GI Joe® FAQ:
Vintage Joes

This FAQ is about 12" GI Joes. Questions about Action Man and cheap Joe rip-offs have also been included. Most of these questions and answers come from alt.toys.gi-joe. Thanks to everyone who posted either a question or its answer!

If your Joe is foreign in origin, check out the Geyperman Guide or the Action Man Collector's Page. For photos of many vintage Joes, check out the Vintage GI Joe Page.

If you still haven't found an answer, you might check Hasbro's FAQ or post your question to alt.toys.gi-joe.

1. Was the scar painted on all of the original vintage Joes? Actually, the original vintage black Action Soldiers did not have paint on their scar. Only the Caucasian ones did. The photos on the covers of the black Joe books are "computer enhanced" versions of a photo of the Caucasian Joe-therefore the black Joes depicted on the book covers have paint on their scars.

2. What hair/eye color combinations did the original Joes come in? The vintage painted hair Joes were release with the following hair/eye colors: Blonde and Brown haired Joes all have brown eyes. Black and Red haired Joes all have blue eyes. The vintage black (African American) Action Soldiers all had brown or rust colored eyes. I have heard of a few "miscolored" vintage examples, but that is rare. -- John Medeiros

3. I found an old Joe in my childhood collection and he has white hair! Has anyone else seen this? Yep, I got one also. -- T

4. Did Hasbro ever make an African American fuzzhead with a mustache but no beard? No. -- Zaire

5. Are the Australian and English belt the same style; do they look exactly alike? There are differences: The Aussie belt has a ">" shape at the end, while the British belt has a single edge, i.e. "/". -- Derryl D. DePriest Based on talking to dealers, items I have purchased, and photographs, I believe these two belts were identical (with square buckle) while the Japanese soldiers belt had the "arrow" shape at one end. -- David J. Pawlowski

6. Which "Joes" came with an M-1 Garand rifle? Most army sets had M1 rifles, and marine and USAF sets tended to have the carbine. The 30th soldier has the M1, and the 30th Pilot has the carbine, for example - true even of 1964-1969 releases. -- Mark H. Walsh

7. What hair colors did the Talking Commander's come in? The Talking Commander was either a brown beard face or a AA beard face. There were no red-heads. -- Brian DeMascio

8. "I've got a blonde TM painted hair Joe for sale." What does TM mean? TM means he was made in 1964 or 1965. Check: http://www.bigredtoybox.com/index.html for help in identifying figure markings. -- Kevin

   TM means "Trade Mark". It refers to the earlier (1964-65)Joes that have this mark on their butts. -- John

9. I have a a Joe pelvis with a nice smooth bottom. There's no mention of Hasbro, Cotswold, or a patent number. What is this?

   It sounds like one of the butts to the first series of Joes. The trademark notice was originally going to be on the shoulder. -- KevHead

   It could be an Action Man or Takara piece. Look at it carefully. Do you notice a faint red patina to the plastic, especially on the inside of the pelvis? It is actually like a fungus, or mold - it will come off if you rub it. If your piece has this, then you have a terrific find - the pelvis of an early '64 "Etched Shoulder" or "Branded Shoulder" figure, where the figure was marked differently from the majority of figures we know where the brand is on the Joe's behind. Unfortunately for you, the more interesting part of the figure is the shoulder, rather than the pelvis. -- Derryl D. DePriest

10. How big were the old orange parashoots? I have an Action Man Green plastic parachute pack that has a solid orange chute. The chute is 34" x 34" square! -- Trent My used orange parashoot has a 30" diameter. -- JM

11. How can I tell the difference between authentic Joe boots and knock-offs? You can tell Joe boots by the rim around the bottom. Earlier versions actually have GI JOE HASBRO on the bottom." -- Don Thompson

    Boots are one of the hardest things to tell the difference between Hasbro and knock off. There are a lot of non-Hasbro boots out there; some much more obvious than others. It's confused even more now with all of the masterpiece Joes out there. Generally a Hasbro boot has very clear and crisp molding detail. The ridge on the bottom is a good tell tale sign as well. It actually appears that the bottom of the boot is actually indented flat across except for that ridge which is actually about 1/4" wide. There is also a definite mold line directly down the middle of the boot all the way around it; again a ridge, but a very thin raised edge that sticks out to the top above the laces. There also a few different boots out there; rubber ones, first edition types and many others. When you get into the Adventure team years it gets even more sketchy." -- DMcKee63

    When I look for knock-off boots, there are two weed-out factors that I look for: Thickness of plastic and molding detail on the laces. Hasbro used thicker plastic on their (plastic) boots, and the detail around the laces was great. The cheap knock-offs are pretty obvious, as you can usually hold them up to the light and see light through some of the thin spots. I also look for texture, as the Hasbro boots were always smooth, whereas the knock-offs didn't have quite as polished a tool used to mold them. This marks off onto the boot. -- Trent

    Hasbro boots are made of a thicker plastic than most but not all knockoffs. They have better and/or crisper detail. You can compare them to ME boots to see what the details should look like. Me boots aren't quite as crisp as vintage but better than knock offs. I seem to recall that there are some hasbro stamped boots, but most are not stamped. None of mine are stamped. -- Scott Baker

