Micro Action Jets - A Collector's Guide

The “Micro Action Helicopter Base” play set looks like a small book when closed. The play set itself is made of thin plastic and is held closed with a velcro fastener. Funrise made several other play sets in this same format (including a “Micro Action Air Base” ). While these different sets utilized the same pieces, the deco on the inside was changed.   NOTE: The photos below are used with the kind permission of the person I purchased this set from,  Beachcityphotographer   Front of closed play set (the back is plain white)     Spine of closed play set     Top of closed play set (same decal used on bottom)   Opening and unfolding the play set reveals the helicopter base...     The large, blue plastic parking ramp can be removed and is marked "(C) FUNRISE 1988 MADE IN CHINA" on the underside.   The example I own was purchased loose and came with the following parts: 1 pair of gas pumps 1 ramp/bridge 2 traffic cones 1 building marked “CONTROL TOWE

This is the “Super Stealth” vehicle/playset/carry case produced by the Imperial Toy Corporation for use with their “Steel Screamers” die-cast micro jets and planes. The example I own is black but it was also available in dark blue as well as gray. When closed, it can be used as a large plane with functional and retractable landing gear on the underside. When opened, it has compartments for storing micro jets on one side and a series of runways on the other side for use as an airbase playset. There is even a “take-off ramp” that can be raised up. Interestingly, while the set came with 4 Imperial die-cast jets, no Imperial planes are pictured on the box. Instead, the photograph on the back of the box features a mix of Galoob and Funrise planes. Included in the photograph are: Funrise F-4 Phantom, Funrise F-19 Stealth, Funrise MIG 238N Flogger, Galoob Boeing 747 (NASA and commercial versions), Galoob F-4 Phantom (2 different versions), Galoob F-15 Eagle, Galoob B-1B Bomber, Galoob Conc

In addition to Galoob and Funrise, the Imperial Toy Corporation also produced a line of micro vehicles (including military jets) in the late 1980’s. Unlike the competition, Imperial made their vehicles out of die-cast metal and called them “Steel Screamers.” But Imperial’s metal planes had one big thing in common with the competition: they’re the same sculpts as the competition. Imperial appears to have used jets from both Galoob and Funrise to create their line. I’m not sure if Imperial somehow acquired the molds the other two companies used to make the jets or if Imperial made new molds from the toys themselves, but as you can plainly see below, Imperial’s jets are identical in sculpt to those produced by Galoob and Funrise. Even the deco used is often similar to the originals. Imperial did make one significant change by altering the wheels/landing gear and adding a small, functional axle with two wheels to the nose of each jet allowing them to actually roll around. Imperial produ

Here are some knock-offs of Micro Action helicopters that came with a new (2010’s) aircraft carrier playset.* They each have a separate black rotor piece (which does turn) and a separate black landing gear piece. Unlike the knock-off jets, there are no paint applications on the helicopters. The first three photos are comparison shots of the real Micro Action Sikorsky SH-60 Sea Hawk compared to its knock-off counterpart. The next three photos are of the knock-off AH-64 Apache which I do not have a real example of for comparison. The last two photos are the knock-offs together. * The aircraft carrier playset itself (not pictured) isn’t bad either. It is  not  a knock-off of the Funrise carrier. It has more realistic proportions and electronic features of some sort that don’t work on my copy. It has a small section of the port deck which is removable to allow storage of the jets inside the hull.

Name (as shown on packaging): Kaman SH-2F Seasprite Versions: 1 Color Scheme: bluish gray Left Side: star and stripes, “NAVY” Right Side: star and stripes, “NAVY” Date Stamp: None Size comparison to other Funrise Micro Action aircraft

Name (as shown on packaging): Bell AH-1J Sea Cobra Versions: 1 Color Scheme: olive green Left Side: star and stripes, “MARINES” and “SM” on tail Right Side: star and stripes, “MARINES” and “SM” on tail Date Stamp: None Size comparison to other Funrise Micro Action aircraft

Name (as shown on packaging): Sikorsky SH-60 Sea Hawk (sic) Versions: 1 Color Scheme: dark bluish gray Left Side: star and stripes, “NAVY” Right Side: star and stripes, “NAVY” Date Stamp: None Size comparison to other Funrise Micro Action aircraft