Mold 2

Wham-O Flying Saucer 2 (WFS2) Mold 2

The flying saucer quickly became a hit with the youth. Since the first flying saucer mold (WFS1) failed and the LBFS mold was still in Canada at the time, Wham-O desperately needed more molds quickly. In 1959, it produced a new flying saucer mold, the WFS2. 

9 different versions have been found made with the WFS2 mold. 5 Flying Saucer and 4 Regular versions.

The characteristics of WFS2 are: The front is exactly the same as WFS1 except for the small ® after the word Frisbee. It is slightly different from the one in mold 3.  In Mold 2, the R of the ® mark is completely inside the circle. The Mold 3 ® symbol has the letter R partially on top of the circle at the top of the circle. Wham-O Mfg. Co. filed for trademark registration of the Frisbee on July 28, 1958. The word "Frisbee" was registered as a Wham-O trademark on May 26, 1959. Mold 2 was probably made immediately after registration. 

The font on the front is the same as on the No Mold Flying Saucer. In other later Flying Saucer molds (3, 4 and 5) the font on the front is completely different. The biggest differences are in the letter O, where the vertical edges are straight while in the other molds they are significantly rounder. In the letter Y, the leg is exceptionally short. In the letter S, the links are of different shapes and sizes. In the letter E, the middle crossbar is not in the middle of the letter. 

No Mold and Mold 2 Flying Saucers do not have Planets like Molds 3, 4 and 5.

Changes in the bottom script: The text Pat. Pend. was removed and changed to DES. PAT. 183626. The change was made because The word "Frisbee" was registered as a Wham-O trademark. Lines 2–5 are flush left, in the same way as in No Mold Flying Saucer. Later molds 3–5 do not have left flush, except for the first version of mold 3, LBFS1. Unlike on the front, the font appearance was changed on the bottom. The font used is clearly wider than on the No Mold. 

The exact same font has been used later in 4 molds. The 2 mold font is bold, while the 4 mold font is not bold. 

The mold was given mold number 2. This proves that the LBFS mold must have been in Canada at the time, because later the next version of the LBFS mold was given mold number 3 when it was shipped to the United States

The mold was given the mold number 2. The LBFS mold must have been in Canada at that time, because later the next version of the LBFS mold received the mold number 3 when it was shipped to the United States. The mold number is in the center of the bottom of the disc.

The Flying Saucer No Mold had failed, so Wham-O made the Mold 2 more durable by making the disc slightly thicker and increasing the width of the rim.

Date Introduced: In mid-1959.

The extra wide spacing between the Y in "FLY" and the following comma.

The picture shows the differences in the small ® mark (Mold 2 and Mold 3). (Note! the picture shows that the line across the letter E is in the middle in 3 molds and clearly higher in 2 molds.)

Identical to the Type-E WPP packaging which has the word "Frisbee" in blue outlined type with ® to the right (first time)—angled above a solid, blank, parallel yellow bar with no "Pluto Platter" name on it. Probably in 1963. -Phil Kennedy

So far, WFS2 and WFS3 discs have been found in these packages.

Wham-O Flying Saucer 9 (WFS9) Mold 2

The first change in the 2 mold probably occurred in 1964. The number 2 on the bottom of the Flying Saucer was reversed. Why this change was made is unknown.

Date Introduced: 1964

Wham-O Flying Saucer 10 (WFS10) Mold 2

The next change (WFS10) DES. PAT. 183626 was hidden under the esker. I believe this was immediately after January 11, 1965, when Wham-O filed the patent application. The same change was made to 3 molds at the same time. In mold 5 des. pat. was removed by fading the text, but it is visible when the disc is turned to the light. No changes were made to 4 molds.

Date Introduced: 1965

Wham-O Flying Saucer 13  (WFS13) Mold 2

The WFS13 is the last version of the Flying Saucer made by Wham-O. It is a so-called "transitional version" because the two outermost rings were removed from the front of the Flying Saucer and replaced with 28 Outer Rings (Lines of Headrick). The rings functioned aerodynamically by reducing drag and creating lift, which made the frisbee's flight significantly more stable and predictable. It is most logical that the change in question was made to Mold 2, because No Mold was out of the question and Molds 3,4 and 5 had the names of the Planets on the edge of the disc. 

Date Introduced: late 1965

Irwin Toy Flying Saucer 13 (ITFS13) Mold 2

After this, the mold was moved to Irwin Toys, Toronto, Canada. No differences have been found between Irwin Toys' ITFS13 and Wham:O's WFS13.  The bottom of the disc has Reverse 2 and the script on the bottom has Wham-O's California, not Irwin Toys Toronto. So it is impossible to tell them apart.

