Stad’s Thoughts on Plastic Figures for January 2017 this is posting I will talk about various things. I will be working on this article over the next few days so come back to see what I have added.
Stad’s Thoughts on Plastic Figures for January 2017 Mattell Guts
We have another possible source for Vietnam figures. That source is the Mattel Guts figures. They did two series you might look at. The first set is Green Berets. The second set is is the Jungle fighters. Each set has 10 different figures (Green Berets is nine figures and German Shepherd). I realize they are stylize and I am sure are not correct. Still these figures might be useful. Let me know.
Here we have from TD Barnecutt the Mattel Jungle fighters. This is the complete set of figures.
The back of the box shows the names of the figures. The names are hilarious: Bill Tell, Whacko, Cool Hand and Dog Breath.
Stad’s Thoughts on Plastic Figures for January 2017 Mystery Tank
Greg Liska spotted this listing on Ebay. Greg said this.
As far as I followed the thread, nobody could ID who might have made such a tank. It might have been solved, but this showed up on Ebay and it fits the description.
Yes a bit toysh but I love then ,I got all armies set, the army set w helmets too works good,the space/divers and futurist ninja not .
I already put in my VNW collection with ARGO 6 poses set.
There a set of theirs more action figure style but in not typical action figures, they come mounted in bases with weapons separated and mortar. I have few sets but I can not remember if was Hasbro or Mattel who did then, they are about 65 mm max.
Sorry ARCO,not Argo…
They were done by Mattel. Hasbro did one Green Beret t ype figure
Thanks I forgot the brand ,I have to dig then to take more photos…
I have then out of any box, never seen in pack…
Completely new to me – never seen them here in the UK. Would love to get hold of some to supplement my growing ‘Nam War forces! Have started looking on eBay. Thanks for the Heads Up Paul!
I remember them. I never got any because they were too stylish for my tastes; but then again, I think they were meant to be stylish and a bit cartoonish. If my grandkids had been around I definitely would have picked some up for them.
I have a few of them lying around here and there. They are definitely chunky and rather action-figurish in style. Stylistically they belong to the era of the A-Team and Rambo movies. I guess that your attitude towards them will reflect the discussions elsewhere as to whether you value toy soldier figures more as accurate models or more as reasonably historic toys.
There has got to be a source for swapping out head gear on the new ‘Nam SF figures. One thing toy soldier makers like to do is cover a particular Nation’s figures from a given war and they give you one or two figures from one type of unit, giving you 8 poses that belong to as many as 6 different units. Stuff like what Waterloo 1815 (HaT) did with the first group of Italian WWII soldiers; 2 Bersaglieri, 2 MVSN, 3 regular infantry, and an officer that could fit in with almost any of them. I bet there are heads out there somewhere to be used to make the group of figures look like they belong together. The first thing I thought of when I read Paul’s suggestion was to cut the berets off of them for conversion. I think they’d be too big and if I were doing SF in ‘Nam, that’s not how I’d depict them, but the option would be there for anyone who wanted that. I can imagine the counter point to this; why should you need to convert them if you just laid out all that money for these figures? Well, I don’t have a good answer for that. Few figure sets come out that are ‘right’ for me. I do a lot of converting. Toy soldier makers have to try to please a huge crowd to ensure profit. They will never please everyone.
Ive seen some of these Mattel Guts figures on ebay and they look really good, I especially like the set of Ninja figures, But ive never seen any close up. The reason i didn’t buy any was because i think they are 65mm tall, Where as i mainly stick to 50mm to 60mm. So perhaps just a little to big for me.
I will do photo compere w poses x you guys seen soon….
Thanks Erwin that would be Great.
I’ve only had a few Guts figures, but from what I remember they were pretty tall and quite thick. They were kind of cartoonish too if my memory serves me correctly. They reminded me of the GI Joe action figures except they were static poses not movable.
A Greek company call PETALO made then cloned or copied in solid colors, I do not know if those were smaller version or not…
I just wanted to say ,at onetime I had complete sets of all the figures.Sold most of them off. I realy liked the scuba divers the best.I may still have a few aroud some where.
