GAKKEN TOY Company, Ltd. , Kabushiki-gaisha Gakushū Kenkyū Sha is a Japanese publishing company founded in 1947 by Hideto Furuoka which also produces educational toys. The city of Gakushū Kenkyū makes up the name GAKKEN. GAKKEN TOY produced toys mainly for the Japanese market.
GAKKEN TOY produced a very nice tin plate VW Bus that was lithographed in several different themes such as a red and white fire department Panel Bus with a light and hose attachment on the roof. Another theme was a Central TV broadcasting VW Van with a satellite antenna on the roof. Interestingly, there is also an Italian version Polizia. To make it appear even more Italian curiosity, it had the Alfa Romeo logo instead of the VW.
The GAKKEN TOY VW Busses were equipped with batteries and an electric motor. There were two types of drives, either a two meter cable wire remote control or the deluxe radio frequency control power drive.
