ACTION MAN

US Paratrooper 1979

Period: Eagle Eyes

Dates: c.1979 until c.1981

Cat No: 34328

US Paratrooper Description:

The Action Man US Paratrooper was visually based on the US 82nd Airborne of World War Two. It was very accurate in terms of colour and featured detailed plastic webbing and an M1 rifle. The uniform was ultra detailed and lightweight but had unhemmed pockets. This Action Man uniform had many tiny metal/brass buttons. The paratrooper trousers had straps which tied around the knees. The US Paratrooper helmet was unique - having detailed Airborne style chin strap.

34328

ACTION MAN US PARATROOPER: Jacket, trousers, trouser ties, plastic webbing, M1 Rifle, canteen, brown boots, helmet with netting, bayonet, scabbard, 4 x grenades, Equipment Manual.

Notes:

The US Paratrooper features only in the 1979 - c.81 equipment manual/poster but may well have run on a year or two. The next poster was in 1981 and he is omitted. The current Action Man figure at the time of launch in 1979 was an Eagle Eye dynamic body as shown in the images. The webbing can go dry and brittle, and a common break point is in the buckle area. The Later M1 is featured with its plastic strap. The bayonet holder is dark green with a point and the bayonet should have a silver end on the handle (not as shown in picture). The US 82nd Airborne badges, printed on a silk type material are not held on very well and can easily become detached. The helmet featured a 'camo' net - basically fine green netting cover (not shown). The stars and strips featured is in fact wrong, it has the wrong number of stars for the years of WW2 - they should appear like a grid pattern rather than offset rows!