I am keen to add some of these to a piece I want to do for Toy Soldier Collector on the new swathe of Vietnam figures which have come out. Two questions therefore:
1) Does anyone here have any to sell or swap? I ask because the p&p charges for the eBay sets in the US to the UK are alarmingly high. (Sorry if this breaks protocol Paul – just delete this if such requests are verboten)
2) Can anyone (and yes I am particularly looking at you paul 😉 ) add information, preferably with printable photos, on any other sets, or singles, of figures for the Vietnam war? I will include any info in the article, properly credited of course.
Many thanks
Mike
I could send pics of me wearing a beret,,a helmet ,,a baseball hat or nothing Lol,,,3 corps ,,66-67
on my head that is,,,,
Thanks JH but I think I’ll pass on that one – we have some sensitive readers! 😉
I have picked up a set on eBay US and had them sent to my pal in Brooklyn, and they are on their way to me now.
I have also made contact with Andrew and have a set of the Russian figures on order – which I must send payment for – I had forgotten this one! Thanks Erwin for the contact details
It wont be in the next issue as the deadline is too soon (next week) and I’d like the MARS GBs to include too.
Mike ,I been building my Viet Nam war for years before MARS and TSSD broke the ice .
Of course TIM-Mee-PP GI’s are good.
But the main issue had been scales match.
For example Russian brand Lintek ,not longer producing since 90s made a set of commandos most probably base in films Commando and Predator by Arnold Schawrzenegger
I brought then here not long ago x sale and sold out then quick.
You can see link posted here by Stad with pictures.
I do not know if Andrey from Russia may still have few sets left.
http://www.stadsstuff.com/?p=5527
Also several cheap Chinese sets of mode sets, such FISHEL and USA-TOYS brands from 90s early 2000 are good for VN war poses or conversion, these are 54/55 mm I post then too in this link thanks to admin.
http://www.stadsstuff.com/?p=7403
Another brand ARGO from HONG KONG produced a set o 6 poses that look like extracted from RAMBO 2 film ,the problem is they were done in 45 mm and then made too tall to about 3.5 -4” high scale.
Poses are nice,I got tons of those in both scales .
There other suitable that match these scale too I may need pull all and do photo of them ,
The MATTEL figures GUTTS post other day by admin are not that tall ,in one picture of the link post here you will see a Green Beret next to other x compere I did .
For Viet Namese are more hard to get ,but x guerrilla or civilian the AIP boxers and maybe the OWN(brand I carry) Chinese first SINO-JAPANESE war soldiers could be converted used, if painted much better. Some Hing Fat pirates I had seen used as civilian adding hats and removing weapons in gamer tables too.
My thoughts..
best…
ARCO not ARGO was originally GIANT PLASTICS know for their 1/72 scale figures. In 1970 the reorganized and using the initials of family members changed their name to ARCO. They sold out to Mattel in 1984/85.
Kent, I can remember buying piles of the 45mm versions of the ARCO figures pictured at your site – same poses but with bases – in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Were these figures clones, or had somebody in China acquired the molds and rights from Mattel? Did Mattel get all the GIANT and ARCO molds when they bought them out? I think I was getting these figures in places like Big Lots and dollar stores, and of course I tossed the packaging long ago.
Kent.
In another post I correct it .Again I miss spelled here.
However the figures were sold under ARGO rare mark too.
I will provide a link of such exact Arco figures w Argo with G clearly in it.The history in Arco you present is actually questionable according to Hugh from UK as well is Giant.
I had made a deep research and found other data that corroborate more your verssion w more update.
Yet is a mistery about ARGO verssion figures stamped of same Arco.
I have a full history reseach about early 50 US Argo not related and later Argo from NY none related to Giant Arco hong kong factory.
Best…
ARCO did not close till February 2000 the warehouse division in NY according to Newsday – (10/8/99).
It read as follow.
