Starting device for a rocket aircraft for playing or learning purposes

Claim 1

A starting device for a toy aircraft having a front end and a rear end, comprising, a rocket motor adapted to be mounted on the toy aircraft in the region of its rear end and having a rearwardly directed propulsion gas discharge aperture having a longitudinal axis adapted to extend lengthwise of the toy aircraft; a stretched elastic pull element releasably connectable to the front end of the toy aircraft; and holder means for temporarily holding the toy aircraft stationarily against the combined force of said rocket motor and said pull element and including a stationary holder, a hook-shaped locking element movable between a locking position in which it engages the toy aircraft in the region of its rear end and a releasing position, a control plate pivotally mounted in the region of one end thereof on said holder rearwardly of the discharge aperture and normally extending substantially normal to the longitudinal axis thereof and movable from said normal to an inclined position when propulsion gas emanating from said discharge aperture impinges thereon, and linkage means pivotally mounted on said holder and connected to said control plate and said locking element for moving the latter to said releasing position upon movement of said control plate to said inclined position so that the toy aircraft may start under the combined action of said rocket motor and said pull element.