Help Identify Action Figure Weapons, Equipment & Missiles

missiles
If you can identify any of these items please comment on this post with the letter of the picture, and the number of the item. Picture-A, First Row has several G.I. Joe Missiles but I’m not sure which vehicles they match up with. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
weaponsparts1parts2
Even Larger Versions of these photos:
A-Missiles B-Weapons C-Parts 1 D-Parts 2

A06 Construx Military Missile (I should have noticed this since I have the Construx Archive)
B08 Masters of the Universe (He-Man) 1987 Ninjor Nunchucks (Came with 2 originally)
B23 : GIjoe, sold with Backblast (v2) (1993), Heavy Duty (v2) (1993), Countdown (v3) (1994)

B27 GI Joe Sgt. Savage – A couple of different figures have this weapon I think.

B28: GI shotgun (broken, the pistol grip is missing. Sold in variant colours with too many joes to list.
B29: GI Joe Sgt Savage line, sold with various “good” characters.
B43 Power Rangers ?
B44 Power Rangers ?
B46 X-Men X-Force 1992 Shatterstar Sword (Came with 2 originally)
B50 The Other World – Raidy
B54 GI Joe Sigma 6 – Ninja B.A.T. 2005
C21 April O’Neil Camera TMNT

C23 GI joe Beach head’s pouch

C36 The Corps! Shotgun

C38 The Corps ?

C46 GI Joe Sgt Savage ammo box.
D23 Star Wars Episode I 1999 Boss Nass Staff
D26 Masters of the Universe (He-Man) 1987 Ninjor Black Cloak
D27 Star Wars Revenge of the Sith 2005 Yoda Rocket for Cannon

Q & A with Toy Designer / Inventor Tim Harris


Back in 2011 I put up a post (Seen Here) to help me identify 2 Hot Wheels Sized cars with a sort of Road Warrior meets D&D theme. In 2013 a visitor to the site told me they were called “Road Wars” so I added the proper name to my blog. The post was then found and commented on by the creator of the series himself Tim Harris! What follows are his original comments and then a series of questions he was kind enough to answer for us all.

Tim’s original comment to Retro Rescue>
Hello- I was a free lance designer/inventor of toys and games 1982-2008. I was working in association with David Wyman (Granta Design) when I conceived and developed the “Road Wars” and “Road Maniax” products. They sold well for about 8 months then Mattel developed the “Liberty Base”. America hated it and returned the cars to the toy stores. Mattell dropped the concept world wide.

Retro Rescue> Thank you for stopping by my site Tim and leaving a comment about the cars. After reading your message I went and looked at the whole line. It doesn’t surprise me that the Road Wars were initially popular. I think they are amazing little Mad Max machines which is why I created the post to find out more. I also looked at the Liberty Base. It reminds me of Planet of the Apes and the M.A.S.K. playsets from the 80s. It’s disappointing that was the end of the line. May I ask you a few questions and post your responses to my blog? I’d like to know more about your experiences and I’m confident others would too.

Tim> Thank you for your appreciation of the Road Wars product. I thoroughly enjoyed developing the product all those years ago and now seeing the web sites associated with the product. Of course I don’t mind answering your questions.

Retro Rescue> Toy Designer / Inventor sounds like a fascinating career. How did you get started? During your long career you designed “Road Wars”, tell us about other projects you have worked on?

Tim> Toy designer – not a real one is my usual response. I started at Matchbox Toys/ Lesley Products in 1976. First job was in the model shop assisting designers realises their visions. After about a year I moved to the design department as matchbox was moving into preschool products. I remained there until matchbox closed in 1984/5ish. During that time I designed and conceived things like “Activity bear”, “Diver Dan”, “Tubby Tooters” “Shufflies” and was responsible for the design and sculpting of the “Matchbox Disney Range”. I have some of those pieces for sale on eBay.

After Matchbox closed I went as an independent designer and worked with inventing group Dixon Manning designing the “Corgi Carry Case”. I remained there for a year and went to work with the inventing group Granta Design/ Wyman Associates. Also worked for Roger Ford of NPD Partnership. At NPD I assisted in the development of the game “Dark World”. I have also designed toys for Fisher Price, Kiddicraft, Wadding tons games, & Schmidt Spiele, to name but a few. I think the last product count was around 43 in total.

Retro Rescue> [With Road Wars] which phases of the design process were you involved with?

