Shigcon Tank GO!

I had no idea what this thing was when I pulled it from a box of random kid stuff at my intern's school rummage sale. I could tell it's Japanese, and probably from a show like Ultraman or Kamen Rider. Maybe from the early eighties?

All that notwithstanding, it was only a quarter. So I bought it. I don't usually buy broken toys because I have enough unbroken toys to choke a horse, a very very large horse. A whole cavalry of horses. The Royal Mounted Police's entire cadre of mounts, in fact. The last thing I need is piles and piles of broken toys too. But it's unique. And it was only a quarter. So what the hell.

Using my super sleuth skills and Google, (mostly Google) I was able to discover that this drill tank is a Shigcon Tank from the tv show Daitetsujin 17. It was made by Popy in 1978.

The missiles and tank treads, as well as an antenna up top are all missing. There was also a set of 'headlights' attached below the front cab that have been broken off.

The drill-head pops out with the push of a button. Apparently the turret tilts and rotates too, which I didn't realize until I Googled this silly thing.

For it's age this thing has held up pretty well. It's as solid as a rock, and will probably last another four decades easily. I'll probably toss it in with the Intern's toy cars so she can add a few more years of playtime history to it.