Here's the body of the letter in an easier to read format. LOOK!!!! IT'S WRITTEN ON ROLLING PAPER!!!! That ought to get gt6plus' attention:[img]http://communities.msn.com/_Secure/0OgAAAFkU*16jSr2Y!qlwtHabs812fvT7xX*ILvL1XKWQdoTV0jhq6avf2x7ACs7ohnxH!K6YPAoNz9*LxoIglCtKO70e9b!n/Text.jpg[/img]

What Ross saw is probably, IMHO, the best explanation to the confusion. I've often thought the Mattel connection was people confusing Mattel with a similar word or abreviation.

Off topic, my home town news paper used a Ford Tri-motor for rural deliveries in the '20's and '30's. The plane's image is still shown in the paper's banner. [8D]

Ask, and you shall receive.

Here a picture of the very rare a elusive Mattel M-16A1.

You silly non-believers!

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1619775&a=12368159&p=50849642&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]

Off topic but as a young teen I'd go fishing up at lake Erie in the 60's and they still used a Ford Tri Motor to fly to the islands north of Port Clinton.

BULL!  I served and Mattel still did not make M16's!  If you saw a Mattel, you were dreaming.

Is this it gt6plus?

Really,

I remember when I was in the Army we had, Mattel M-16's, Hasbro[red](maker of GI-JOE)[/red] M-60 machine guns, Tonka[blue](maker of toy trucks)[/blue] M151A2's(jeeps), bic [yellow](maker of cigarette lighters)[/yellow] flamethrowers, and Revell [purple](maker of scale models)[/purple] helicopters, and erector set [green](maker of metal building toys)[/green] bridging equipment. [;)][bounce][heavy]
[i](the first part of the post is satirical, the second half comical(though real), if you have questions get help)[/i]

I remember in basic training 1983, after we had qualified, we were issued weapons, M16A1's(for those of you that don't get satire or are just "slow on the uptake" these were not mattel weapons), for a field exercise. The Chief DI was going over the equipment we were supposed to have and made sure everyone noted their rifle serial number. All of a sudden a hand goes up, some private asking questions..

PVT: Drill Sgt. my rifle is missing a part.
DI: Pvt didn't you check it when it was issued?
PVT: Yes drill sgt. but I just noticed a part must have fell off.
DI: What do you mean a PART FELL OFF, they were issued to you 40' ago. You better find that part. Which part is it anyway.
PVT: Drill Sgt. the forward assist is missing from my rifle.
DI: Your what is missing, GET UP HERE with that rifle.
PVT:(Running) Here Drill Sgt.,
DI: (Not Amused) Soldier do you know the difference between and M16A1 and an M16?
PVT: No Drill Sgt.
DI: They gave you an M16, No forward assist, and a funny 3 prong flash hider. You go back over to the arms room and get an M16A1, turn this antique back in.

Funny thing is 1 week after that they used a laser device to measure the barrel thickness and deadlined about 95% of the M16A1's. Barrels were worn too thin. FYI the M16 was not deadlined.

EDITED TO MAKE THE SATIRE MORE OBVIOUS, FOR THOSE WITH AN "UPTAKE" DEFIECIENCY

Your right, they were actually UN troops sent to capture the A-team. How could our government sit idly by with out helping those elite commandos.

All the M16's I ever used in the Army ('71 thru '83) were Colt, H&R, and GM Hydramatics. If you were one of the ones who saw one with Mattel on them, you were on dope at the time.

Did you read "hasbro M-60. tonka jeeps" I guess I'll scale back the satire.

Looks like incoming, don't worry it just went over your head [;)]

In case you missed my other thread, here’s version 2.0

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1619775&a=12368159&p=50854109&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]

RK

I would concur; that is if you were in the US Army

Maybe gt6plus was in a "special" Army.  That is what his parent told everyone after a psychotic acid episode in 1988.  It all makes sense.  He returns from Trembling Hills Treatment center, slim, fit and sober.  Everyone thinks he was away at basic training.

Now the idea of a Mattel M-16 is clear to me.

[b][i]ROTFLMAO!!!!!![/i][/b] MAN!!! That shit looks real!!!!! You're just adding more gasoline to the fire for the believers. BTW, I've noticed that after the piss-testing of service members commenced, Mattel sightings ceased. Hmmmmmmmm.........

As far as I know the M16 was made by Colt, H&R, GM (Hyrdomatic Div), Diemaco (Canada), Elisco (Philipines), under license in South Korea, and cheap un-licenced copies by the Chi-Coms. But did CIS of Singapore ever make 'em? I have personally seen the Colt, GM and Diemaco made ones.

Try R. Blake Stevens book 'The Black Rifle (out of Canada). A very good M16 reference. It covers it all.

To the best of my knowledge (23yrs of AR-15, M16A1/A2, and M4 experience) Mattel never made F**k all for the M16, and was just a nickname to cheapen a fine product.

Yeah! ...and Armalite made toasters![beer]

Yeah, as a matter of fact they did.

Well I don’t know if they manufactured them, but they did give away
Armalite toasters for awhile.

Hey, RK, thanks for the pic! I now have definitive proof that Matttel made more than just the plastic parts for the M16 series. I will now save it to my HD, and show it around as indisputable, unrefutable proof of the Mattel M16 myth[;)].

Seriously, it's a funny thought, but no go. I hope that those who "saw" them don't continue to insist upon it, for their own sake.

Juggernaut[%(]

Those are some great pics. During Firearms training we heard alot of talk of the "Mattel-o-matic". Mainly that there was a rumor going around that Mattel made the furniture for the M16. Well, as said here by many, it never happend, all though it sounds like a great story.

According to "The Black Rifle", there was no Mattel.

When the M16 went into multivendor production in 1967 there were nine companies that paid the $1,000 to get the technical data package to determine if they wanted to participate.

Philco-Ford
FTS corp, Denver
General Electric
General Motors Hydramatic
Harrington & Richardson
Physical Sciences corp, owned by Friden
Stetson Ross Mfg, Seattle
Olin-Mathieson (winchester)
Z-D products, El Segundo, CA

Only GM Hydramatic and H&R eventually made M-16's for the government.

I wouldn't be surprised if some private jokers created Mattel stamps and used them to put mark their rifles, though.

LMFAO! Nice work, R.K! But what about the Johnny Tarheel version??

[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=926068&a=6762421&p=24080229&Sequence=0[/img]

FITTER out

SHHSSHHHH!!! Don't tell anyone!

After three years, the ArmaLite toaster returns.  The famous lightweight, slot-fed, electric operated, air cooled, semi-automatic high capacity ArmaLite Assault Toaster™ is available in third-generation format.  
This ArmaLite Assault Toaster features the classic Pegasus logo silk screened in brown ink and IS NOT available at any price.  For a limited time, they will be included with the purchase of each AR10B commemorative rifle.  

[img]http://www.finalfront.com/hosting/users/geepgeep/toast.jpg[/img]

Yep, in fact, my issue A-2 is a rebuilt H&R a-1 lower(You can see where the 2 was stamped over the 1, and the depression where "auto" was milled off and stamped "burst".  I love that rifle.  Of course, the upper is probably FN.

LOL!  This may make it go 3 more pages.