However, I believe that all transparent Flying Saucers are made in Canada. 

The Flying Saucer has a 2 cm wide nipple on the front. The same area is also visible on the bottom of the disc. It is possible that the place of manufacture can be identified by this area. In some discs the area on the bottom is raised and in others they are pitted. This has not been studied.

I believe the mold was shipped to Canada in late 1965 or early 1966. In America, the manufacture of Pat. Pend Regulars began in 1966.  That is the reason why mold 2 Pat. Pend Regulars were never made. 

Date Introduced: 1966

The picture shows the WFS13 made in America and the ITFS13 made in Canada. You can see the differences in the packages in the upper right corner.

In 1966, Wham-O changed the Flying Saucers to Regulars. We don't know for sure when the Flying Saucer Mold 2 was changed to Regular. It was certainly made between 1968 and 1970.

The front of the disc was changed as follows. Portholes, Flying Saucer text and the two remaining rings were removed. Inner Flying Rings were added. In 2 molds, there are 12 Inner and 28 Outer Flying Rings.The texts Wham-O and Frisbee were enlarged and the font was changed. The ® symbol after the word frisbee was also changed. In model 2, the R is lowercase and it is in the middle inside a circle.

These discs can also be identified by their unusual front nipple. It only has a small ejector pin area in the middle.

Two changes were made to the script at the bottom of the disc: The © symbol and the year 1966 were added at the beginning of line 5. 1966 is the year when production of Regular products began. In line 6, esker were removed and it was changed to: U.S. PAT. NO. 3,359,678. 

Toss Games Script was added to the bottom of disc. The script says "Frisbee® is a REG. T.M. of WHAM-O MFG. CO., —For Toy Flying Saucers For Toss Games".

It is very interesting why Canadian-made Frisbees do not have a manufacturing location marking between 1967 and 1974. This is true for all models I have studied: Mars Platter, Mystery Y Regular mold 6, Mystery Y Regular mold 7 and Regular 18.

Date Introduced: Probably between 1968 and 1970

I believe this Irwin Toys package is from either 1970 or 1971. The disc in the package is Irwin Toy Regular Wham-O Frisbee®, Toss Games TM Script, Nipple in front, Mold 2.

Irwin Toy Regular Wham-O Frisbee®, Toss Games TM Script, Nipple on bottom, Mold 2

The next change was due to the need to advertise on Regular Frisbees. The raised nipple on the front of the Regular was removed. A nipple appeared on the bottom of the Regular, which also removed the Reverse 2 from view.

The T.M. script and Toss Games script at the bottom remained the same. 

I estimate that these changes were made no later than 1975, as the Canadian Tire sticker on the disc was used that year. That was when Canadian Tire celebrated its 50th anniversary. 

This version is very similar in appearance to Wham-O's 26-1 mold, with the year 1972 in place of the year 1966 in the T.M. script on the bottom.

Date Introduced: No later than 1975

Irwin ToyRegular Wham-O Frisbee®, Toss Games and Irwin Toy TM Script, Nipple on bottom, Mold 2

Irwin Toy's finally branded their discs. In this version the tooling is just below the toss games script and it reads: "Mfg Under Licence in Canada; By Irwin Toy LTD. Toronto, Ontario."

Date Introduced: 1976?

Irwin Toy Regular Wham-O Frisbee®, Toss Games and Irwin Toy TM Script, Nipple on bottom, Mold 2

The last change to mold 2 was in 1978. The top reads REGULAR FRISEE®  and the bottom features the Wham-O splash, Laurels, and the ® symbol. Wham-O's Regulars have a small registered trademark ® after the Splash logo, which is missing from Irwin Toy's Regulars. 

The words FLYING DISC have been added under the words REGULAR FRISEE®. Wham-O added these words to all its Frisbees. It required the same from licensees, Frisbee clubs and national sport organizations. This must have happened in 1978.

Date Introduced: 1978

The front of the package says "Manufactured in/ Fabrique au Canada by/ par Irwin Toy Limited., 43 Hanna Ave..Toronto. Ontario M6K 1X6, under Licence from/ avec I'autorisation de Wham-O Mfg Co. U.S.A, Canadian Patent No. 799132, No 799132 du Brevet Canadien".

The mold 2, which was made in 1959, went through a total of nine different versions. It was used to make Flying Saucers and Regulars in two different countries and was used for over 20 years. It wouldn't be a big surprise if we still find another version made with this mold, as Frisbees made in Canada haven't been studied very closely.—Sami Loukko