past several weeks that they have few, if any, of the toys on hand. They said they hope to get new shipments soon.

Nationally, manufacturers of toy military airplanes and other items say the war has brought a surge in demand for their products.

The Monogram division of Revell/Monogram, one of the largest U.S. makers of plastic aircraft kits, has reported that sales of model combat aircraft, depicting the types of airplanes used in the gulf war, have skyrocketed 200 to 300 percent since war broke out Jan. 16.

The company makes models of 14 of the 17 fighter aircraft used in the Middle East, the most popular of which are the F-15, F-16, F-14 Tomcats and A-10 Intruders. Their boxes bear a sticker saying "Aircraft Involved in Operation Desert Storm."

Models and toy replicas of combat aircraft have been big sellers at Wal-Mart. "The plane sales have really picked up," said Terry Godwin, manager of the Cape Girardeau Wal-Mart store.

Godwin said a special order of military planes promptly sold out.

"We got them in probably a week after the war started. We sold out in about 10 days," he said.

All kinds of military aircraft, from jets to helicopters, are popular items. "Anything that flies is pretty hot right now," said Godwin. "We're trying to get some more in."

Model combat airplane kits have been in demand at Kmart since the war started, said Cape Girardeau store manager John McClain.

McClain said it's hard to keep the store stocked with such kits. "As soon as we get them in, we sell out," he noted.

"There wasn't that much demand for those types of items until the war started over there," said McClain.

Both model kits and pre-assembled replicas of today's combat aircraft have been big sellers at Lowell's Jewelers & Distributors.

John Jusits, manager of Lowell's, said Tuesday that he had maybe a dozen pre-assembled models left. Like other retailers, Jusits said he is seeking to obtain more toy warplanes to sell.

"All of a sudden since the conflict started, it (the war toys) have become a lot more saleable," he said.

(Some information for this story was provided by United Press International.)