“Toymaker Mattel Inc. will close it Arco Toys division of Westbury (Nassau) by February 2000. Employees were informed earlier this week that Arco is being “folded into” its parent. Arco’s 83 employees, most of whom work in the Westbury headquarters, will be offered jobs at Mattel’s offices in California, Manhattan and East Aurora, NY”
Westbury NY Newsday – (10/8/99).
I have packs of the two scale soldiers 45mm and 4″ in bags market ARCO with 1996 year on it.
So when Mattel took over they kept the brand and just add Mattel Logo or else in bottom by late 80s in some toys.
The soldiers were produced during same time ARCO release a series of 4 to 6 RAMBO action figures ” pencil eraser) base in movie plus several toy weapons x children base in movie as well, they are all over eBay today and with date from 1986 till 1998 under ARCO.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/General-Warhawk-PENCIL-TOP-ERASER-From-Rambo-By-Arco-in-1986-No-841-/302207775945?hash=item465cfcb4c9:g:Pi4AAOSwiDFYO2pB
Some of ARCO toys from late 80s early 90s were already made in CHINA and marked as so ,not done in HK.
Any Mattel toy of license such Barbie usually was pack with a card saying MATTEL logo then ARCO industries next too by late 80s
By then if any mold in HK ,probably gone or resold to Chinese as the took over of HK had occurred already.
In 1997 a variation of same 6 original plain soldiers poses again in the 4″ scale appear ,most with helmet added to it, made in China ,imported under Ja-Ru and others first
They are all over eBay as well.
Best regards….
Here is the last variation set that included 3 former ARCO Viet Nam era soldiers poses and 3 Marx 3.5 ” former poses copied.
In the ARCO poses copies only the helmet were added.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/112168694589?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
This is interesting. I suspect that by the time I was buying very inexpensive bags of the 45mm Rambo-like figures the molds were probably in non-ARCO/Mattel hands since all I remember was “China” on their bases. For a few years in the 90’s I think they were readily available – then disappeared. I do wonder what happened to the GIANT molds. In the 90’s Archie McPhee and I think BUM were selling sets of GIANT knights and Mongols with their respective castles.
Daniel .
I’m responding here but not sure where it will show after.
As far Giant HO molds I do not know as I do not follow HO.
Now Mattel Arco toys were stamp (made in China too) by 1988.i have bags-mint of ARCO soldiers 45 mm Rambo set with figures stamp bellow base (Arco and made in China)-bag is from 1992.Also have the old from 1986 stamped ARCO-made in Hong Kong.
and even one bag where figures do not have word ARCO but says (Made in HK) only
So MATTEL was making toys in China before HK was part of China ,meaning producing and transferring mold/machinery to Mainland China.
Many toy makers that produce in HK start transferring the production to southern mainland China by mid to late 80s during CHINA commercial opening to the world.
So very easy all molds were in China by then .
HO Giant I had seen very wasted mold sold under China stamped base and in bags too by 90s and early 2000s
Because HO sets of Giant were not that detail, chances are those are last shots from over used molds.
However the last time I saw the 45 mm set made in China ,NOT HK was in late 90s.
My personal opinion is the RAMBO set figures were made from a unique designer as are complete new, wile most GIANT HO soldiers figures sets are copies and base in HERLAD,MARX and other brand poses sets figures from other scales..
Original GIANT are from 60s and collectors look x those that says (GIANT)more than else as apparently are the first production years.
I don’t know if MATTEL took over those molds or not ,but definitely when they took over ARCO and keep the brand name ARCO in all toys they keep making it in China as well.
I will post few links of samples from eBay soon to make easy w non not toy soldiers how Mattel-Arco TOYS were made in China by late 80s.
Best….
Sample of MATTEL-ARCO made in China 1988 pack toy Barbie.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/112282916064?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Sample of truck HW toy stamp MATTEL-ARCO and year 1990.
Made in China
Look and magnify last picture of listing, see all there please.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/172505257844?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Sample of ARCO Atomic CL1 submarine(resemble a bit REMCO) with 25 mm figures/sailors ,nice toy!.
