#437 ACTION MAN / ADVENTURE TEAM / GEYPERMAN – SCOUT CAR/ CARRO BLINDADO (1975)

Although I have more Madelman and Geyperman (vintage G.I. Joe) toys, it’s been an eternity since I last talked about them. I received around one year ago a big box full of parts and pieces (some of them even in their original packages), but I haven’t had the time to sort everything out, and check which sets are complete and which sets aren’t. This is the first toy I am showing out of that lot.

 

The “Carro Blindado Geyperman” is really the “Scout Car” from Palitoy’s Action Man, a huge hollow plastic vehicle with very strong wheels. It has place for only one figure, and lacks of impressive features (only a movable machine gun, and a small flag –missing in this model, I will make a repro one as soon as possible), but it is still a nice vehicle for big (1:8) action figures. It has a spare wheel that can replace any of the other 4 wheels.

What I would point out are the stickers that the vehicle has. I think they’re original: head and rear lights, an army emblem and the Geyperman logo.

The vehicle looks very impressive even today. Despite being relatively simple (and probably) cheap to produce, its size makes it look better than it is. Surely a children’s favourite when playing with sand, stones…

In Germany, Schildkröt renamed the Scout Car as UN Friedenstruppe Sicherungs-Fahrzeug (Security Vehicle of the UN Peace Troops). We have commented several times that the German market is especially reluctant to any type of toys related to war.

In this Spanish catalogue image, we can see the a promotional diorama picture.

Geyperman Ref. 7404/ Carro Blindado

 And to finish the article, I'll show the original Spanish box. Rather por, since it is made of cardboard with very few colours.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: Scout Car / Carro Blindado (Ref. 7404) / UN Friedenstruppe Sicherheits-Fahrzeug
• Toy Line: G. I. Joe / Action Man / Adventure Team / Action Team / Geyperman
• Year: 1975
• Company: Hasbro (U.S.A.) / Palitoy (G. Britain) / Schildkröt (Germany) / Geyper (Spain)
• Size: approx. 50 cm

#67 ACTION TEAM – UN FRIEDENSTRUPPE SPECIAL-AUSRÜSTUNG (Ref. 6342 73) (1970)

I wanted to continue somehow the previous article, since I finished it with a catalogue image, in which this item is also displayed. The catalogue was printed by Schildkröt to promote the Action Team line in Germany. This set was sold in many different countries and many different versions. Each version is therefore “exclusive” of that land, that's why I'm just talking about the one made by Schilkröt.

The german version bag is obviously printed in German, with the Action Team logo and the words: “Action Team Ausrüstung” (Action Team Equipment). It is no ordinary soldier equipment, but U.N. Blue Helmet (Peace Troops’)­ equipment, because in Germany it is always important to reduce the military component of anything, specially if it’s a toy.

That’s why the helmet, which in other countries is a dark green one has been replaced by the blue in the picture with the UN sticker. Note that the catalogue image does not display the actual item, but some other panoply. This is because that picture was taken for American or British catalogue and Schildkröt probably changed the set after the catalogue was made.

The rest of the contents are very similar from land to land, and includes:

• Bag with strap
• A pair of black boots
• UN blue helmet
• Campstove
• Flask
• Mug
• Radiotelecommmunications set
• Lunchbox (2 parts) with knife, fork and spoon
• Binoculars
• Lebel revolver
• Shovel
• Dagger
• 6 Grenades
• Stirling submachine gun with strap and cartridge

Some of these items are still bagged... I didn't want to remove them from their original plastic bags.
In this picture of the actual set sold in toy stores can be seen that at least one version of this panoply included exactly those accessories. I think I got this image from some Ebay ad.

Especially curious is the radio set:

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: UN Friedenstruppe special-Ausrüstung (ref. 6342 73)
• Toy Line: Action Team
• Year: 1970
• Company: Schildkröt (Germany)
• Size: approx. 12 cm (bag)

#66 G. I. JOE / ACTION MAN / ADVENTURE TEAM – BUNK BED (1964 / 1966 / 1970)

The G. I. Joe line has a great number of accessories. Not all of them are vehicles, outfits or weapons, there are also many accessories for the playsets made. These beds were in production during many years because it was used for G. I. Joe/ Action Man as well as for its peace sequel Adventure Team/ Action Team.
 

The first collection was manufactured in the U.S.A. by Hasbro since 1964. In the United Kingdom, Palitoy made the same type of figures since 1966, although with significant differences. From this country, it was exported to Australia and many other Commonwealth countries.

