The Action Man Soldier with Gripping Hands is a legendary 12-inch military action figure produced in the UK by Palitoy under license from Hasbro. First introduced in 1973, this milestone version of the classic Action Soldier replaced the previous “hard hand” iterations with a new, soft plastic compound designed to realistically hold rifles, pistols, and equipment.

Era & Key Innovations

• 1973 Debut: Palitoy launched the updated figure in a freshly illustrated box featuring the text “Now with Gripping Hands”.
• Flock Hair: This era retained the realistic fuzzy blonde, brown, or auburn flock hair originally introduced in 1970.
• Signature Details: The figure featured Action Man’s distinctive square jaw and the iconic copyrighted battle scar on the right cheek.
• Body Construction: Built using the standard 1960s/70s articulation setup featuring internal elastic stringing, crimped metal eyelets, and metal rivets.

Equipment & Box Variations

The standard 1973 Action Man Soldier package underwent several production tweaks throughout the mid-1970s:

• The 1973 Box: Early printings mistakenly listed “Gaitors” in the contents list on the packaging, though they were not actually included in the box.
• The 1975 Update: Palitoy corrected the box text to remove the mention of gaiters, updated the artwork, and added a revised “made in Hong Kong” manufacturing credit.
• Standard Gear: The standard uniform typically included olive green army denim fatigues (jacket and trousers), a flat black plastic beret, tall brown boots with dished soles, a life-size replica dog tag, and an Army Manual.

Collector’s Note on Condition

When seeking a vintage 1970s figure on marketplaces like eBay, pay close attention to the hands. The early 1973 flexible hand compound (often made of Kraton) is notoriously prone to perishing over time. It is highly common to find vintage figures where the hands have turned dark orange, gone completely hard, become brittle, or disintegrated entirely. Intact, supple original hands significantly drive up the figure’s valuation.