The box read “ARCO TOYS LTD “,A MATTEL Company ,Made in China. It is from 1988.
I had one and resold long ago, I bought at a toy action figure show long ago.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/172106572893?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
This is a pack of RAMBO top pencil figures, very well done I think!!
The back of card photo show the rest of poses done.
Too bad are 85/90 mm high but match w the 3.5″ 6 poses done of same 45 mm set in same year.
All the RAMBO figures included this and toy weapons come in 1986-1987 .
They did a front HUY chopper odd toy too.
Also a series of died cast small military vehicles.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/302207775945?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I got the Eldon tank ,it fire shells not rocket, I got 2 of them as off now, it was sold with a trailer flat bed army truck too that carry it in back, it is almost exact scale as BMC ,for 60/65 mm scale max not proper for 54 mm such Airfix-matchbox ,yet could pass with taller CONTE 1.32 scale too.
It lack some historical detail ,but could be easy converted, cannon need be removed and swap x realistic if done proper job as turret front is a bit odd, back shells mounting could be cut/sand easy, side angles supports were used in early Sherman but I’m not sure if those were mass produced x war.
The chassis is the M4A1 fully cast hull ,it was later used with many turrets, the side tracks and wheels are poorly detailed but correct depicted. Over 4000 of it were produced.
Is a toy but clearly a SHERMAN tank .It is not a replica please!!
The Eldon tank usually sale x much higher.
I had 4 and sold two, one was complete with all ,other with trailer truck and box.
The truck had the wording ELDON bellow. Tank do not, however I saw one not long ago with words bellow in pictures. So like the bigM81 MARXT tank it could had been sold with or with out logo brand.
There is a silver version that sale top $$$$
Here is an sample of ELDON truck with tank ,but not the trailer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/marx-battleground-playset-parts-AND-ELDON-TANK-AND-TRUCK-LOWER-PRICE-/332102448547?hash=item4d52d935a3:g:MxQAAOSwItFYXGwo
Thanks Erwin; how can I contact Andrey From Russia, please?
Mike I have sent your email to Andrey and he should contact you
Mike.
I will ask admin send u direct contact of Andrey.I’m out in wilde now. Sorry
Admin please provide it to Mike at you best convenience.
Thank you.
There another company Highlander Co!? from Boca Raton FL …I think was the name.
They made few sets in late 70s-80s sold at hobby stores, but 40 mm, they match the ARCO 45 mm figures approx and looks like green beret in some. I few of have then too .Another set was of regular soldiers with helmets I think.
Made of hard plastic as if were kits but sold in blister pack type. They are more accurate in detail, too bad that small but will serve my far way scenes in battle.
Some times sold full or partial painted, one set come with odd WW2german pack38 Gun. Is hard to find then and I do not know how many sets were made .
Few armored vehicles were made also
Erwin, thanks for the info on Arco and the Rambo-like soldiers. It looks like they were being produced well before I was buying them, and not having the packaging I had lost track of their origin. I think you are correct about them being a whole new design as opposed to the older Giant figures. I was just surprised that Arco/Mattel was producing toys for the low-end venues where I was getting bags of these soldiers for a dollar or so. The atomic submarine set looks amazing – what a fun toy!
Yes the Submarine is very nice toy, the figures are static poses by most but the detail is deep. Too bad too small scale for my like ,so I decide to sale my off long ago. For any one with Barracuda Remco one should be a good match x battle I think.
ARCO did a US halftrack x big figures and a jeep as well a F16 plane ,all x the 3.5 scale soldiers scale .
Best…
And here I thought my atomic submarine came from the ARCO Petroleum Company as a gas giveaway. Erwin, you have solved another mystery. Thanks!
Well I just mentioned thinking to cover most from ARCO military related toys .So I’m glad I help find the mystery. I had seen it around several times listed,most time off box, figures once an wile show up loose around too.
That is why I like talk extra most time ,you never know what we can find in that way …
I too had find out several of my mystery resolved here thanks to all posting in the blog..