 

With a few years delay, the figures were also produced in other European countries, most notably in Germany (by Schildkröt) and Spain (by Geyper). At the time, most of their catalogues were Adventure Team sets and figures, but some military uniforms were also still being sold. The bunk bed however fits both collections, as it can be used for soldiers of adventurers.

 

These bunk beds are perfect for the tent I presented several articles ago (#36). Although in the first picture are four of them, they were sold individually (that’s no bunk, but just a stackable bed). Depending of the manufacturer and the year, it could be bought bagged, boxed or carded.

 

Parts of 1 bed

As you can see in the pictures, it’s a very simple set, and it looks great with figures in. The poles seem to be very fragile, as most of the beds currently sold in Ebay have repro parts. From my 4 beds only 2 or 3 of these poles are broken and carefully repaired by the previous owner, the rest are like new. The figures I used in the pictures do not belong to any of the collections mentioned above, but to Mattel’s Big Jim. Each set included, the frames for the bed (2 parts), two poles (2 parts each) plus a piece of cloth. The frames have a peculiar form that allows them to be stacked.

 

Schildkröt catalogue image found on the internet

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: Bunk bed / Feldbett (Ref. 6342-72) / Litera de campaña (ref. 7305)
• Toy Line: G. I. Joe / Action Man / Adventure Team / Action Team / Geyperman
• Year: 1964 / 1966/ 1970
• Company: Hasbro (U.S.A.) / Palitoy (G. Britain) / Schildkröt (Germany) / Geyper (Spain)
• Size: approx. 25 cm

#36 ACTION TEAM/ ADVENTURE TEAM – ZELT (1970)

The Adventure Team was introduced in 1970 as an attempt to revitalize the sales of the G.I.Joe line. In 1968 and 69, the anti-war movement in the United States became much stronger, and many Americans stopped supporting the war in Vietnam after some revelations were made (specially the My Lai Massacre and the Green Beret Affair), and scandals dealing with torture and killing civilians rose up.

The sales of the G.I.Joe figures dropped, and Hasbro somehow reinvented the line by replacing soldiers by men of action. The Spanish company Madel, with their Madelman, had the same idea two years earlier (1968), while Big Jim would come two years later (1972). The “dog-tags” used by G.I.Joe were replaced by plastic tags with the logo of this new line. It’s no coincidence, that this logo resembles pretty much the peace sign.

Shortly, in 1969, there was available a kind of transitional figures called “Adventures of G.I.Joe”, but these figures didn’t have the “natural” hair in their heads and beards.

 

I cannot talk so far about the figures, because I do not own any of those. I recently acquired this tent, which belongs to this series, and that’s what you are watching right now.

 

What we find in this box, is the stand for the tent, made of plastic and carton, several poles made of plastic, the canvas of the tent, which is made of cloth, 4 thread-made bindings, plus a table and a folding seat, made partially of cloth.

 

Here is a picture detailing the cloth that makes the canvas of the tent, plus the binding. With all 4 bindings, the tent is completely steady.

 

The interior is relatively spacious, although there is not enough space to place more than one figure, or more than one bed. The clip buttons are not original and were added by the previous owner. The next picture shows the tent with open door, and you can make yourself an idea of the size by comparing it with the catalogue image below.

 

 

Geyper / Geyperman version of the Tent (Ref. 7401/ Tienda de Operaciones)

 

And to finish this article, a view of the box’s back. If this box doesn’t sound you familiar, it’s probably because it was made by Schildkrot, for the german market. Hasbro licensed this line in many countries, and that’s why the “Adventure Man” is known by many different names, and was made by many different companies.

 

In Spain, Geyper released this same playset as "Tienda de Operaciones" with reference number 7401. This set included a roll to keep maps, which was not included in the german version.

PS. I'm sorry I couldn't find the exact commercial name of this item in the Hasbro line (english), if somebody knows it, please leave a message, so I can correct this entry. Thankyou.

PS. These beds seems to be specially intended for the tent

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: ZELT / TENT? (Ref. 6341 46) / TIENDA DE OPERACIONES (Ref. 7401)
• Toy Line: Action Team / Adventure Team (G.I. Joe) / Geyperman
• Year: 1970
• Company: Schildkrot (Germany)/ Hasbro (U.S.A.) / Geyper (Spain)
• Size: approx. 33 cm x 23 cm x 23 cm
• Scale: approx. 1:8