ACTION MAN

Jungle Explorer 1969

Period: All Periods

Dates: 1969-77

Cat No: 35005

Jungle Explorer Description:

Action Man was becoming less military, and more adventurous by the late 1960s. The Jungle Explorer, Polar Explorer and Mountaineer sets of 1969 were a new way of giving Action Man adventures without war at the forefront. The accessories could be bought separately and included:

Action Man Jungle Explorer Sets:

35005:

ACTION MAN JUNGLE EXPLORER: Tropical jacket, trousers, bush hat (cloth), boots (tall brown), orange bandana, revolver, holster, belt, machete, sheath, jungle knife, scabbard, rifle, small pack with hypodermic darts, information leaflet. Equipment Manual.

35307 (and 35021):

ACTION MAN JUNGLE EXPLORER: Tropical jacket, trousers, bush hat (plastic), boots (tall brown), orange bandana, revolver, holster, belt, machete, sheath, jungle knife, scabbard, rifle, small pack with hypodermic darts, information leaflet. Equipment Manual.

35006: (1969-1971)

ACTION MAN JUNGLE EXPLORER RIVER CRAFT: 2 piece canoe/raft, 2 x plastic clips, working outboard motor, two paddles, two Jungle Explorer supply boxes, rope, information leaflet. Equipment Manual.

Action Man Jungle Explorer Equipment Cards:

35208:

ACTION MAN JUNGLE ACCESSORIES: Pith helmet, telescopic rifle, canteen, canteen cover, jungle knife. Equipment Manual.

Notes:

The Action Man Jungle Explorer was a popular set. 1st issue materials were of heavier material than later versions. Sheath changed from dark brown to tan during production. Cloth bush hat with leopard skin band also progressed to a plastic version similar to the Australian Jungle Fighters but without the side turned up. Also available was a pith helmet and telescopic rifle. The machete has a black handle, and early issue a brown sheath and holster (the brown handle machete / tan sheath combination is perhaps associated more with the Jungle Fighter). His belt was brown leatherette with an actual working buckle. His Jungle Explorer River Craft had two hulls, they could be arranged length-ways or width-ways to form a raft or long canoe. Two fragile clips were supplied to hold the sections together and are often misidentified and/or thrown away. The outboard motor came in varying colours (two of which are turquoise and orange), and the top covers seemed to choose the contrasting colour, rather than match in most instances. Rifle straps changed from elastic to plastic in the mid 1970s. The two supply boxes (numbered 1 and 2) have lids with Action Man 'Jungle Expedition' on them, and are similar to the Action Man Polar Explorer's Sledge and Dog Team Supply boxes.