12. I've seen a few people mention "Super Joe." I'm a late 60s, early 70s vintage kid, but I've never heard of "Super Joe" except here. What are they? The super Joe line came out in early 1977. He was an 8 1/2" figure, get this the reason he was shorter was because of the oil shortages which in turn made the price of plastics more expensive to produce a larger figure. I personaly don't believe that, since his mission was to defend the universe. They had to make a whole new line so why not make him different. After all he needed batteries to operate his power vest and and light up his breast plate. They made a whole series of these guys to include such names as GOR, Luminos, well you get the picture. -- Michael Venture

13. I found a 70's GI Joe brown haired head with what appears to be a "black" eye, as if he had been in a fight. I think that it is a modification, but it was a very good job. The purple tint is not in his eye or on the scar. Has anyone seen this before? I've seen what you're talking about lots of times . The marks, which look like bruises, are caused by small metallic particles which become trapped in the plastic. Over time the particles cause a reaction which shows up as a purple/blue mark. -- Kevin Merkley

14. What did the talking Joes say?
    • Talking Action Soldier
      1. GI Joe U.S. Army...reporting for duty
      2. Take the jeep and get some ammo, fast!
      3. This is Charlie Company...send reinforcements
      4. Cover me...IUll get that machine gun
      5. Take Hill 79...move out
      6. All unit...commence firing
      7. Medic, get that stretcher up here
      8. Enemy planes...hit the dirt!
    • Talking Action Marine
      1. GI Joe U.S. Marine Corps...reporting for duty
      2. We must hold this position....dig in.
      3. Let's go Leathernecks...move out!
      4. Prepare wounded for helicopter pick-up.
      5. Man the machine gun.
      6. Paratroopers Hook-up.....Geronimo
      7. Enemy Patrol sighted - fix bayonets.
      8. Marines.....hit the beach!
    • Talking Action Pilot
      1. GI Joe, US Air Force...reporting for duty
      2. Enemy fighters...12 oUclock high!
      3. Over target...bombs away
      4. Runway clear...prepare for take-off
      5. Fighter Pilots...Scramble
      6. All systems go...10 seconds to re-entry
      7. Crash crew...emergency, runway 4
      8. Engine two on fire...bail out, bail out.
    • Talking Action Sailor
      1. GI Joe, US Navy...reporting for duty;
      2. Now hear this...prepare to launch aircraft;
      3. Man your battle stations;
      4. Frogmen, check your scuba gear;
      5. Salvage diver...report to the bridge;
      6. Capsule sighted...prepare to pick up astronaut;
      7. Enemy submarine...off port bow;
      8. Damage control...fire in the engine room.
    • Talking Astronaut (all)
      1. Ten seconds to lift-off and counting
      2. We have ignition, lift off!
      3. Confirm second stage separation
      4. Entering lunar orbit
      5. Prepare lunar module
      6. Landing party now on moon
      7. Main chute is open
      8. Splashdown on target
    • Talking Adventure Team Commander
      1. I've got a tough assignment for you
      2. This is going to be rough, can you handle it?
      3. We must get there before dark, follow me
      4. The Adventure Team has the situation controlled
      5. Set up team headquarters here
      6. Contact Adventure Team Headquarters right away
      7. The Adventure Team is needed in Africa
      8. Mission accomplished, good work men
    • Talking Man of Action
      1. GI Joe U.S. Army...reporting for duty
      2. Take the jeep and get some ammo, fast!
      3. This is Charlie Company...send reinforcements
      4. Cover me...IUll get that machine gun
      5. Take Hill 79...move out
      6. All unit...commence firing
      7. Medic, get that stretcher up here
      8. Enemy planes...hit the dirt!
    • Talking Man of Action with Lifelike Body and Kung Fu Grip hands.
      1. Welcome to the Adventure Team!
      2. Trouble is our business!
      3. The Troubleshooter is needed!
      4. C'mon, the Adventure Team is needed!
      5. This calls for the Kung Fu Grip!
      6. That's Teamwork!
      7. One for all, and all for one!
      8. Let's take the helicopter!
    -- Don Thompson

15. What year did the patent numbered "butt markings" first appear? 1967. You can learn more about what was stamped on Joes' butt at Don Thompson's web site. -- John

16. What were the original names considered for GI Joe? Ace (pilot), Skip (sailor), Rocky (marine) -- John

17. Are the boxes for the Caucasian and black 1969 Adventurer GIJoes identical? No, There's a round sticker that said "Negro Adventurer" on the black one. -- John

18. Where was the GI Nurse doll manufactured? Hong Kong -- John

19. What color are the GI Nurse's eyes? Green -- John

20. What hair colors did the A.T. Talking GIJoe Astronaut come in? Blonde or brown -- John

21. What nations were represented by the "Soldiers of the World" series? France, Great Britian, Australia, Germany, Russia, and Japan - There was also a Canadian commando which was same as British but with different wording on box. -- John

