Ornament Review: Famous Flying Ace - Spotlight on Snoopy #2 - 1999 Hallmark Ornament

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: A fun ornament taken directly from the comic strip

Cons: Not quite the outfit that Snoopy wore in the comics

The Bottom Line:

Snoopy saves the day

Hanging on your Christmas tree

Red Baron away

Here's the World War I Flying Ace Ready to Hang On Your Tree

Over the years in the Peanuts comic strip, Snoopy the dog took on many different personalities.  Probably one of the more popular ones was as the World War I flying ace locked in epic battle with the Red Baron.  Famous Flying Ace, the second entry in the Spotlight on Snoopy series, commemorates that character.

This release from 1999 once again features Snoopy and Woodstock.  Snoopy is dressed and ready for flight.  He's got his flying cap on, and his goggles are on his forehead, leaving his eyes exposed.  They are just slits here, but the effect works.  He's wearing a scarf that stands out a little in the back.  Now if the ornament were staying completely true to the comic strip, they would have stopped there.  Instead, they kept going just a little bit further and put him in a leather flight jacket and boots as well.  Honestly, I've had this ornament for several years, and it just now dawned on me that this wasn't completely accurate.  Woodstock is stuck to Snoopy's side, also dressed in flying cap, goggles, and scarf.  Frankly, he's so small you almost miss him.

Since this is a series, you can find the number 2 in a Christmas tree on the bottom of Snoopy's shoe.  Also, the flight number of his jacket is 99, representing the year it was released.

Once again, the ornament is made from plastic.  It's sturdy enough to hang from a tree year after year and withstand a drop or two, but I wouldn't want to play with it.  The hook for the ornament hanger is right on the top of Snoopy's head.  He tips down every so slightly, but pretty much hangs straight.

Unfortunately, he's not as steady on his feet as he might have been.  Frankly, I'm not sure why.  It could be his feet, which don't look to me to be quite even.  And it looks like Woodstock sticks down slightly below Snoopy's foot on that side.  Either way, this ornament will stand up, but if you bump the table or shelf you have it on even slightly, it will fall over pretty quickly.

This ornament doesn't exactly scream Christmas to me, but that's okay.  I always loved Snoopy's battles with the never seen Red Baron.  So Famous Flying Ace was one of the first ornaments I bought in this series.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Spotlight on Snoopy series.

Original Price: $9.95