Zoom

Published June 19, 2015 • Updated March 13, 2022

“Zoom” Airplane card game was published by Whitman Publishing Co., Racine, USA, in 1941. Two similar sets were issued, each containing 36 cards in four different coloured ‘suits’ numbered 1 - 9. Set 2, shown here, illustrates World War II Allied combat aircraft from Britain, England, Russia and the United States. See the Rules►

Whitman Publishing was formed in 1916 as a subsidiary of Western Printing & Lithographing Company of Racine, Wisconsin. Whitman specialised in children's books, puzzles and board games until the 1970s, and also became a leading numismatic publisher.

Above: “Zoom” Airplane card game (set 2) published by Whitman Publishing Co., Racine, USA, ©1941. The backs have red patterned backs. The box front has the inscription: “No. 3056 ★ MADE IN U.S.A. WHITMAN PUBLISHING CO.” Images courtesy Rex Pitts.

“Zoom” Airplane card game published by Whitman Publishing Co., Racine, USA, 1941

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By Rex Pitts (1940-2021)

United Kingdom • Member since January 30, 2009

Rex's main interest was in card games, because, he said, they were cheap and easy to get hold of in his early days of collecting. He is well known for his extensive knowledge of Pepys games and his book is on the bookshelves of many. His other interest was non-standard playing cards. He also had collections of sheet music, music CDs, models of London buses, London Transport timetables and maps and other objects that intrigued him.

Rex had a chequered career at school. He was expelled twice, on one occasion for smoking! Despite this he trained as a radio engineer and worked for the BBC in the World Service. Later he moved into sales and worked for a firm that made all kinds of packaging, a job he enjoyed until his retirement. He became an expert on boxes and would always investigate those that held his cards. He could always recognize a box made for Pepys, which were the same as those of Alf Cooke’s Universal Playing Card Company, who printed the card games. This interest changed into an ability to make and mend boxes, which he did with great dexterity. He loved this kind of handicraft work.

His dexterity of hand and eye soon led to his making card games of his own design. He spent hours and hours carefully cutting them out and colouring them by hand.