22. What might be stamped in a genuine Hasbro fatigue cap? USA, Hong Kong, China -- John

23. I picked up a mint space suit with accessories (and a capsule) a few years back. My suit has the vertical zipper in front - not the diagonal one usually found on the old suits. Was this a later-60's reissue or the fire suit? It has the US Flag patch on the shoulder, but when I look in the Encyclopedia of GI JOE (which lists all of the releases w/details), I don't see it in any of the pictures unless I just missed something? There are three space suit version, of progressing cheapness. The first version had three zippers, the second had two, and the Adventure Team and Backyard Patrol version had one zipper. You have the latter, most likely. Backyard Patrol was sold in a bag with a cardboard header card which was hung from a peg. Many repackaged Joe items were sold under the BP guise during the 70's, while mainstream Joe was in the Adventure Team era. -- Derryl D. DePriest

24. I just purchased a pre-KFG AT Joe, facial hair and all, and I need to get him some shoe or boots for his feet. Do the Cotswold elite shoes fit my newest Joe or will I have to search for vintage footwear? The elite stuff will fit vintage Joes. -- Robert Sorrels

25. Can someone tell me something about the white GI Joe boots? I understand they look just like the black ones. When where they made? What did they go with? The White Lace-up boots are a known variation from the set "Deep Freeze" which was released in 1967. They are very uncommon as the cleated arctic style boots that usually came with this set. The boots are identical to the regular tall brown or black lace-up boots but molded in white. -- Kevin Merkley

26. Is there any difference between the forearms of Joes with hard hands and Joes with KFG? Yes, there is a subtle difference. If you pull the hands out and look at the forearm directly (the well and peg hole that the hand fit into), you will notice that the sunken well that the wrist ball fits into is deeper on the KFG forearms. If you put a pair of hard hands into a KFG forearm, the wrist rivet will be slightly covered. -- David

27. I have a blue jump suit with white strips down the legs, arms and down the chest with 3 metal snaps. The tag in back reads GI Joe made in Taiwan. What set did this come from? The junpsuit you have is from Aerial Recon, It's an excellent set that uses a Johnny-Quest like Hover Platform. -- Derryl D. DePriest

28. I am looking for release information on the years Joe came with the soft head versus the years with the hard head. Can anybody help?? I don't think that there is a definite answer. The early heads seem to be mostly hard heads, but how hard they started out is the question. Early heads were harder than soft heads to begin with and continued to get harder and smaller. But, I have patent pending figures with soft heads that I know were never messed around with. The last painted hair figures were definitely soft heads and of course the first life like hair figures were just painted hair figures with flocking applied over top of the paint. I have lots of these. I also have seen medium soft heads that were somewhere in between. My guess is that they just didn't harden as much as some others. I think probably that there were ongoing changes at the factories, running changes so to speak, that were phased in as production went on. They probably changed the amount of plastisizers, or the temperature of the molds, or whatever, as things went along and that's why there are some inconsistencies in the production. -- Kevin Merkley

    I have had five Joes in my collection that are early 1964 TM Joes with all the early indicators and they have very soft, huge heads which are almost "gummy" in texture. They are so big it's hard to get the helmet clips over the ears. They have all the early Joe face paint characteristics: hand painted features, eye liner under the eyes, etc., and here's the weird part, they smell just like my old Joe from 1964 used to smell - a very strong vinyl smell. I still have my childhood Joe and his head is now hard and much smaller and the smell is no longer present. So these guys are probably what many of the Joes started out like in 1964 before the plasticiser in the vinyl escaped and they shrunk and hardened. They are kind of hard to find in this condition, and I grab them whenever I see them. --John Medeiros

29. My vintage Joes's head isn't quite porpotioned to his body? Is this a normal thing, or did my Joe fight a losing battle to a few headshrinkers? I got this info from the Joe Depot web site. The joe heads from 1964-67 did not have enough plastisizer so they quickly became hard and shrank to varying degrees. Their website has a good article on that under Joe Trivia. It shows a picture of 3 heads, one very shrunken with the head almost squeezed off of it's post, the other slightly shrunken, and the 3rd normal size. Many of the old painted heads are referred to as 'hard heads'. If you've noticed the adventure team heads are much softer. -- W. Tracy

30. I have a set of vintage marine camos that say: GI JOE Hasbro Made in Okinawa Has anyone else seen this? These are pretty rare. I would estimate there's about one in every 100 pieces of fatigues. I know Hasbro in the first few years was struggling to meet demand, so several factories in different places were handling the work. -- Derryl D. DePriest

    The first issue items were either made in Japan or Okinawa. The first issue made in Okinawa have the "Made in Okinawa" tag. The others were simply tagged "G.I. Joe, by Hasbro TM" with no production city. "Made in Okinawa" clothing should always be camo or fatigue uniforms. -- Mike

    The tags of the earliest Joe stuff reflect multiple places of manufacture. While the primary factories were being set up in Japan, there were places in Hong Kong and Okinawa making uniforms and equipment. One can imagine that this was done to get it market ready for the big Pre-Christmas season of 1964. All these tags will have the T.M marking after the G.I. Joe. This is how the different tags will read:

    GI Joe T.M. By Hasbro

    GIJoe T.M. By Hasbro R Made in Hong Kong

    GIJoe T.M. By Hasbro R Made in Okinawa

    The TM Okinawa tags have been found on camouflage tops and trousers, OD tops and trousers and field jackets. The TM Hong Kong and TM "no country" tags have been found on all types of the 1964 uniform line: original service uniforms, Scramble suits, Air Force Dress, Marine Dress, MPs, etc. Sometimes mint examples of garments with the "no country of origin" tags will have a paper Hong Kong tag under the fabric one. Clothes found with just a paper HK tag and no Joe tag are most likely generic or knockoff.

