ACTION MAN thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

ACTION MAN

Prototype Training Tower
1983-1984 (made)
Place of origin

Geyper Man (Spanish version) and Palitoy’s Action Man versions of the original Hasbro training tower were made in orange plastic. The original tower had three vertically constructed sections whereas the 1984 prototype tower (in the Wolfpack range) reduced this to two and added different, non plastic, components.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 17 parts.

  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
  • Action Man Equipment
TitleACTION MAN (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
moulded plastic
Brief description
Training Tower; England/Hong Kong; c. 1980
Physical description
The prototype has been made from parts of the Training Tower; spray
painted a drab khaki over the orange parts and some pieces decorated with the WOLFPACK decals. The whole had been attached to the wooden blocks. It may be that the item had been made for display or photo graphic reasons only.
1-4. wooden blocks, roughly carved and painted the drab khaki
5-12. tower struts, moulded orange plastic and over painted, these are graded in size and slot together
13. platform collar, grey plastic
14. platform console, grey plastic
15. cable support arch, grey plastic
16. plastic bag containing the rest of the equipment needed to assemble and use the training tower. Much of it has been spray painted in the uniform drab khaki.
17. sample, moulded grey plastic stepped block with a hole in the top right corner; it is marked in gold lettering HI 2513/D and in moulded lettering JOHN HELLYAR & CO LTD. The block is contained in a plastic bag bearing a green approval label marked TRAINING TOWER / R R CARTRIDGE.
Marks and inscriptions
© 1973 HASBRO on platform base
Object history
References: Made by the Palitoy Company, Coalville, Leicester England under licence from CPG Products Corp USA

`Big Value self assembly Training Tower with Rope Ladders, hoist tackle and breeches buoy'.
Production
Made by: Palitoy Co.
England/Hong Kong
Summary
Geyper Man (Spanish version) and Palitoy’s Action Man versions of the original Hasbro training tower were made in orange plastic. The original tower had three vertically constructed sections whereas the 1984 prototype tower (in the Wolfpack range) reduced this to two and added different, non plastic, components.
Collection
Accession number
B.553:1-1994

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Record createdApril 17, 2000
Record URL
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