Special Operations Tent 1973

Notes:

The Action Man Special Operations Tent has a few vulnerable parts that damage easily - the folding table mechanism, and tips of the tent poles. The table legs, if you look closely, snap into two rectangular holes in the table top at each end. The holes are spaced further apart one end than the other. This means the leg sections were probably designed to pass over one another when folding away, but they don't do so. This leads to stress fractures near the hinge site. Guy ropes are easily misplaced. The instructions mention a flocked base, however the example shown had only green printed card which is often missing as it only pushes under lugs. The example shown came to Action Man HQ with two identical chairs included - in exactly the same condition - suggesting they were a pair and may have been accidentally included. The map is the standard countryside version. Worthy of note is like many Palitoy pieces, there are differing shades of plastic and materials issued over its six year production spell. The box lid was sellotaped on all four long edges by Palitoy which can damage the box sides when opening.

Kenbrite of Australia were also given the license to produce a GI Joe 'Man of Action' version of this set, substituting the logos on the box (now a sleeve type box, not lidded type like the UK set). Their instructions were not by separate sheet, but printed on side two of the box.