Tim> Dungeons and Dragons had been around for a few years and that led me to conceive the ideas for “Road Wars”. One or two illustrations later and I committed to making 6 models. That process involved me purchasing a few die cast cars and chopping them about, adding bits and bobs with a splattering of weaponry also added. The main problem was the painting. Not for the models but for the production pieces as the whole idea was based around the imagery of Dungeons and Dragons.

Retro Rescue> How do you get from an idea to production?

Tim> Idea to production is sometimes a long slog. I mainly worked on conceptualisation. At that stage it was basically illustrations and a breadboard model. Today it is closer to presenting a fully working prototype and a cost breakdown perhaps with a whole marketing package. Toy companies these days are not really prepared to take a risk nor invest in an illustrated idea.

Retro Rescue> What types of things did you use for inspiration?

Tim> Inspiration comes from all quarters but you have to know what is currently out there and have a potted history of the industry. Inspiration for the toy industry is very different as a mind of a child really does help. Silly me!

Retro Rescue> Which idea got left on the cutting room floor but you wish had made it?

Tim> My biggest regret is the total farce that surrounded a product called “Luggers”. Produced by Corgi toys. It should still be on the market. It had such potential. Another that never got past the starters gun was an idea called “The Components”.

RetroRescue> What are your favorite toys from other designers both as a child and adult?

Tim> Lego. Lego and Lego. Sorry to be boring there but it is fantastic in every respect from design to child development and beyond. As I child I had great fun for hours and hours making roller coasters from Hornby rail track, yards and yards of the stuff, then rolling billiard balls on the construction.

RetroRescue> 1982-2008… Have you been yachting in the South Pacific since then?

Tim> Yachting in the South Pacific – sadly no but I have had a terrific career and life style.

RetroRescue> I’d like to thank you for taking time to share a little information Tim.

Tim> I hope that I’ve answered your questions to help you.
Cheers Tim. Harris.

Here are a few photographs of some of the things Tim worked on. The Dark World board game looks incredible!
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Retro Rescue is now your Construx Headquarters!


I recently acquired a large lot of Contrux parts. I searched the internet for hours trying to determine which pieces went with each set. Sadly, I found there was no resource for Construx photographs. To solve this problem, today I launched the Construx Archive! It already has a ton of nice pictures and useful information but I still need help in completing this project. The most important items are Box Covers, Part Inventories and especially Instructions but I’ll take anything I don’t have! Prototype models, Pre-production sketches, and other unique items would be amazing to add.

I’ll wait while you check your attic…

Click Here to Enter the Construx Archive

Aww, buzzard on a buzzsaw!

Attention Hazzard County Residents: There is a new Sheriff in town and his name is Larry! Larry is the operator of DukesCollector.com. The photos shown here are just a few examples of the huge stash of Dukes merchandise he has aquired. If my collection (seen here) is a little bit more than the law allows then his is a fellony. He also has a blog and message board for fellow fans. Heck, even the theme song available at his site. So all you Bo, Luke, & Daisy wannabes go over and check out his great little corner of the internet. www.dukescollector.com

What are these cars?


2 Hot Wheels sized cars that look like they came from the Road Warrior movie. They have spikes and skulls and interchangeable weapons. Mattel 1994 on the bottom but no other markings. I would greatly appreciate it if you can help me figure out what these are.
Update: A visitor to the site let me know they are from a series of toys called “Hot Wheels Road Wars”. Below are a couple of pictures.

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What is this Dragon?

This will be the first in a series of posts seeking help in identifying toys. Click on the category “Unknown Toys” to see all the items I need help with. I just picked up this robotic dragon and I have no clue what he is from. It has a sort of Bravestar vibe to it but I think the scale is wrong. Help! _________________________________________

Look out kitty here comes Big Trouble.


Another retro fan just reminded me about this old beast. It’ BIG TRAK! This thing was part space, part military, all awesome. There were so many combinations of things to do with this classic toy. It promoted creativity, planning, research, troubleshooting, and it could be used to bug the heck out of your sister. Like Kix it’s “Kid Tested and Mother approved.”

The Big Trak Commercial was submitted too.

Here is the link
I tried to embed the video but YouTube said no. Sorry

You Build… CONSTRUX!

Action!

I just got this Construx Super Set and with some loose pieces I had it is nearly complete! Special thanks to Tricia and her Brother. I will keep this forever. I remember having these as a child and they were as fun to put together as LEGOs! I did not have the power pack shown in the commercial below but all the rest of the pieces are familiar. Anyone else remember these?


Construx