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{{realworld}}
  
{{realworld}}
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[[Image:RacingChampionsLogo.jpg|right|150px|Company Logo]]
 +
[[File:Tomy RC2 logo.png|right|140px|Tomy RC2 Corporation logo]]
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'''Racing Champions''' (a.k.a. '''Racing Champions/ERTL''' or '''RCERTL''') is the current parent company of model makers [[AMT/Ertl]] and toy/model company [[Playing Mantis]] (encompassing [[Johnny Lightning]], [[Polar Lights]] and Memory Lane as well). The original company is best known for making scale die-cast car models, and continues to do so to this day.
 +
'''Racing Champions''' (aka '''Racing Champions/ERTL''', '''RCERTL''', or '''RC2 Corporation''' as it is currently called) has been the parent company of [[AMT]], [[Ertl Company|Ertl]], and [[Playing Mantis]], the original owner of the [[Johnny Lightning]], [[Polar Lights]] and Memory Lane brands. The original company was best known for producing scaled die-cast car models, and it continues to do so to this day.
   
  +
Racing Champions was founded in 1989 and has pursued a vigorous acquisition strategy in the subsequent fifteen years, going public with stock issues in 1997. The company's name was changed to "Racing Champions/Ertl" in 1999 when it bought AMT/Ertl (in the process splitting up the company in its original components) and which falsely hinted at an equivalent merger.
⚫
==''Star Trek'' Champions==
  
⚫
[[Image:StarTrekChampionsLogo.jpg|right|150px|STAR TREK CHAMPIONS Logo]]
  
⚫
Prior to their merger, Racing Champions created a five-piece pewter set of collectible ''[[Star Trek]]'' figures called ''Star Trek Champions''. This set consisted of:
  
⚫
* [[Spock]] in his [[Kolinahr]] robes from ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]''
  
−
* [[James T. Kirk]] in his [[Rear Admiral]]'s uniform from ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture''
  
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* [[Khan Noonien Singh]] from ''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]''
  
⚫
* The [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)]]
  
⚫
:''NOTE: This figure was supposed to be the [[refit]] [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)]] from ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'', as the figure's base states, but the figure itself has the "NCC-1701-A" registry on the saucer.''
  
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* [[Kruge]]'s [[Klingon]] [[Klingon Bird-of-Prey|Bird-of-Prey]] from ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]''
  
   
  +
[[File:Racing Champions logo.png||thumb|right|Original logo]]
⚫
Each piece was supposed to be part of a collector's series of 9,998 pieces (complete with Certificate of Authenticity, optimistically listing this as STAR TREK SERIES ONE), and came on its own stand with an appropriate scene from each movie as the backdrop and a quote on the base under the figure.
  
  +
By 2003, the boundless expansion of the company had resulted in a cumbersome collection of companies with subsidiaries with widely varying product lines and a re-organization of the company was initiated. Renamed RC2 Corporation from 2004 onward, the focus of the company was to be its original product lines of die cast toys and models, and, after it bought "Learning Curve International, Inc." (2003) and "The First Years Inc." (2004), toys and learning material for the very young. Ertl was dropped from the company name and relegated to a subsidiary brand only. Product lines that did not fit the new company profile were liquidated or sold, which included model kits as carried by AMT and Polar Lights.
   
  +
A vigorous acquirer of companies, the RC2 Corporation was itself acquired by {{w|Tomy}} in 2011. [http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/english/release/pdf/i110502_en.pdf]
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<gallery>
  
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Image:STCSpockFront.jpg|[[Spock]] figure in package
  
−
Image:STCKirk.jpg|[[James T. Kirk]]<br>figure in package
  
−
Image:STCKhan.jpg|[[Khan Noonien Singh]]<br>figure in package
  
−
Image:STCEnterprise.jpg|[[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-A)]]<br>figure in package
  
−
Image:STCKlinBOP.jpg|[[Klingon]] [[Klingon Bird-of-Prey|Bird-of-Prey]]<br>figure in package
  
−
Image:STCSpockBack.jpg|Back of [[Spock]] figure package (other packages similar)
  
−
</gallery>
  
   
  ⚫
==''Star Trek'' associations==
⚫
==External Links==
  
  +
===''Star Trek Champions''===
−
*[http://rcertl.com/ Official RCERTL Website]
  
  ⚫
[[File:StarTrekChampionsLogo.jpg|right|300px|''Star Trek Champions'' logo]]
  ⚫
Prior to the acquisition of other ''Star Trek'' merchandise license holding entities, Racing Champions created a set of five collectible pewter ''[[Star Trek]]'' figures and starships called ''Star Trek Champions''.
   
