Ray Dyson and the Kenner Aerial Aces Game in 1976

Today, Kenner’s Aerial Aces target shooting game is best known as the source of one of Kenner’s earlier Star Wars toys (see Recycling of the Force at theswca.com). In that first year of Star Wars‘ life in toys, Kenner recycled a number of concepts and steel tools, transforming old ideas into new Star Wars toys in an attempt to meet consumer demand. The Star Wars X-Wing Aces game, unfortunately, is a design that is not remembered well.

Today, because we can, I want to take a look at a brief Cincinnati Magazine article from May, 1976 where we’re introduced to Ray Dyson, designer of that original Aerial Aces game. A great peek at the story behind the designer of a mostly-forgotten toy!

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