    Want to really get confused? Some of the earliest stuff had no markings at all. I have a Combat Field Jacket set from the original owner that has a real cloth ammo belt with fabric pouches, an unmarked M1 rifle and the field jacket itself has no tag whatsoever. He knows he got it all together as a kid and his childhood collection contains no knockoff items. And, I know it's all Hasbro: its identical to the TM HK and TM Okinawa tagged examples I've had. Some of these unmarked items were supposedly the ones used as salesman's samples and store displays, but some may have made their way into general release. Either way, these early variations just make our hooby richer and more interesting. Ain't it fun? -- John Medeiros

31. I recently got a vintage (Hasbro Japan) ski patrol outfit (bear patch). The question is that the pants are not gathered with elastic. All the pictures I have seen, show them as gathered at the bottom. Does anyone know if there are two versions? Joe Bodnarchuk used to put out an actual magazine called "Headquarters Quarterly". The Summer '94 issue has a full description on all of the variations of the Snow Troops. There were indeed two variations in the pants, elastic and none. There are three versions of the parka:
    1. double draw string at bottom and one draw string in the center of the parka
    2. double draw string at bottom only
    3. single draw string at bottom only
    There were two variations of mittens:
    1. tight elastic around wrists
    2. loose elastic around wrists
    The early versions, like those parkas listed in 1. above had both registered and TM on the tag. The later version had only registered. -- Trent

32. Since I only have 2 vintage Joes in my collection (Action Soldier & Talking Action Soldier), I'm curious to know how "exact" the Masterpiece Joes are. If someone tried to sell you a dog tag or outfit off a Masterpiece could you tell? The original uniforms will have a tag that indicates in was "Made in Hong Kong" or "Made in Japan". The Masterpiece say "Made in China". The boots on the Masterpiece seem to be a lighter shade of brown than the originals. I do not have a pair of original black boots so I'm not sure how they compare. As far as the dog tags go, as near as I can tell, they are identical and I mean identical. -- Karl Clapp

    I have some original tall black boots on my vintage Joes and the new black boots on the Masterpiece pilot are nearly exact, but seem to be about 1/8 inch taller. The stitching on the original boots seems to be more detailed, even though the original boots are duller and not as new and shiny. No markings on bottom of either boot. black boots on the Masterpiece pilot are nearly exact, but seem to be about 1/8 inch taller. The stitching on the original boots seems to be more detailed, even though the original boots are duller and not as new and shiny. No markings on bottom of either boot. -- Valerie Myers

33. I recently bought a collection of Joes made in Canada and would like some information about them. They all have "goofy" feet and thinner biceps. What's the deal with this? Goofy Feet? You mean the early smaller feet? I've never thought they were goofy, as they go into the boots much easier. The bicep variation is not a Canadian thing, as I have numerous U.S. figures with that lesser bicep. It's just a mould variation. The feet are different because Canada got the first moulds, and they were used there throughout the production run (including the Adventure Team). -- Kevin Merkley

    Canadian Joes are the same as U.S Joes. The first Action Man stuff was identical to the U.S. issue as well. But, Action Man (as produced by Palitoy) differed greatly from Hasbro products as time went on. Canadian Joes never differed to any great extent, other than the mould variations and a few different uniforms. The main differences:

    • Use of the "small" feet (early mould)
    • Use of short brown boots - including the Adventure Team. Quite often Land Adventurers and Black Adventurers came with short brown boots. These are a different mould than the vintage ones.
    • Different butt markings
    • Warranty card included in paperwork
    • Several different uniforms:
      • The first (and best) being the `67 Royal Canadian Mounted Police. By the way, this outfit has the wrong accessories in Desimones book. It did not come with a badge (thats the State troopers) and its missing the rare brown first aid pouch.
      • The British Commando, when sold in Canada, was labeled "British and Canadian Commando".
      • The Rare 69 Race Car/driver and Highway Patrolman/motorcycle were sold in Canada. In fact, I had the Race Car and remember smashing it in the neighbours basement!
    • There is no Vintage "Negro Soldier". Due to Canada's low Black population, it was never sold in Canada. There are` however, Canadian Black Adventurers and Black Talking Commanders. But they're sure not common. By the way,the 30th Ann.Black Soldier was never released in Canada either.
    • In the A-Team Era there were several different sets. Things like the store exclusives that were US only (J.C. Penney's Jeep set) were sold in different boxes and at different stores. Plus, late in the era, another Mountie, a Cowboy,an Indian and a Adventurer were released in European style boxes.
    • Of course, many of the boxes were bilingual (French/English).
    • Talking Commanders were available in French or English. -- Kevin Merkley

