Modern Toys, MT, is the trading name of Masudaya. They're still in business. The company produced some of the earliest of Flying saucers and were responsible for a large proportion of the masses produced in the 1950-1970 prime of the battery op space toy. They didn't produce many of the classics but their contribution has been noteworthy. The early saucers have all the character you could wish for, but the later toys tend to lack individuality.

Z-10 I like to think this is one of the earliest MT saucers. It certainly has the features that seem to develop in the later toys. It's an early friction saucer with sparking action. A beautiful style, much copied at the time.

X-326 Z-10 pressing. There should be a prop on the top to add a little variety.

Billy's Flying Saucer Z-112 Billy is a neat idea, an astronaut riding a saucer surfboard style. He dramatically alters the scale of the saucer. Billy also appeared on a rocket. The saucer is, of course, the Z-101 pressing.

The Flying Saucer X-3000 It's easy to see that the styling is similar to the Z-101, but the odd ribbing has gone and a central dome has appeared.

Z-01 Two fins are well-established, and the dome is beginning to grow. Those litho headlights are distinctive early MT features.

Flying Saucer X-3 Quite a change from the Z-101, but still the fins are present. There's an old style open cockpit surround from the Rocket Racer line, and a stock vinyl head. It's easily the best of a long line of X saucers.

Space Survey X-09 An eccentric tear-drop shape, but all the better for that. This is a battery op with bump and go action and flashing lights.

X-7 Space Explorer Ship Also sold as the Flying Saucer X-7, and still going strong into the 1980s. Love them or hate them, these are the saucers that sold in enormous numbers. Change the letter, change the box but it'sd the same little bump and go with the ring of flashing lights.

X-8 Space Explorer Ship Another early 1960s saucer, though the styling is still modern looking. It's Modern Toy's "New season, new name" policy.

X-3 Space Explorer Ship Two pilots to add a bit of variety.

Friendship No 7 Flying Saucer Well, it's really an excuse to recycle the parts used in the non-fall range of those wedge-shaped Masudaya rockets. It has the same front cockpit cover with astronaut, and the regulation circling cadet on a wire. There's another version of this one in an early 1960s catalog called the Space Survey X-61

X-80 Planet Explorer The cloudy dome allows MT to employ a light show effect - neat in a darkened room. There's also plenty of bare metal to show off some fancy litho detailing. Still, there's no denying the basic lack of character. Only the box relieves the uninspiring shape.

Cragstan Mystery Action Satellite X-107 One of a large range of dumpy-styled flying saucers. The shape permits a big screen with a flickering shadow effect and a blower mechanism that keeps a fragile styrene astronaut afloat. It's a bump and go battery toy. The version (below) with a Robby lithoed on the side is valued more highly. The one on the left carried the Cragstan tag.

Space Ship X-11 A variation on the dumpy style, emphasizing the flickering screen behind the astronauts.

Space Patrol Saucer X-15 Sorry you can't see Robby too well. His arm is just visible on the extreme right. Flashing lights add to the blowing action.

Space Surveyor X-12 There's an inner panel rotating independently here. You don't see this one too often.

Space Ship 1 A great-looking large flying saucer. Bump and go with flashing lights and a whining engine. You can make out a variety of recycled parts.

Space Giant Super Sonic Flying Saucer A variation of the Space Ship 1 with more complex litho detailing.

Space Ship X-8 Sorry to end on this dismal note. And they get worse, so we'll draw a veil over the modern range of MT saucers. Tin and plastic, with all the imagination removed.