The Radio Flyer and Starlight teams collectively poured more than 1,000 hours into the charitable project, estimates Mark Johnson, vice president of product development for Radio Flyer. The Hero Wagon is now in hospitals in 82 cities across 33 U.S. states and counting–each year, the organizations donate 1,000 wagons, with half going to medically underserved communities. During the redesign process, the team made use of Radio Flyer’s prototype shop where they were able to experiment with sewing, metal fabrication, welding, and 3-D printing. They deployed various wagon prototypes at the Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, to gather feedback on the new features and ideas for tweaks. Generally, any time from toddler age to around 5 years old, children can enjoy wagons.
Easily removable front wheel assists in quick storage or transportation and all materials used are quick cleaning. Easy-latch door opens to two contoured seats and deep leg well with molded-in drain holes. Has a long handle for easy pulling that folds under wagon for easy transport and storage. Whether you have an old wagon you’d like to restore or you’re in the market for one of these classic toys, radio flyer wagons have both sentimental and monetary value to kids of all ages. Take your time looking around to find the model that’s right for you.
Purchase the wagon inspired by Antonio Pasin’s original creation. The bright-red steel wagon maintains the classic lines with a modernized twist, thanks to upgrades like an improved handle design. During the 1940s, with America at war, the Radio Flyer® Wagon company stopped making wagons. Instead, they focused their energies on supporting the war effort by making their iconic red Blitz Cans, which were five gallon cans meant to carry water and fuel to troops.
Even in the depths of the Great Depression, they sold at the rate of 1,500 a day. Radio Flyer designers added high sides for carting kids in 1950s, borrowed bright colors and slick tires from muscle cars in the 1970s, and even created an all-terrain version, the Quad Shock Wagon—to match the SUVs in the 1990s. The luxury model Radio Flyer red wagon, for kids and their parents. Extra-large wagon body crafted of natural-finished American hardwood, topped with bright red removable select wood sides. The model #24 red wagon features steel wheels with semi-pneumatic rubber tires and an extra long handle that folds under the wagon.
In 1933, Chicago was the host of the World’s Fair, Century of Progress, and Radio Steel was asked to be a part of the celebration. Antonio Pasin took on major debt to fund the construction of a 45 foot tall wood and plaster Coaster Boy statue depicting a boy riding a Liberty Coaster wagon. Below the Coaster Boy exhibit Pasin sold miniatures for 25 cents. During World War II, steel was essential war material; from 1942–1945, the company shifted production to portable five gallon Blitz cans for the US Army.
The Radio Flyer® Wagon also branched out during the 1950s from its traditional wooden and red steel motifs to different colors and themes. Perhaps two of the most famous Radio Flyer® wagons from this period were the Davy Crockett wagon, which was a light tan inspired by Disney’s Davy Crockett, and the blue Mouseketeer wagon. Soon afterwards, he formed a company to make and distribute his wagons, which he called the Liberty Coaster Company. In 1930 he renamed the company Radio Steel and Manufacturing.
If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Nice, though not unique — there’s one in Spokane, WA that children are allowed to climb. An employee’s workbench at the Radio Flyer prototype shop bears tools, supplies and figurines for inspiration.
Before you know it you’ll be taking off the training wheels, but for now, savor the beginning with the Radio Flyer Steel-Framed Classic Kids Tricycle today. Most often, you’ll be choosing from wagons made of steel, plastic, or wood, so you’ll want to check reviews and other info provided to confirm the durability of each model. Classic brands typically use steel, making them the most durable, while others offer models that break down and have foldable seats, which are more efficiently stored when not in use— features that also encourage longevity. Models with canopies or covers offer protection to both the wagon and the kids riding from the sun and other elements of the weather. This Radio Flyer model, the Big Red Classic ATW, is simple and well-suited for children ages one and a half and older, and can carry up to 200 pounds. It’s constructed of seamless steel and its sides are 50% higher than the classic model, offering a safer, more secure ride.