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After Hasbro released GI Joe in 1964, Palitoy licensed their own version, called Action Man, and released three basic figures: Action Soldier, Action Pilot and Action Sailor, all three dressed in basic uniform and packaged in a cardboard box with artwork by American artist Sam Petrucci (from Thresher and Petrucci). Included in the box were the dressed figure and three Training Manuals depending on the figure (Army, Air or Navy) and a folded poster which also doubled up as a brochure, with the whole range printed on the back – “Official Equipment Manual”. The box also had a collector’s star card with two filled out stars to start you out – most examples surviving today have the stars on the box cut out as they were sent to Hasbro, which in return were exchanged for mail-in items.
Apart from the figures, Combat Equipment Cards were available to kit out your basic Action Soldier into a Combat Soldier:
Combat Field Jacket Set (93635010 / 34101)
Jacket, M1 Rifle, M1 Bayonet, Cartridge Belt and sections, 6 x hand grenades. Equipment Manual.
Combat Field Pack Set (93635020 / 34102)
Field Pack, Pistol belt, first aid belt pouch, entrenching tool and cover, mess tine, knife, fork, spoon, canteen and cover. Equipment Manual.
Combat Helmet Set (93735510 / 34201)
Helmet, camo netting, plastic foliage. Equipment Manual.
Combat Sandbags Set (93735520)
3 x hessian sandbags. Equipment Manual.
Combat Mess Kit Set (93735530)
Mess tin, knife, fork, spoon, canteen and cover. Equipment Manual.
Combat Field Pack Set (93735500 / 34201)
Field pack with buckles, entrenching tool and cover. Equipment Manual.
Combat Rifle Set (93735540 / 34202)
M-1 rifle, shoulder strap, bayonet, cartridge belt, 2 x quad cartridge sections, 6 x grenades. Equipment Manual.
Camouflage Netting Set (93735550)
Netting, plastic multi-coloured foliage, tent posts, tent pegs, white cord. Equipment Manual.
This entry is dedicated to my dear friend and fellow collector Ricki Davis who passed away on September 5, 2023