  ⚫
Each model was purported to be part of a limited edition of 9,998 pieces, came complete with Certificate of Authenticity (which optimistically listed it as part of "Series One"), and included a stand. An image of a relevant scene from a ''Star Trek'' film was used as a packaging backdrop and a quote was included on the base under the figure.
  +
{| class="grey" style="width:100%;"
  +
! colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" id="Star Trek Champions" | ''Star Trek Champions''
  +
|-
  +
! Item
  +
! Release
  +
! Notes
  +
|-
  +
|[[Spock]]
  +
|rowspan="5" | {{y|1998}}
  +
|In [[Kolinahr]] robes from {{film|1}}
  +
|-
  +
|[[James T. Kirk]]
  ⚫
|In [[Rear Admiral]]'s uniform from ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture''
  +
|-
  +
|[[Khan Noonien Singh]]
  +
|From {{film|2}}
  +
|-
  +
|{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-A|-A}}
  ⚫
|This figure was supposed to be the [[refit]] {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} from ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'', as the figure's base states, but the figure itself has the "NCC-1701-A" registry on the saucer.
  +
|-
  +
|[[Kruge]]'s [[Klingon Bird-of-Prey]]
  +
|From {{film|3}}
  +
|-
  +
|colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | [[File:STCSpockFront.jpg|150px]] [[File:STCKirk.jpg|150px]] [[File:STCKhan.jpg|150px]] [[File:STCEnterprise.jpg|150px]] [[File:STCKlinBOP.jpg|150px]] [[File:STCSpockBack.jpg|150px]]
  +
|-
  +
|}
  +
''Note: Image 6 is a typical back of the figure package''
  +
  +
===''Star Trek'' model kits===
  +
Through the acquisition of AMT/Ertl in 1999 and Playing Mantis, or rather its subsidiary Polar Lights in 2004, RC2 obtained the licenses for producing the ''Star Trek'' model kits. However, due to its reformulated profile, the company showed very little interest to exploit or develop the product line any further. A half-hearted attempt to revive the line occurred when re-releases were announced, of which only four were marketed in 2005 under its original brand name "AMT/Ertl", even though that company by that time had already been split up in its two original components. Those four kits were the only releases of the AMT brand that were marketed in eight years. Polar Lights did not release any kits and was even eliminated as brand in 2006. Yet, both were revived by [[Round 2 LLC]] as that company bought both product lines in 2007.
  +
  +
{| class="grey" colspan="6" style="width:100%;"
  +
! colspan="6" style="text-align:center;" id="Star Trek model kit releases under the Racing Champions umbrella" | ''Star Trek'' model kit releases under the Racing Champions umbrella
  +
|-
  +
|-
  +
! Item
  +
! Scale
  +
! Release
  +
! Item No.
  +
! Notes
  +
! Boxart
  +
|-
  +
|3-piece USS ''Enterprise'' (TV) Set
  +
|rowspan="2"|1:2500
  +
|rowspan="4"|{{y|2005}}
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|38387
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|Contains
  +
*{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}}
  ⚫
*{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-A|-A}}
  +
*{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}
  +
|[[File:AMT Model kit 38387 3-piece TV Enterprise set 2005.jpg|180px]]
  +
|-
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|3-piece USS ''Enterprise'' (Movie) Set
  +
|38388
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|Contains
  +
*{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-B|-B}}
  +
*{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-C|-C}}
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*{{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-E|-E}}
  +
|[[File:AMT Model kit 38388 3-piece movie Enterprise set 2005.jpg|180px]]
  +
|-
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|[[Klingon Bird-of-Prey]]
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|1:350
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|38389
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|
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|[[File:AMT Model kit 38389 Klingon Bird of Prey 2005.jpg|180px]]
  +
|-
  +
|3-piece Adversary Set
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|1:3700<br/>1:3200<br/>1:1400
  +
|38390
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|Contains
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*[[D'deridex class|Romulan Warbird]] (1:3200)
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*Klingon Bird of Prey (1:1400)
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*[[D'Kora class|Ferengi Marauder]] (1:3700)
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|[[File:AMT Model kit 38390 3-piece adversary set 2005.jpg|180px]]
  +
|}
  +
  +
:''For the other individual [[Star Trek model kits]] under the original company listings, see [[AMT/Ertl]] and [[Polar Lights]].''
  +
  +
===''Legends of Star Trek'' series===
  +
:''For release details see [[Johnny Lightning#Legends of Star Trek series|Legends of Star Trek]].''
  +
Johnny Lightning, like Polar Lights originally a subsidiary of Playing Mantis, and traditionally a producer of die-cast car models, fitted the redefined profile of RC2 and was kept as a separate brand within the company. Despite the reluctance shown with the model kits to delve deeper into the ''Star Trek'' franchise, Johnny Lighting started in 2004 with a die-cast plastic toy line centered around ''Star Trek'' star ships and expanded upon the line, called ''Legends of Star Trek'', up until 2008.
  +
  +
===See also===
  +
* [[Star Trek starship miniatures]]
  +
* [[Star Trek model kits]]
  +
  ⚫
==External link==
  +
* [http://www.rc2corp.com/index.asp RC2Corp.com] - official RC2 Corporation website
  +
* {{wikipedia|RC2 Corporation}}
 
