'Target for Tonight' boxed flying target game : Jim Rose, Marrickville

Boxed child's game entitled 'Target for Tonight'. The rectangular cardboard box, printed in blue and red, incorporates the title and an illustration of a boy playing the game, adjacent to a depiction of a battle on sea and land. The words 'Pat 6889/42 ' is printed within the illustration. The playing instructions are also included on the lid. Contained within the box are a rectangular box 'fuselage' with a polished tin prism reflective sight at one end, with a round celluloid window just below it, and a wire release mechanism for the accompanying wood and celluloid dart. The fuselage includes a slot to locate a wing. The wing and fuselage are covered in blue patterned paper (possibly originating from the book trade), with the wing displaying a pair of RAAF roundels.

Target game purchased at David Jones in Sydney by Jim and Annie Rose, of Marrackville, NSW for their son Jim. Jim recalls being given the game as a present for either his birthday or Christmas in 1942-43, when he was 11 years old. He remembers being absorbed with playing the game with his brothers because of the ability to bomb targets

'Target for Tonight' was one of a number of military related games manufactured by the Metal-Wood Repetitions Company of Manly in Sydney during the war from offcuts and non-essential materials.The use of blue and red ink on the box and playing board are similarly a clue to the game's wartime origins.

Other games they made included 'Popats' (probably another target game) 'Tactics', 'Bomb Em', 'Navy Bobs' (a version of Battleships using a short pool cue), 'Play School', 'Indoor Tennis' and 'Paddy McGinty's Goat'.

• 'Target for Tonight' playing board : Jim Rose, Marrickville