Series 1 British Marine - Painted Beret Variant

[Hopper]

As I was going through my figures in the ongoing on/off faff of trying to describe the variants definitively, I noticed that one of my British Marines had a blob of white paint on the beret where the cap badge would be.
The actual badge is moulded anyway, so it makes sense that a touch of white paint would highlight it.
I checked using a magnifying glass, and it is definitely paint, and seems to be original.

Anyone else notice this?
Could you all have a quick look at your own figures to see if this is a 'real' variant, especially you MOC types.

If it is, and i think it is, then it is another example of Palitoy really putting a lot into the figures, but then gradually sliding toward simplification.
It also raises the spectre of the 2 Para figure also having a 'white blobbed' variant, so it might be worth checking those figures also...

Pic attached.

[Chopper]

Pretty sure at least one of mine has a white dollop on it. I figured the other one had just worn off.

You at it again, sunshine? Put that reefer down.

[Double-Tap]

I think he needs to pick the reefer up, lol.

[Hopper]

Yeah, even by my standards this is pretty geeky!
Still, I just can't help it.
Ta for the info, and now...

*ahem*

"Don't bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me..."

[Chopper]

I have two, one worn through to flesh tone and the other is white. Commando's that is, not scoobs.

The one in the archive has no white dollop, a no dollop commando.

[Red Laser]

Yeah, even by my standards this is pretty geeky!
Still, I just can't help it.
Ta for the info, and now...

*ahem*

"Don't bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me..."

You will only get it if you are on the left hand side young man! :p

[Thundershot]

Hi folks,

This arrived today, which I got via an ebay 'buy it now' purchase last week.

It appears to be genuine, it's a delicate tampo printed badge in the same style as the corporal's stripes:

Badge 1.jpg (893.88 KiB) Viewed 4996 times

This is the best close up I could achieve with my camera. It's (the tampo) poorly aligned, a little play worn & fuzzy in detail but (in hand) one can distinctly make out the royal crown symbol @ on top... I can understand why Palitoy would of discontinued printing beret badges (& why not many of these have survived) as it's very small & delicate detail for which the printing equipment for would of worn out quickly.

Badge 2.jpg (965.32 KiB) Viewed 4996 times

I believe it's the real deal myself, guys, what's your opinion?
Has anyone else got a similar (even better a m.o.c.) example to compare this one against?

Cheers
T'shot

[Hopper]

Amazing T-Shot
I don't think anyone would fake that, especially to go to the trouble of doing it, mis-aligning it in a palitoy way, and then sell it on ebay without advertising the fact.
It is indeed real deal! So, it's not just a blob of paint, but a proper cap badge... fantastic.
I will adjust the list of variants and their description accordingly!

[Hopper]

In fact, it even looks very like the Royal Marines badge - palitoy did a really good job on this.

[Thundershot]

Hi Hoper,
Yeah it's obviously not been hand painted on, or a model kit transfer either, the paint application's too finessed for that & the same kind of paint/ink as used for the rank insignia.

The seller, who appears be a (semi-)professional dealer, doesn't specialise in Action Force & made no claims of it being anything special.. &, as you say, the £2.99 (+ £1.99 postage) 'buy it now' simply wouldn't be worth the hassle of faking it. Another reassuring detail was the amount of black (possibly coal) dust & general grime I washed off before taking those photo's.


Here's the sellers picture:

$_57.jpg (164.19 KiB) Viewed 4986 times

I wasn't certain if the badge was simply a trick of the light, from personal experience, I know camera flash can really highlight the cap badge sculpting detail sometimes to thr point of it looking silver... pleased I took chance.