As I’ve mentioned before in previous posts I try to collect the first Dutch G.I. Joe releases that were available in the Netherlands from 1987. My primary goal is to collect all the toys and action figures that were available as part of the first wave of G.I. Joes’s in the Netherlands. Last week I managed to score a shitload of boxed vehicles and sets which has brought me to the comfortable position of owning nearly all of the boxed items from the first wave.

So what did I get? Well, Snow Cat, an A.W.E. Striker, a S.H.A.R.C., a Night Attack 4WD Stinger, a Cobra Flight Pod and F.A.N.G, an Ammo Dump Unit, a Rifle Range Unit, a Devilfish and a Polar Battle Bear (Skimobile). The seller also included a shitload of loose action figures with accessories as a bonus. Needless to say I walked away very satisfied!

Now, if only I could find some MOSC (mint-on-sealed-card) Dutch G.I. Joe action figures! The boxed items were a pain to find, but finding MOSC Dutch G.I. Joe items is even more impossible it seems. For now, please enjoy these few snapshots I made of my latest G.I. Joe haul!

“Luchtafweergeschut”, a.k.a. “Air Defense” is part of the first series of G.I. Joe toys that were released in the Netherlands in 1987. I fondly remember going over the G.I. Joe catalog over and over again and drooling over each and every action figure, accessory and vehicle.

The Netherlands saw the first two series of G.I. Joe toys released in all-Dutch packaging, which is pretty exceptional for those days (and even for these days, come to think of it). The flip side, though, is that these are now extremely hard to find.

Fortunately I was able to track down this Dutch version of Air Defense recently. The box is in pretty good shape as are the contents. As a bonus, the artwork on the box features 2 of my favourite characters, Flint (“Kei” in Dutch) and Bazooka! Good times!!

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The Silver Mirage Motorcycle was part of the first series of G.I. Joe toys that were released in Europe in 1987. In the USA it was released in 1985 as part of the fourth series and was based on the first series RAM (Rapid Fire Motorcycle), which never saw a release in Europe.

The motorcycle design is based on a Honda CB450T Hawk and features a sidespan, a silver finish and room for a total of 3 action figures! It’s definitely one of the coolest toys from the first series of Joe toys that were available in Europe.

I recently added a very nice Silver Mirage Motorcycle to my collection. It comes in Belgian packaging, with French and Dutch on the box and two sets of instructions, both in French and Dutch. The parts are all unassembled and still attached to their trees and there’s an unused sticker sheet included. This specific release was available in Dutch exclusive packaging as well and I’m still looking out for that one, because I prefer the Dutch releases, but until then, this will certainly do!

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