When Yoyos flew.

Do yoyos really need propellers? At least four people thought they did, enough so they received patents to protect their idea. Five patents have been issued in the U.S. for three yoyos with propellers. Two of the three are found on Lucky’s periodic table of yoyos. The Whiz-Back and the Stunt Pilot 3.
The other one not on the table was patented buy Bangalore in February of 1931 the same company that had the patent on the Whiz-Back which was issued in September 1952. This is one of the yoyos we will be looking at in this thread as well as the Stunt Pilot 3. It was patented in September 1998 with three different patents being issued.
The Whiz-back pictured here is mint in original box, and is one if not my most prized yoyo. It was invented by someone named Scott and was given patent # D167,723. Bangalore toys are listed as the invention holder. It was made by Phoenix engineering Co. Saint Petersburg Fl… No info on amounts or when production stopped.
I have only seen two others for sale and neither had the box. It is five inches long and 4 inches wide. Plastic propellers, wood body and pegged string. This is the reason it will not sleep as you will see.
I was asked how it threw when I got it. I have only thrown it once(because of condition) till now. My first official video of any yoyo play was just made with it. This may very well be the only video of one of these being used. And you saw it here on first yoyoexpert.com.
First the pictures.
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0839.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0840.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0844.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0846.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0842.jpg
Next on to the video. Here is just a few seconds of the Whiz-Back in use. Because of condition and rarity I did not throw it very long.
http://s499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/?action=view&current=MVI_0859.mp4
Now on to the Playmaxx Stunt Pilot 3. It was marketed as the 3 in 1 yoyo. A off string (ahead of its time?) a spinning top and a standard style yoyo. The two I have are both factory sealed and are marked Patent Pending. They also advertise BPT ( Brake Pad Technology) this is the system that launched the Turbo Bumble Bee to such great success. They both have the YO-Sling which shows to be TM protected. There are five known colors, Red, Green, Blue, Purple and a extremely rare Albino. I have the Green and Blue versions, both dated 1999 and made in the USA.
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0849.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0850.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0851.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0852.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0854.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0855.jpg
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/IMG_0856.jpg
Since both of mine are factory sealed I had to go to Yoyo Wiki for a picture of the inside. Notice the slot on the right half. That is a factory slot and could have been added to keep the rims form breaking. I have seem the listed used, as having a broken rim
(which they don’t).
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/97hw/185px-Stunt_pilot2.jpg
I have never played one of this, but they do look cool. tim

3 Likes

Were those propellers free-spinning on the Pro Yo? If so, then I guess you can say that those were early hubstacks?

The video of the whiz back is sweet. I always wondered how that would play. It looks really cool.

Thanks for another awesome yoyo history lesson.

Hey man, Really cool stuff! Where did you happen to find/purchase those? Also, could you make a video showing you giving them a throw, or would that be damaging to them?

Thanks!
Yoyonut

Does the big one fly if you do offstring?

This is awesome! Great to learn about!

oops. Didn’t see the link to the video.

Thanks!

No off string with it. It is from the period where the string was pegged by the axel. tim

I love your enthusiasm towards all yoyo’s. Not just new ones but mostly older throws that most of the younger generation know nothing about. Very nice!

1 Like