The Defenders of the Earth Telephone Intercom Set was manufactured by Rainbow Toys in the UK in 1987. Produced during the height of the animated series Defenders of the Earth, this electronic toy aimed at children, brought futuristic communication into real-world play. The set is fully licensed by King Features Syndicate.
Rainbow Toys was a prominent British toy manufacturer and distributor active primarily during the 1980s and early 1990s. Originally based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and later relocating its operations to Northampton, the company played a crucial role in bringing popular international entertainment franchises to children across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Recognized by its signature rainbow logo, the brand built a reputation for distributing high-quality licensed action figures, electronic roleplay gadgets, board games, and novelty toys through major high-street catalog retailers like Argos.
The company is perhaps best remembered for its extensive licensing partnerships with major international toy manufacturers, most notably handling the UK distribution for lines like LJN’s ThunderCats. Rainbow Toys did not merely import items; they often localized packaging, produced exclusive accessories or regional paint variants, and manufactured ancillary products like puzzles, toy weapons, and electronic communicators. Their catalog expanded to cover various hit animated and comic franchises of the era, including Defenders of the Earth, Voltron, and other pop-culture staples of the late-1980s retro era.
While Rainbow Toys eventually ceased independent operations as global toy distribution consolidated in the 1990s, its legacy lives on among vintage toy collectors. Items bearing the original Rainbow Toys branding are celebrated for their nostalgic aesthetic and historical significance in European toy history. Today, vintage boxed items featuring the company’s vibrant packaging are highly sought-after pieces of 1980s memorabilia.
The Defenders of the Earth Telephone Intercom Set packaging highlights vibrant retro aesthetics, featuring dynamic space battle artwork, vibrant blue backgrounds with starscapes, and prominent hero portraits as seen in the cartoon series. The lift-off cardboard lid at the top of the box incorporates a clear window cut-out to showcase the handsets inside, marked with key selling features and the manufactures logo, Rainbow Toys.
Designed as a functional two-way communication device, the set features a pair of molded black handsets styled to resemble contemporary late-1980s brick cell phones or futuristic communicators. Each unit is adorned with a bright red numeric keypad, an On/Off power switch, and a blue decorative label bearing the official Defenders of the Earth franchise logo.
Technically, the intercom system operates over a physical wired connection rather than radio waves, promoting reliable room-to-room functionality. The set includes 30 feet of standard insulated connecting wire coiled within the internal styrofoam tray, allowing two users to communicate between separate rooms or across a house.
Power for each handset is supplied independently through the rear compartment. Opening the back battery hatch reveals standard 9-volt battery snap connectors, with each unit requiring one 9V battery (two total for the set). Stamped on the plastic battery doors is the origin text “MADE IN CHINA”, standard for mass-market toys produced during this era.
Today, fully intact examples complete with original styrofoam inserts and functional wiring serve as nostalgic collectibles. They offer a tactile window into mid-80s toy engineering, bridging animated storytelling with hands-on electronic gadgetry.