Paratrooper from a Friend

One of my on line friends knows I collect GI Joes and similar 12 inch action figures.

So I went to my mailbox and found this guy inside.

With some very nice equipment, such as binoculars and case.

And gas mask in case.

Entrenching tool and case, grenades and other bits.

Nice flag shoulder patch.

Thompson SMG.  The stock on some versions of the Thompson was removable to make it shorter.

This is a two sided ground recognition panel.  Perfect for marking your position as a pathfinder, or to show aircraft where friendlies are for ground support.  Thank you friend for supporting the blog and by giving me a great gift.  While I don't usually do 12 inch paratroopers I have been planning on buying one for a special project I am working on that needs a paratrooper. 
 

Thundercats

Hot Wheels snow mobile from the Thundercats.

I never watched the Thundercats.

So I don't know anything about this vehicle.

But the model is very cool.

Sort of cat shaped front and paws for the skis.

My plan is to repaint it.

Yellow for GI Joe Adventure Team.

Probably keep the black tracks.

Seats two.  That logo will get replaced with an A-T one.

Underside.

GI Joe, Action Civilian.
 

Extra Squad Gear

Each squad has extra gear that is issued by the platoon, or company.  One item is this wrist watch.  In WWII not everyone owned a wristwatch and you really could not expect people to bring their own watch into combat.  I think this is a GI Joe item but I am not sure.

The flare pistol is a signalling device.  It can be used to inform others where you are located, let command know you have reached a certain phase line, or fire illumination shells to light up the enemy as they seek to infiltrate your lines at night.  I have a bunch of these, some are GI Joe and some are not, but I can't tell the difference.

A GI Joe wire reel.  In the TV show combat they used these a few times to string wire for a field phone or to lay wire for explosives.  It is a rather complex toy with all that wire and plastic.

GI Joe field telephone.  Secure communications with headquarters so you can call for artillery or as for medics or just check in.  Unless it's cut by artillery, or tanks driving over it, or the enemy has hacked into your wire and is listening.

Handie talkie, hold it in your hand and talk.  Very short range but farther than you can yell.

The GI Joe field radio.  In WWII the American Army had excellent communications with lots of radios and phones often down to squad level.  Everyone was trained how to use the radio and one private with a map and a radio could call in a corps worth of artillery if he had a good enough target.  In real life keeping units supplied with batteries was always a challenge.

I was always disappointed with this toy. It was rather fragile, the lids often broke off, and the elastic arm straps wore out quickly and did not hold the radio on well.  I think it should have had metal hinges and cloth straps, but I recognize that would have been expensive.  Also the antenna never wants to stay up.  Still, I always had one and liked them despite the problems.  I remember putting a bit of Scotch tape on the base of the antenna to hold it up.
 

Computers and Microscope

This is the doll toy microscope.

It's a very nice toy.

About GI Joe size I think.  There is a little light in the bottom to view the slides.

Look down the top of the tube and you get an interesting view of the slide.

Dr. Benton Quest during the Cold War.

He was in the Army before working as a civilian contractor to the military.
 

Science Stuff

 

I was at a rather odd little gift shop recently and picked up this set.  These are microscope slides.

It is some kind of doll toys.

It looks like it was part of a whole range of toys.

It has a microscope, some slides with a case.

And a human torso with removable bits.

The body is almost the same size as a 12 inch GI Joe.

GI Joe Stands

I buy doll stands in white.

They get primer paint in gray.

Then some Army Green from Rust-Oleum.

And often one or two more colors of green.

So they end up camouflage.

And they get used as GI Joe stands.

I am on a big GI Joe sorting and upgrade right now.
 

GI Joe Stands

I use these doll stands for GI Joe.

They are white when I purchase them.

I then primer paint them gray.

And then add two other colors for camouflage.

When I use them outside in the yard they almost disappear.

This is the brand I buy and the size.  They actually recommend a different, more expensive one, but I like the smaller and cheaper one.