34. I bought a blonde AT guy with no beard. Is this an man of action? I thought they were all brown headed. Hasbro offered both as a choice at first ('70 to '73 Hard Hands), but then later religated the Blonde MOA as the Astronaut. -- Dave He could also be a non-talking astronaut. I've had one for 20 years. -- Joe Shipley

35. I have a Dress Marine outfit and have read that there is a soft hat and hard hat version. The one I have has a hat that is rubber like and I could fold it in two, if I wanted. Do I have a hard hat or soft hat? Also, what is the difference? You have the soft one. The hard one is very hard. It is also generally much smaller than the soft one. (like too small to go on Joe's head). For those who have the hard one, a little time in some boiling water will soften the hat enough to put it on a head. Just put it on hot and let it cool in place. It helps if you use a small, hard headed Joe. -- Kevin Merkley

    You have the soft hat. It was only available in the Sears exclusive Dress Marine set, so it's rarer than the hard hat. -- AdamsHWA

36. What's the difference between the original feet on vintage Joes and those from the Adventure Team Joes? The Adventure Team feet are more precise. All the little toes are well defined, etc. The color is pinker. The shapes of the body parts are different as well. They really stand out on a doll. -- muffin@bbs.phantasy.com

    There were actually three issues of G.I. Joe feet. The first issue feet are slightly smaller than the second issue and have no space between the toes. Rivets are painted. The first issues were attached to Joes that were produced in 1964. The small feet come with figures who have an R on the butt next to the G.I. Joe designation. From 1965 through 1969 the feet are larger than the previous issue and have spaces between the toes. The rivets are, however, still painted. The next issue began in 1970 when, due to a cost savings at Hasbro, the rivets were no longer painted with a flesh tone. They should be a shiny or dull metal with no paint. These lasted until 1976 when the new "muscle body" was introduced. -- Mike

37. When did they stop putting the flocked hair on the Joes? Flocked hair was standard from 1970-1978. After 1978, the 12 inch joe was no longer made. -- Lisa

38. Which Joes have blonde flocked hair? Blonde hair joes were the talking astronaut (no beard) and the air adventurer (with beard). -- Lisa

    The blond non-talking astronaut was only available in the 1970 issue of "SpaceWalk Mystery". Some of them did show up as variations though and were sold as a Man of Action. -- Tom Calhoun

    The Man of Action figure originally came in two hair colors, brown and blonde. The blonde version is slightly harder to locate. -- Randy Ferreira

39. I'm trying to identify a uniform. It is a two color camo pattern, brown and tan, very large pattern. The pants are long, and the shirt has long sleeves and a hood. The tag says GIJOE Hong Kong. You have just described the "Thrust into Danger" Adventure Team outfit. -- Barry Middleton

40. Every cartridge belt I've seen at shows, in books etc., is green, but the ones I have from when I was a kid are khaki. What do you think?

    Hasbro made belts in khaki, green and white. -- Mike

    The tan or khaki belts are original Hasbro issue. They are just not quite as common as the green ones. -- Joe Man

41. What's the difference betweeen the Aussie Jungle Fighter (Vintage) and the desert fighter that came with the 1967 Desert Jeep? My desert fighter Joe has corporal stripes, unit patch shorts, brown boots, a bush hat, and a mechette with cover figure. Do I have a desert fighter or jungle fighter? The jeep driver uniform has one small difference. It should have on the right side at the waist, an epalet with a snap. This was for the holster. The rest of the uniform was the same, except for the amber goggles the driver wore. -- Kevin M. Epling

    My jeep driver came with the no-snap flavor of jacket and green goggles with white trim. So, there is no difference between the driver of my jeep and the Aussie outfit. Apparently, Hasbro just filled the orders with whatever they had on hand. Some drivers will have the no snap variation, and some will have green goggles. -- Derryl D. DePriest

42. Were the Adventure Team stickers all made out of plastic? Actually, the AT stickers did come in plastic and paper. The paper ones often appear on dark uniforms such as Spy Island because the plastic ones tend to dissapear on a dark shirt. -- Tom Calhoun

43. Is there any way to tell a Negro Action Soldier from a 1969 Negro Adventurer? The first one has "Patent Pending" on his butt. There is no colour difference. -- Kevin Merkley

44. I'm trying to determine the differences between Sabotage and Spy Island. Spy Island doesn't have a gas mask or a flare gun and the knit cap is plastic. Did Spy Island substitute a camera for a blinker light? Were the wire rolls black on both, or did one have a green roll? Did both sets come with boots? Sabotage did not have boots or a camera. I have seen unopened sets with either green or black wire rolls for Sabotage, but only black for the 1970 Spy Island. The 1969 SMTSI had camo fatigues as well as boots, while the 1970 version had the black pants and turtleneck sweater. Also, the Sabotage set came with an oar that had yellow or gold paint on the ends of the paddle and handle. I'm not sure about the '69 SMTSI set, but the '70 set had a solid black oar. The detonator from the Sabotage and '69 SMTSI sets had a vinyl handle, the '70 SMTSI had none. -- Chad Reed

45. Did Hasbro ever put out a solid white parachute? I got one recently, parachute only and green ropes but it looks too new to be vintage.

