307 BW Airman’s dream car immortalized

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jeff Walston
  • 307th Bomb Wing Public Affairs Office
Barksdale AFB, La. --  Johnny Lightening, a well known toy car maker, has reproduced a 307th Bomb Wing Airman's hobby car into a toy version.

When Master Sgt. Charles Griffith, who is the assistant chief of education and training for the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., decided to give back to his community, he joined a nonprofit group called Beat the Heat, Inc. The program is designed to break down the barriers between young people and the Police and give them a chance to interact with each other in a positive manner through legal drag racing events.

Griffith, a former Shreveport Louisiana Police Officer, started volunteering with the Northwest Louisiana Chapter, in 2003. Over the years, he has participated in more than one-hundred events across the country.

In 2012, Johnny Lightning producers had talked with BTH members several times about the program and decided to reproduce one of the Beat the Heat cars as a Johnny Lightning toy car. They sent out a request to Beat the Heat members who owned Corvettes, Camaros or Mustangs to submit photos of their vehicles to possibly be chosen as a JL Car.

A "Release Party" was sponsored by Johnny Lightning, where all of the Beat the Heat car photo packages were shown along with the car chosen to be produced. Tom Zahorsky, a designer for JL took the opportunity to tell everyone that there was such an interest in the Beat the Heat cars that JL had decided to produce more of the cars, including the five original submissions.

"I was one of the five members who submitted packages," Griffith said. "I never thought JL designers would choose my race car to reproduce as a toy for children and collectors." Die-cast cars are produced in groups according to the castings used so approximately fifteen different Beat the Heat cars were made before Griffith's car was scheduled for production.

All the needed paperwork and artwork was submitted to Griffith for approval, and the car was scheduled to be produced in May of 2012. About that time, Johnny Lightning was purchased by Tomy Corporation, and Tomy decided to not continue the Beat the Heat series. Griffith was disappointed.

"Johnny Lightning had my car shown on their website but I was told that they decided not to continue taking my car to production," Griffith said. "It was a surprise when he received a package from the Tomy Corporation Jan. 14, 2013 that included 100 cars."

Tomy had decided to produce the car anyway.

"I can't express how happy it makes me to know that children and collectors will be able to own my car, so to speak," Griffith said. "I have enjoyed the full size car for many years and now I and others will enjoy the small one."