One of the first cartoon series based upon a line of toys, Sky Hawks debuted in 1969, sponsored by Mattel Toys. Debuting on ABC, the show revolved around a family of aviation daredevils, running an air transport and rescue service.

The leader of the airborne clan was patriarch Mike “Cap” Wilson, a widower whose famous father Cappy had been a hero in WWI. Following in his father’s footsteps, he exhibited his own bravery in the next World War and earned the rank of Colonel before starting a family of his own. Besides his own kids, teenaged twins Steve and Carolyn, he also watched over his dad’s foster kids, 14-year old Baron “Red’ Hughes and little sister, Cyntha. Also working with family was Mike’s girlfriend Maggie McNally and Chief mechanic, Joe Conway. The group used their experience and expertise to assist in various air-rescue operations, transport freight, and even do a little covert work for the Government when asked.

Throwing an occasional wrench in their otherwise smooth-running operation was a competing pilot at the San Marcos Field, Buck Devlin, whose methods were far less scrupulous and far less safe than the standards of the Wilson family.

Although Sky Hawks only ran for two seasons, it holds the dubious distinction for being instrumental in what would become a standard operating procedure of the television industry to tie kid’s television shows in with toy marketing - a practice that has showed no signs of slowing in the 40 years since the debut of this animated series.