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Prototypes and First Castings thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Prototypes and First Castings

1975-1983 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

1. insignia design; showing the Prince of Wales' feathers of the Royal Hussars; see also B. 1204 (16)-1993
2-4. insignia design; all slightly different castings in differing green shades. Tank commander; see B. 1204 (6)-1993.
5. German desert tank commander's cap; light green moulding
6. German desert tank commander's cap; soft tan plastic
7. goggles;
8. Action Man face moulded with the goggles in place.
9. Action Man head moulded complete with the helicopter pilot's face mask. The mask extends out at the back and is just cut flat and the neck is broken off roughly where it attached to the casting mount. In the end product the mask was a separate items actually attached to the helmet. 10. face of the Space Ranger enemy; Captain Zargon; design is of a skull.
11. Space helmet visor section; large scale. CARVED WOOD PAINTED BLACK
12. Space helmet visor section; large scale. This is the same design as (11) taken one stage further being casting in the plastic and partly painted brown.
*13-15. parts of a space helmet which was possibly an earlier version
of the Space Ranger or the Zargon product. Its design extends over the head and shoulders and includes breathing apparatus and dials front and back. Hollow casting
13. face mask; solid visor area; light brown resin painted cream.
14. back of the head mask matching (13); light brown resin painted cream.
15. entire helmet with open visor area; the upper part of which appears to have been broken and is missing. light brown resin; rather brittle. *16-18. parts of the Zargonite troops helmet. all in the plastic castings but differing slightly in design and colour.
16. top of the helmet showing only part of the breathing apparatus at the
back.
17. top of the helmet angled to show more of the back of the head.
18. whole helmet as a head; mounted on a white plastic core.
*19-26. castings for both right and left boots used for the SPECIAL TEAM; issued 1982/83; including initial wood block.
19. wooden block made from about 6 strips of wood glued together to form the height. One side is square and the other rounded to the size of the heel of the boot.
20. solid casting in green showing only the upper part of the first design of the boot. It has the ankle caps and three long bars down the length of the foot but not the cross straps.
21. solid casting in brown green showing the full boot of the first design. 22. solid casting in the brown green showing the revised right boot with the cross straps; ankle caps and buckles.
23. hollow casting in green of the right boot.
24. solid cast of the left boot foot; cut away at the ankle line to show the white core of the casting.
25. hollow casting of the left boot with the top edge; buckle areas and toe cap scrapped for testing purposes.
26. hollow casting of left boot including all the features of the revised
design.


Object details

Object type
Parts
This object consists of 26 parts.

  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
Materials and techniques
moulded plastic
Brief description
Action Man Prototypes and first castings; 1975-83
Physical description
1. insignia design; showing the Prince of Wales' feathers of the Royal Hussars; see also B. 1204 (16)-1993
2-4. insignia design; all slightly different castings in differing green shades. Tank commander; see B. 1204 (6)-1993.
5. German desert tank commander's cap; light green moulding
6. German desert tank commander's cap; soft tan plastic
7. goggles;
8. Action Man face moulded with the goggles in place.
9. Action Man head moulded complete with the helicopter pilot's face mask. The mask extends out at the back and is just cut flat and the neck is broken off roughly where it attached to the casting mount. In the end product the mask was a separate items actually attached to the helmet. 10. face of the Space Ranger enemy; Captain Zargon; design is of a skull.
11. Space helmet visor section; large scale. CARVED WOOD PAINTED BLACK
12. Space helmet visor section; large scale. This is the same design as (11) taken one stage further being casting in the plastic and partly painted brown.
*13-15. parts of a space helmet which was possibly an earlier version
of the Space Ranger or the Zargon product. Its design extends over the head and shoulders and includes breathing apparatus and dials front and back. Hollow casting
13. face mask; solid visor area; light brown resin painted cream.
14. back of the head mask matching (13); light brown resin painted cream.
15. entire helmet with open visor area; the upper part of which appears to have been broken and is missing. light brown resin; rather brittle. *16-18. parts of the Zargonite troops helmet. all in the plastic castings but differing slightly in design and colour.
16. top of the helmet showing only part of the breathing apparatus at the
back.
17. top of the helmet angled to show more of the back of the head.
18. whole helmet as a head; mounted on a white plastic core.
*19-26. castings for both right and left boots used for the SPECIAL TEAM; issued 1982/83; including initial wood block.
19. wooden block made from about 6 strips of wood glued together to form the height. One side is square and the other rounded to the size of the heel of the boot.
20. solid casting in green showing only the upper part of the first design of the boot. It has the ankle caps and three long bars down the length of the foot but not the cross straps.
21. solid casting in brown green showing the full boot of the first design. 22. solid casting in the brown green showing the revised right boot with the cross straps; ankle caps and buckles.
23. hollow casting in green of the right boot.
24. solid cast of the left boot foot; cut away at the ankle line to show the white core of the casting.
25. hollow casting of the left boot with the top edge; buckle areas and toe cap scrapped for testing purposes.
26. hollow casting of left boot including all the features of the revised
design.
Object history
References: The majority are first casting in solid dark green plastic. Designed to show the final product these castings could be changed and adapted before they were submitted for final production. The plastic is very dark green plastic which is heavy
Collection
Accession number
B.1205:1-1993

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Record createdApril 17, 2000
Record URL
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