    The Adventure Team Free Fall set had either the red/white chute or an all white chute. Tom Calhoun

    If it is of a silky material with green ropes, it's the Gyper Man chute from their version of "Fantastic Freefall". It came with a blue hard chute case and a blue pull ring. -- Barry Middleton

46. I have an AT chute that is yellow and black/brown in an orange case. What's it from? It's from Skydive to Danger. -- Ron Jack

47. How do I set up this cloth parachute pack? There are two straps next to the "loops" that Joes legs go through. Where do these attach to? There is also a strap on the back of the pack. Does this go around the waist? And how do the straps on the airvest attach, especially the one on top with the hook? Santelmo's guide has instructions for the parachute pack. Directly off the leg loops there should be a plastic 'X' shaped fastener. Off the other side there are two straps with brass hooks that go over the shoulder and connect to the plastic 'X'. The pack hangs from these and is straped the the waist as you thought. I'm not sure how the air vest is supposed to attach, and I don't think anybody knows for sure. The only way I can get it to fit on is to run the two straps down between the legs and attach them to the strap that comes off the top. But every picture I see of them show the bottom straps going around the waist. It's too loose when I connect it that way. -- Scott Baker

48. How exactly is Joe supposed to wear a vinyl yellow air vest? Specifically, where do the straps go? The vest slips over his head, the loops attached to the bottom front go around Joe's waist and the loop at the top/back goes straight down. All three loops connect in the back with a ring and "s" hook. -- Ron Jack

49. Are the vintage Soldiers of the World actually different figures than their normal painted head counterparts or is it just the uniforms that make them different?

    The "Foreign Head" figures and the "Soldiers of the World" figures are the same. They are also referred to as "no-scar" heads. The exception is the Japanese figure which has a completely different head. Foreign heads weren't only used on foreign soldiers though, a lot of them were put on talking figures. And all of the foreigns have also been found with the regular scar-faced heads. -- Kevin Merkley

    I believe the soldiers of the World had the GI Joe body with a different head - I have heard it described as a European look. I have one with a different hair cut than the Joe counterpart, narrow head, big nose and very defined and angular facial features. -- Curt

    The Encycolopdia of Joe says that they were initially released with scar then later without. -- Tom

    My understanding with regard to the scar is that they were initially released without the scar, but ran out and then just started using regular Joes to complete the run. -- Jem

50. Did the the 1960's foreign soldiers have hair color specific to the set, or were they vaired? Could you get a German in blonde, black, red, or brown, or just in blonde? The Japanese was only available in black hair. The others were available in a all hair colors. -- Joe Bodnarchuk

51. How can you tell if a nude Joe is a foreign or not? All Foreign Soldiers Of The World are scarless, except for the first issue figures which came with a scarface GIJOE. For some more info on Foreign Soldiers Of The World take a look at http://www.bodnarchuk.com/gijoe/foreign.html -- Joe Bodnarchuk

52. I need help identifying a jacket. It's made by Palitoy and it's forest green with tails. The tails have yellow trim and 3 silver buttons. The collar and sleeves have white trim and the sleeves have 3 buttons also. There are 6 buttons down the front and 2 small hooks on front also. It sounds like what you have is the jacket from the Argyll & Sutherland Highlander uniform. -- Roy

53. What equipment did the Air Adventurer with KFG ship with? Orange Jumpsuit, AT decal, Black hunting rifle, short black boots, AT dogtag, AT club folder and the box. -- Tom Calhoun

54. I have a '73 AT Talking Adventure Team Commander (AA). Does anyone know if he came with a hat? No hat. Only the MOA, Astronaut, and of course Bulletman. -- Tom Calhoun

55. What's this I hear about first issue figures coming with small boots and fatigue caps with the "tiny" writing? Yes, those early boots can often be smaller. Many of the first issue rubber boots have shrunk due to the fact that rubber is organic and shrinks and hardens over time. These highly detailed rubber boots come in black or brown and have flat bottomed soles. On the very heel edge of the soles is a tiny Hong Kong stamp. The plastic fatigue caps with the tiny Hasbro Hong Kong markings inside actually are from the carded "Basics" sets from 1966. They also came with a dog tag and boots and were issued in the four services. These caps also have tiny holes on either side of the brim from being sewn to the card. The mold they were made with is slightly different with a more "pebbled" texture than the more common ones. The dog tags and boots that came on these cards were also different from the regular issue. The boots had a thinner ridge on the sole and the dogtags have a cheezier less defined look to the imprinting. They are also marked with two "R" markings instead of the usual "TM" and "R" markings . -- John Medeiros

