Boffin - The Scientist's Chest Logo

[redrage]

Out of curiosity Dave are you going to be writing a book about palitoys action force or will it be a chapter in a much wider appeal approach such as palitoys in general. Either way i promise to buy it if and when it comes out

Adrian

[Dave Tree]

Hi Adrian, well to start with it was a book about Palitoy's involvement in the Uk with Star Wars, which would encompass all subsidary companies like Denys Fisher, Airfix, Parker Games, Play Doh etc. Essentially anything produced under licence, but within the group.

Where work began over a year ago scoping and researching, there was a lot of crossover with Action Force, but as yet, there has not been an Action Force reference book, despite several Action Man ones. This got me thinking that perhaps the gap could be plugged, with a second book after the Star Wars one, but solely focused on Palitoy's Action Force. Both toy lines I loved as a kid, and when finding new Star Wras information, you find new Action Force info, some of which I'm happy to see has got everyone here excited too, so it would be a real waste not to do something with it. However in order to start the scope work for that, I need to find collectors, as I real don't have much of a collection, and no money to start one as all the money gets sapped in mileage/ trips, leads and research

Hence coming here

[Dave Tree]

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Have you been up all night Paul?

HA! I guess so...

Dave, this is BIG news in the [very small] AF world! The first 'new' figure in many years!

If you get the chance, it would be really great to get a good, clear pic of his chest, and also the back of the figure as well next time you enter the Batcave.

Thanks again, its chirped me up this weekend after a really knackering week.

Hey I'm glad to hear it, the pay off's for Star Wars are usually few and far between, but I know what it's like

Dave,

[Dave Tree]

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Dave, this is BIG news in the [very small] AF world! The first 'new' figure in many years!

Out of interest, what other new figures have been discovered? Anything that corolates to "Boffin"?

Dave.

[The Baron]

The only comparable figures would be prototypes of existing moulds. Again, I've not hosted all the images yet, you've made me realise just how lax I've been keeping the iste up to date.

Track down user Louie0316, I believe he has a few stories about the Action Force factory in Coalville. Also Lindy Pine who logged in here briefly a year ago, she used to work there.

Battle Action Force artist John Cooper has been doing the Armitage strip in the Judge Dredd Megazine of late, you may be able to reach him through the 2000AD site.

[paulitoy]

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The other unreleased figures equal a grand total of one!



This a repaint of the GI Joe Flash.

No one's sure about. Some think it might be intended for Q Force, because of the yellow, but I'm not convinced.

If anything, I think its later than that. Series 3 [jointed figure range] probably...

[paulitoy]

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Also, the Action Force packaging shows mostly prototype or first-shot figures only [like lots of the star wars cardbacks and brochures].

If you look at the Mountain & Arctic figure on the back of the Series 1 figures it is very different to the released version:

[Malcolm Orr]

Thanks for posting that pic Paul!

[Chopper]

That's some really cool pics Paul. I never new there was anything left from the Palitoy days, its been a real revelation. I also have a lot of Tri-ang railways stuff from the 60's etc that my Dad gave me as a kid, which led to more trains being purchased. I read heaps on the history and it seems a little similar to Palitoy. I.e after the merged/shifted/changed names near all the history is held in the heads of the employees and all the rare stuff has been blown to the 4 corners of the world.

Even in the case of Toltoys in New Zealand its the same. Very sad indeed. Nothing left.

[paulitoy]

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Still thinking about our latest recruit - Boffin!





All logical thought [which could be completely wrong!] suggests series one.

The chest panel slanted lines match the slanted lines on the Headquarters Base.






Its also the same colour as the Series One AF logo.






The fact that the figure is a Scientist, would suggest that he could have been intended to go with the base, or as a possible mail-away figure.


He clearly wasn't meant to be a frontline fighter or an army builder figure - how many scientists does an army have?


I guess he was more from a James Bond - 'Q' - type character creating special weapons for AF as a whole rather than an entire separate force. If another force was planned, then Dave will likely find some further evidence of it, but I doubt it. Therefore he was probably Series 1.


The Rocket symbol is interesting. As had been suggested, it 'could' be an early idea for the Space Force logo.






It would be interesting to check through the comic strips incase this logo shows up at all? The comic writers worked with prototype photos to create the stories, so there could be a logo or two floating around in there somewhere...



If this is a series one, then its unlikely to show in the comics, though, as they started with the five force-concept of series 2.


Anyway, just pondering aloud again...