The 1940s were an exciting time for aviation. World War 2 had proven the strength of airpower, and the Cold War promised a new era of warplanes; many of them jet powered. Little boys around the world drempt of these new machines, and read, built, or collected anything with an airplane on it.

A number of breakfast cereals fed this desire with cut-out collector cards. This one, part of the 'Wings of Today' series obviously dates from 1946, as the image is that of the NAvion prototype. Being part of the cereal box meant someone had to cut it out, but the image measured 5.9 by 3.5 inches.

(K. McTavish)

Released during the Korean War, and the early years of the Cold War, the backside of this card (and the whole Topps series) featured a short history of the airplane, limited specifications, and a 'Friend or Foe?' identification quiz. The card measures 3.8 x 2.6 inches.

The image of a civilian Navion A and an L-17B originally came from a pilot report on the 1949 Ryan Navion, but the enemy airplane crashing down in flames is 100% artistic license.

(K. McTavish)

Carnation Corn Flakes issued a series of collectable cards throught the years. Their airplane set apparently featured 42 or 43 cards. The Navion one calls the airplane a Navion 205 (a designation never officially used by Ryan). The colorful image appears as part of a larger painting on the 1951 sales brochure for the A and B model Navions. The card measures 3.5 x 2.2 inches.

(K. McTavish)

The only known collector card of the Twin Navion, this one appeared with a black and White photo of N4832K (NAV-4-1832). The card measured 3.0 x 2.0 inches.

(K. McTavish)

Just one of hundreds of 5.8 x 5.8 inch information cards, this mail order series originated in the late 1980s. The information printed on the backside was full of factual errors; saying L-17As were equipped with 185hp O-470 engines. An unconfirmed statement mentions the XL-17D designation being used for three Super 260s - misidentified as Rangemasters, which it claims were procured as XL-22A and equipped with 250hp Lycoming O-435 engines.

(K. McTavish)