56. Has anyone heard about the huge lot of Japanese heads found in a New England landfill? They were found about three years ago (1994) along with alot of scarface heads and black hands too. They have been showing up on the market since then. It used to be that the Japanese figure was considered "scarce", but not any more. At two of this year's conventions, there were more Japanese Imperial Soldiers in the salesroom than Green Berets or Dress Marines. One dealer in Annapolis had 13 of them at his booth. -- John Medeiros

57. Where there ever any planes made for G.I. Joe? Yes
    1. AT "Pursuit Craft"
    2. Panther Jet was by the Irwin Toy Co. (licensed by Hasbro)
    3. Panther Jet reissue as the "Hurricane Hunter Jet" in the 70's (not licensed)
    4. Action Man Stealth (available now)
    -- Joe Shipley, George Macedo, and Robert

58. I have a navy dress uniform top with a slit across the left chest. It look like it's hemmed and supposed to be that way. Was there originally a pocket flap there? Or is that the way it's supposed to be? It's second issue with the zipper going to the armpit. Slash Pocket. Carry nothing in it. Never open it. Pretend you don't have it. Pray it stays flat. -- Wess Daniels

59. Did Joe ever come with painted beards? I picked up two at a flea market, but they look like they have after market painted beards. Vintage - no. The modern 12" Roadblock has a painted goatee. -- Robert Sorrels

60. Where can I get some tennis shoes that will fit vintage and CC Joes? The Mike Powers Secret Mountain Outpost set had a pair of white tennis shoes. They fit the vintage Joes and I would assume the Classic Collection. -- Dan Meyer

61. How many crash crew suits issued? I just bought a nice one that doesn't have jacket pockets or the patches sewn into the knees. There are in fact, at least three significant variations:
    1. classic window-boxed set -with the pockets and flexi-knee patches
    2. later Backyard Patrol issue - with a very cheap hood and a jacket without pockets
    3. the Crash Crew only variant - which is the most unusual of the three. If you have a hood with a lens and a jacket without pockets, you might have a cobbled-together set
    -- Derryl D. DePriest

62. Can anyone tell me what the little slot in the SP tunic is for? It's located on the left side breast just next to the collar. It's got dark blue thread stitched all the way around it and it opens to the inside as though something is supposed to slip in there. I always thought it was supposed to look like a pocket, similar to the rear "pockets" in the Airforce Dress Pants. -- GIDAVE60

63. I need help identifying a back pack. It's tan in color with a Hasbro label in it. It does not have the white star on it, so it's not the Japanese pack. The one shoulder strap is located along the one edge of the pack the other strap is located in the center of the pack and seems to be shorter in length. Can anyone tell what set this pack belongs to? You've got a British gas mask bag. -- John Hansen

64. Can someone please tell me what items made up the Volcano Jumper set (AT)? Parts list: Red jumpsuit with AT decal, blue hood with plastic visor, black belt, yellow chest pack harness, nylon rope for harness, small yellow "radio", instruction sheet. For a picture, visit the Adventure Team page and look under Small Blue Window Boxes. -- Tom C

65. I've heard of Takara Joes. What are they?

    Takara's Combat Joes were produced in Japan in the 80's. I believe there were 7 very nicely detailed outfits total. They had a SWAT, CHIPS, German Officer, German Soldier, German Tanker, US WW2 Soldier, and US modern Soldier. They are hard to come by here in the US and are rather pricey. You can find just the figures, just the outfits, just the gear, or the figure wearing the outfit. If you have access to a the book Collectible Action Figures by Manos they have color pictures of the Takara stuff. -- Leroy

    Takara Joes are no longer available in Japan. Influenced by Hasbro, they came out in the 70's and had a beautiful line of outfits. Their uniforms were far more superior in details and military specifications. For example, the Panzer Officer outfit is excellent, so is the Green Beret (the very first Tiger Stripe outfit!). They are hard to find, and when found, not cheap. -- JLJO

66. I recently acquired some Joe labeled clothes that carry a made in Taiwan label. Does anyone know the story behind these pieces? These were later issue Adventure Team outfits. The quality was really bad on the Taiwan stuff. -- AXEL GI These were made very late in the line - usually around the Mike powers era. -- Jennamat

67. I found a pair of green G-Pants. What pilot did these go with? The G-Pants go with the Fighter Pilot. -- Doug Thomas

68. I've been looking for a scramble pilot parachute pack for the past year ... The scramble pilot parachute pack (all cloth) didn't come with a chute, just a hunk of cardboard inside. -- Randy

69. Were the French guy's dungarees a special manufacture for the figure, or did those pants appear in other sets as well? The French pants are different the denim pants that came with any other set. They are easy to distinguish because of the tapered leg. If the leg is straight, it's Navy, if it's tapered it's French. -- Derryl D. DePriest

70. Did any LSO sets include a sky blue jumpsuit with red stripes? This is a knock off jumpsuit. It's not genuine Hasbro. -- MBaker Toys

71. Why are there so many more Green Beret items for sale than other vintage sets? The reason is not because so many different options were available, but that the set flat out kicked butt and kids bought it up in huge quantities. As a result, it got reordered many times, whereas, say, the LSO or Jungle Fighter sets were less poplar and did not get reordered as frequently. It also helped that the Green Beret came packaged with a figure, which meant that retailers could order that version separately, without getting loaded down with slow-moving Deep Freeze sets. -- Derryl D. DePriest

