Action Man Ninja

This Action Man figure was from the Power Arm Ninja set but I found him loose at the flea market. Action Man had slightly more articulation than the "stiffer than a corpse" Hall of Fame GI Joe and in 1997, that's all you're gonna get. Just had to put on the hood and boots to complete the look I wanted.


Action Man did produce this cool biker's helmet

Check out his uber cool super bike!

Action Man Super Bike, 1997

This was released in 1997 and for me, it's a very nice toy bike, with the emphasis on TOY. This one's not about detailing, just something FUN!!





One side opens to reveal ninja disks which can be shot out



All in all, a cool toy! Next: Action Man Ninja

Kitbash Rider for AM Bike

It's the old GI Joe Hall of Fame body (hardly any articulation) loaded with some nice Action Man 1996 1:6 gear. The accessories were not as detailed nor cool as those available now but they were fun (as toys should be). Back then, Action Man already stumbled upon the FN P90. He also has his Crossbow and HK MP5K PDW. I needed a bulkier figure for the bike.

Action Man Bike

This is the first 1:6 Bike I own. It was the time when I was just getting into 1:6 and TRU carried the second generation Action Man line (1993-2006).




Kitbashed rider on bike.

Indian Military Motorcycle, World War II

When the US War Department asked American motorcycle manufacturers to come up with military machines for World War II, Harley and Indian answered the call.

Indian created the Model 841 and built more than 1,000 for tests but these never saw action. Instead, Indian's 500cc V-twin 741 augmented Harley-Davidson's 750cc V-twin WLA 45.

Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, World War II

Back in the early 1940s, the US Army asked Harley-Davidson to design a next-generation military motorcycle although the company was already producing the WLA, based on its traditional 45-degree V-twin engine. The army ordered a test batch of 1,000 XAs from Harley-Davidson. At the same time, the military also asked Indian to make a 750cc shaft-drive twin, and it came up with a 90-degree V-twin design.

The idea was to put both new machines through their paces, and award a lucrative military contract to the winner.

Eventually, the army finished its testing, and decided that neither new bike would be built. Instead, they bought several thousand more Harley WLAs. In the end, the military decided to hitch its hopes to a vehicle that could go through anything, didn’t tip over, and required very little training to operate — the Jeep.

Blame the Jeep. That’s why military motorcycles of any kind fell out of favour during World War II.

GI Joe US Army WLA 45 Harley-Davidson Military Motorcycle by HASBRO 1998

SGT ROCK, World War II

It's interesting that all the comics that I read and grew up with (2-Dimensional) are now being produced as collectibles/toys (3-Dimensional) largely due to the fact that movies are being made of these characters. From Batman to X-men, they have all become something you can hold, pose and display and every film producer/movie studio will try to see which comic they can tap from to make movies - exciting times indeed!!

As a military buff and avid comic reader, one of the figures that intrigued me was Sgt Rock. I guess it is partly due to watching the TV series "Combat!" starring Vic Morrow as SGT Saunders while growing up. Every boy then wanted to be a soldier and fight in a war.

A limited edition 12" SGT ROCK figure was released by Hasbro together with DC Comics and came in a LONG (really LONG) box. It's like "Are you really happy to see me or is that a SGT ROCK box you are holding?"

Box opened to reveal SGT ROCK and two extra outfits packed in the retro GI Joe/Action Man style display packaging.

SGT ROCK with his permanent 5 o'clock shadow look (never seen him clean shaven)

His US Army Enlisted Man's uniform

His favourite attire - his Battle Dress Uniform (this is certainly an Oxymoron and the Army's cruel joke) and weapons of choice

Willys Jeep, World War II

Willys-Overland Motors Inc. produced over 360,000 Jeeps and Ford Motor Company produced another 280,000 from 1941 to 1945. This was the iconic jeep of World War II and continued to be in service for a very long time after that. It provided heavy arms support when mounted with a .30 caliber machine gun. It could climb and descend slopes of over 50 degrees. It could even be mounted with the 106mm recoiless rifle and was a very versatile machine.

Hasbro produced this 1/6 Willys jeep in 2001. It was mounted with the .30 caliber machine gun.

It has removable working tools - spade and axe


It also has the fold-down windshield


Jeep Occupants

Scott from Dragon

Bruce with attire from Takara Combat Joe

"Steiner" from Dragon with Cotswold outfit



The jeep was small and compact, its quarter-ton 4x4 powered by 4-cylinder "Go-Devil" engine delivering 60bhp.

It has a spare jerry can of fuel and spare tyre



Harley-Davidson motorcycles were also used in World War II as well.

1st Special Service Forceman with Bazooka

BBI produced this figure in 2004. He's "Lefty" McGill, a bazooka man from the 1st Special Service Force in Italy, September 1944. He wears his 1st pattern parka over his wool sweater and scarf.

He has his M1943 jungle pack, M1910 T-handle entrenching tool with cover, M1942 bayonet in scabbard, two smoke grenades and his M1 Garand rifle.

He also carries his M1911A1 .45 pistol in holster

He is armed with the M9A1 rocket launcher, most popularly known as the bazooka

Watch out for the back blast!!

Close-up of "Lefty"

The bazooka with three 3.4lb rockets which came in cardboard containers

Lefty looks very much like "Leonardo DiCaprio"