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Identifying Funrise Micro Action Jets


Funrise "Micro Action" jets are often found mixed in with collections of "Micro Machines" toys. While similar in size and sculpting, the Funrise jets are easily distinguished from their Galoob counterparts:

PAINT and DECO: While Galoob painted many of its jets in realistic color schemes they also used wilder patterns and bright neon colors to catch the attention of their target audience. Funrise did not use bright colors. Most Funrise jets primarily came in one of two realistic color schemes: green camouflage or plain gray. Galoob was also more varied and detailed in the deco printed onto their planes while Funrise jets have much simpler deco. Lastly, the tip of the front "landing gear" on Galoob jets is often painted black to represent the tire. This is never seen on Funrise jets.

WHEELS: A quick and easy way to distinguish Funrise's products from those of Galoob is to look at the wheels. The wheel block on Funrise jets is always unpainted gray plastic and will be marked with "(C) 1988 (or 1989) FUNRISE MADE IN CHINA." The wheel block on Galoob jets is painted to match the color of the jet's underside and has two parallel grooves as well as the Galoob markings and date, "(C) 198* GALOOB MD CHINA." Galoob wheels have a visible silver axle at the center while Funrise wheels are solid in the center with no visible axle.

Galoob top (notice block is painted and has two grooves), Funrise below (notice unpainted block without grooves)

Galoob right (notice silver axle at center of wheel), Funrise left (notice absence of silver in center)

Funrise produced a subline called "Micro Action Jet Ring Squadron." The jets in this line were the same molds and paints schemes as the regular "Micro Action" jets with new wheel blocks. These wheel blocks were larger, extending further forward. This added area was to accommodate a socket that could be plugged onto pegs on rings to allow the planes to be worn on fingers and "flown" around. These wheel blocks were also unpainted gray plastic and marked "(C) 1989 FUNRISE MADE IN CHINA." Packaging photos and online auctions seem to indicate that all the single-axle jet molds were available in this "ring" style.

"Ring squadron" version on left (note extended wheel block), regular version on right 

Another angle of "ring squadron" wheel block

Funrise also produced a line of "super jets" or "bombers and cargo planes". These models had a different wheel arrangement with two axles and four wheels. There is a black plate that holds the two axles in place in the wheel block (which is part of the plane mold). This plate is molded with some mechanical details and the company markings. For some reason, these are not marked with the Funrise name, rather they are marked "(C) DELES MADE IN CHINA." All examples I have seen are marked 1989.



The photo below shows a size comparison between a single-axle jet (on left) and a double-axle jet (on right):

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Comments

  1. UnknownJune 14, 2020 at 4:39 PM

    I found one of these in my basement. Any idea if anyone is interested in collecting one?

    ReplyDelete

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