[[Category:Collectibles]]
  
[[Category:Collectibles]]

Revision as of 14:36, 10 April 2015

Template:Realworld

Tomy RC2 Corporation logo

Racing Champions (aka Racing Champions/ERTL, RCERTL, or RC2 Corporation as it is currently called) has been the parent company of AMT, Ertl, and Playing Mantis, the original owner of the Johnny Lightning, Polar Lights and Memory Lane brands. The original company was best known for producing scaled die-cast car models, and it continues to do so to this day.

Racing Champions was founded in 1989 and has pursued a vigorous acquisition strategy in the subsequent fifteen years, going public with stock issues in 1997. The company's name was changed to "Racing Champions/Ertl" in 1999 when it bought AMT/Ertl (in the process splitting up the company in its original components) and which falsely hinted at an equivalent merger.

Racing Champions logo

Original logo

By 2003, the boundless expansion of the company had resulted in a cumbersome collection of companies with subsidiaries with widely varying product lines and a re-organization of the company was initiated. Renamed RC2 Corporation from 2004 onward, the focus of the company was to be its original product lines of die cast toys and models, and, after it bought "Learning Curve International, Inc." (2003) and "The First Years Inc." (2004), toys and learning material for the very young. Ertl was dropped from the company name and relegated to a subsidiary brand only. Product lines that did not fit the new company profile were liquidated or sold, which included model kits as carried by AMT and Polar Lights.

A vigorous acquirer of companies, the RC2 Corporation was itself acquired by Tomy in 2011. [1]

Star Trek associations

Star Trek Champions

Star Trek Champions logo

Prior to the acquisition of other Star Trek merchandise license holding entities, Racing Champions created a set of five collectible pewter Star Trek figures and starships called Star Trek Champions.

Each model was purported to be part of a limited edition of 9,998 pieces, came complete with Certificate of Authenticity (which optimistically listed it as part of "Series One"), and included a stand. An image of a relevant scene from a Star Trek film was used as a packaging backdrop and a quote was included on the base under the figure.

Star Trek Champions
Item Release Notes
Spock 1998 In Kolinahr robes from Star Trek: The Motion Picture
James T. Kirk In Rear Admiral's uniform from Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Khan Noonien Singh From Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
USS Enterprise-A This figure was supposed to be the refit USS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, as the figure's base states, but the figure itself has the "NCC-1701-A" registry on the saucer.
Kruge's Klingon Bird-of-Prey From Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
STCSpockFront STCKirk STCKhan STCEnterprise STCKlinBOP STCSpockBack

Note: Image 6 is a typical back of the figure package

Star Trek model kits

Through the acquisition of AMT/Ertl in 1999 and Playing Mantis, or rather its subsidiary Polar Lights in 2004, RC2 obtained the licenses for producing the Star Trek model kits. However, due to its reformulated profile, the company showed very little interest to exploit or develop the product line any further. A half-hearted attempt to revive the line occurred when re-releases were announced, of which only four were marketed in 2005 under its original brand name "AMT/Ertl", even though that company by that time had already been split up in its two original components. Those four kits were the only releases of the AMT brand that were marketed in eight years. Polar Lights did not release any kits and was even eliminated as brand in 2006. Yet, both were revived by Round 2 LLC as that company bought both product lines in 2007.

Star Trek model kit releases under the Racing Champions umbrella
Item Scale Release Item No. Notes Boxart
3-piece USS Enterprise (TV) Set 1:2500 2005 38387 Contains AMT Model kit 38387 3-piece TV Enterprise set 2005
3-piece USS Enterprise (Movie) Set 38388 Contains AMT Model kit 38388 3-piece movie Enterprise set 2005
Klingon Bird-of-Prey 1:350 38389 AMT Model kit 38389 Klingon Bird of Prey 2005
3-piece Adversary Set 1:3700
1:3200
1:1400 		38390 Contains AMT Model kit 38390 3-piece adversary set 2005
For the other individual Star Trek model kits under the original company listings, see AMT/Ertl and Polar Lights.

Legends of Star Trek series

For release details see Legends of Star Trek.

Johnny Lightning, like Polar Lights originally a subsidiary of Playing Mantis, and traditionally a producer of die-cast car models, fitted the redefined profile of RC2 and was kept as a separate brand within the company. Despite the reluctance shown with the model kits to delve deeper into the Star Trek franchise, Johnny Lighting started in 2004 with a die-cast plastic toy line centered around Star Trek star ships and expanded upon the line, called Legends of Star Trek, up until 2008.

See also

External link

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