72. How many variations are there on the MP? The MP came in three variations: common brown, less common tan, and rarer green version. -- KevHead

73. I recently purchased an olive green M.P. uniform exact in every way to the brown GiJoe M.P. uniform except the tag inside says "Made in Hong Kong British Crown". Is this a GiJoe M.P. uniform? No, what you have is a knock-off uniform. Although the quality may be there, these were outfits produced by other companies and are not genuine Hasbro goods. As such they are worth next to nothing. -- Derryl D. DePriest

74. Did atomic man come with dog tags? I've been told by fellow Sandboxers that he did not have dog tags. The picture in the DeSimone ID guide shows a Mike Power with no dog tags either. -- The Bear

75. Why is Atomic Man is the least valued figure today? I think the reason is because he sold so well when he was released in 1975. Because of his success, Hasbro kept putting him out and made a ton of the things. Hence, he's not exactly rare. So whether you like him now or not, kids liked him then. -- Rich Brown

76. Tell me more about Atomic Man. His name is Mike Power not Powers. As far as I know, there is nothing that identifies him as "Major" Mike Power. Santelmo repeatedly calls him Major, but I don't know where on earth he got that information. Mike's atomic eye was not one you could look through, nor was it supposed to give him "zoom" lens type vision. That's the 6 Million Dollar Man Figure which came with an eye that you could look through and which supposedly gave him better eyesight. Mike Power's eye was designed so that light could go through the top and thus make his eye seem to glow. His eye supposedly could signal and also gave him X-ray vision. -- RichBrown

77. How do the French and Spy Island sweaters differ from the Aquanaut sweater? The french sweater is very coarsely knit, and the tag says Japan on it. The aquanaught and the spy sweater are fine knit and their tag says Hong Kong. -- Segar RJ

78. How many versions of the M16 did Hasbro make? There were two U.S. versions of Hasbros M16: one had small holes along the top of the foregrip, the other had serations along the sides of the foregrip. Only the earlier versions had brown stocks; later versions were all black with no paint. The Palitoy releases of the M16 (also produced and marked "HASBRO") were all black with a rubber sling in place of the elastic used in U.S. released version's. -- John Hansen

79. I picked up a scramble pilot helmet today. How can I tell if the visor is from Hasbro or Cotswold? The Hasbro visor has a step in the frame to accommodate the visor, while the cotswolds doesn't. It has 2 little pegs to align the visor on its frame. -- Jedi tls

80. Tell me about the Hasbro German uniform. This is only 1 German uniform that Hasbro put out. Some of their licensees (Action Man, Takara, Geyperman to name a few) put out other versions, including DAK, officers and tankers. The Feldgrau (gray/green) uniform was worn by all branches of the military, but particularly the Army (Heer) and Waffen SS. Because of the placement of the eagle on the uniform and the type of collar tabs, the Hasbro one is Army. The color of the Hasbro uniform is way too dark a green to be feldgrau wool. It is actually closer to the color of the summer reed green HBTs though. The epaulets were red, which indicates him to be in the artillery. Action Man put out a version with white boards that would have been correct for infantry. You can't really tell rank because the collar tabs are inaccurate. To add equipment to your figure for military (not collectable) accuracy, pick up a belt, a set of ammo pouches, a breadbag, canteen, messkit, bayonet and shovel (although you need a carrier for the shovel and Cotswold doesn't make one). Y straps would be good too. If I were to give him a rank, it would be grenadier/landser (rank private). Therefore, get one of the new sculpt helmets and a 98K rifle rather than the machine gun (the ammo pouches are wrong for the machine gun). Use some sort of solvent and take the decal for the 3 colored national shield off of the helmet. These were discontinued in 1939 or 1940. -- Jack

81. How does one wear G pants? Wear them with the holes facing front. -- Ken Davis

82. How exactly is Joe supposed to wear the yellow vinyl air vest? Specifically, where do the straps go?

    The vest slips over his head, the loops attached to the bottom front go around Joe's waist and the loop at the top/back goes straight down. All three loops connect in the back with a ring and "s" hook. -- Ron Jack

    According to the air manual, Joe's head goes thru the big hole. There should be an 's' shaped hook attached to the top loop (yours may not have one) and the two loops on the bottom slip through the bottom part of the 's'. -- ScottBaker

83. How manu different ATVs were there?
    1. Yellow ATV with no slat holes in front from The Secret of Mummy's Tomb
    2. Yellow ATV with holes in front sold by itself I think (or perhaps Recovery of the Lost Mummy)
    3. Orange ATV from Fate of the Troubleshooter (with tank treads, windshield, and a panel at the front with fake headlights)
    4. Tan (light brown) ATV with tank treads from Trapped in the Coils of Doom (Sears exclusive)
    5. There was also a fifth version - the orange unit was sold alone as the ATV, without the front grillwork and with a sticker that said "Adventure Team Vehicle." -- Derryl D. DePriest & Robert Hall

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