Showing posts with label Army Men. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Army Men. Show all posts

Monday, September 9, 2019

"Real Heroes" 1-Inch Gumball Machine / Bulk Vend Army Men Figures, Made In China




In case you skipped the video I've been pulling these things out of a gumball machine at a Price Chopper in Utica NY since April -- Header card shown above, including the as-yet unconfirmed claim of "6 colors of camo" to go with the "8 action poses" shown. To date I've scored examples of all 8 poses but am only seeing four colors of camo as likewise depicted on the header card. They go for $.50 cents each which accounts for my ongoing lack of quarters to use for scale comparisons.

Would be interested in hearing from anyone who's found them elsewhere. Since childhood I've been fascinated by bulk vended toy forms, always pause for a minute to look at gumball machine racks on my way out of whatever business I'm visiting (highway rest area service buildings a favorite) and have not seen them anywhere else.


The eight poses using the standard-issue Army Man green "camo" as that's the only color I've found the Pistol Guy in. Cast in a soft rubber type material with hand-painted faces & hands, my favorite attribute of the series is how they are shaped in kid-friendly cherubic forms who are very heavily armed. The contradiction amuses me greatly.


Pistol Guy is my favorite.


Shotgun guy a close second.


US quarter for scale.



Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Three Small Plastic Vintage Russian Soviet Tanks, from the Ukraine


Gorgeous little things, each about four inches from gun muzzle to tail. Obtained from a vendor based in the Ukraine who identified them as Soviet era Russian made.


Basic battle tank. No moving parts on any.



Love the fingerprints. 


Had to have her. Having a genuine Soviet era rocket launching tank = Winning a round in life, even if all it does is just sit there.



Yeah baby.


A keeper. Any insight into what that mark may signify would be welcomed.


Medium / light infantry tank, I guess.




A closer look at that interesting ... whatever, connecting the gun to the chassis. 


Would love to obtain more!

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Childhood Toy Found: Plastic Half Ton Army Truck, 1970s (?), Maker Unknown


Hot Damn: Finally found my younger brother's sweet processed plastic half-ton truck, missing since 2014 or so when I saved it from being pitched by parental units who just don't get it. Squirreled it away someplace beyond their ability to be annoyed by and I have literally thought about it daily over the past year, wondering WTF I actually did with the poor thing. Unearthed it yesterday while helping clean out part of the basement and even my dad laughed upon recognizing what it was. SCORE!!


Phil would have obtained it in 1975 or thereabouts (born in 1968), almost surely purchased at the legendary Kid's Town on Erie Blvd. in Syracuse NY in a bagged set with some Army Men and a howitzer. Back covering still AWOL, likely gone and from what I can tell a 3rd axle mount is still missing its wheels. Overall length is about 8 inches & likely a standardized size and therefore finding a replacement back cover is not outside the realm of possibility.

No makers marks visible so my call is MPC / Multiple Products, possibly Timmee, made in Hong Kong somewheres between 1970 and 1974. He certainly had it by 1976 as it figured into so much play activity for so many years.


Surviving axles bent by endless play use through the 1970s. The thing went literally everywhere with us including cross-country family trips where we the three brothers were allowed to bring a shoebox full of toys each. And I'll say this much: Phil took care of this thing and even after his interest in such mementos had faded it sat on the shelf in our father's home office den for many years until being thoughtlessly placed in a recycle bin while ridding their home of "clutter" ;[  Thank God I was home that day, realized what was about to happen and acted immediately. Now reclaimed, given a light cleaning and now part of the collection of larger vintage plastic vehicles for my diorama projects.



Outstanding!! If anyone can provide additional information via comment or message I will be stoked.