Micro Action Jets - A Collector's Guide

Here are some knock-offs of Micro Action jets that came with a new (2010’s) aircraft carrier playset.* They are each one solid piece of plastic with the wheel block and wheels all molded together with the body of the jet. This isn’t a problem since the wheels on real Micro Action jets don’t really work anyway (despite the claim on the packaging). The paint jobs are well done and are similar to the originals. I think they’re neat little pieces, especially the white Phantom. The first photo is a group shot of all the knock-offs together (3 Phantoms, 2 Falcons, 1Eagle and 1Tomcat). Then there are comparison shots of the knock-off (on the right) and the Funrise original (on the left). The last photo is a shot of the underside of one of the knock-offs. * 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 co...

Here are Micro Action sets being featured in period catalogs. All the images on this page are taken from and used with the kind permission of WishbookWeb.com , the vintage Christmas catalog archive. Check out the site for a real nostalgia trip! The 1989 Sears Wishbook (2 images below) - The carrier (item 4) is referred to as a “Helicopter Attack Cruiser” and came with three helicopters (one of which is the larger, ripcord-powered flying copter). The ship pictured may be a prototype as the guns on the deck are gray rather than black and there are different stickers on the island and in front of the island. The “Cargo Plane” (item 5) is shown with 14 Micro Action vehicles (including 7 “Collector Series I” jets). Side note: Item 10  is from Imperial’s “ Steel Screamers ” line. The jets in this line were die-cast metal and used both Funrise and Galoob sculpts. The 1990 JC Penney Christmas Catalog (1 image below) - The “Micro Action Super Cruiser” (item E) is shown wit...

Funrise made some of their single-axle jets in a color-changing plastic. I do not have any examples in my collection but have seen some in online auctions. They were supposed to change color in warm and cold water. The packaging photos all show greenish jets that change to a yellowish color. Despite the photos on the packaging, the actual jets I’ve seen appear white in color, almost like glow-in-the-dark plastic. I’m not sure if this is due to a degradation of the color changing plastic or if they were originally this strange white color. To date, I’ve only seen 4-packs of the color changing jets and all packages were marked “1988.” The following jets are pictured on the back of the packaging (those marked with an asterisk I can confirm as being produced as color changers): A-4 Skyhawk* F-4 Phantom* F-10A Thunderbolt II F-14A Tomcat F-15 Eagle* F-16A Fighting Falcon F/A-18 Hornet F-19 Stealth* SR-71A Blackbird* MIG 21bis Fishbed* MIG 238N Flogger* TU-26 Backfire Bomber* ...

The single-axle jets were sold in a variety of ways including 2-packs, 4-packs, 5-packs and a 12-pack in a reusable carry case. Two jets were featured in some of the "Micro Action Cars, Trucks and Planes" sets (along with two road signs and three human figures). In addition, two jets were included with one version of the "Micro Action Jet Aircraft Carrier" and four jets with another version, and one jet was included with the "Micro Action Air Base." Below are some packaging examples. "Micro Jet Magnifiers" 2-pack (dated 1988), front and back: "Micro Action Jet Planes Collector Series I" 2-pack (dated 1989), front and back: "Micro Action Jet Planes Collector Series II" 2-packs (dated 1989), 2 fronts and 1 back: "Micro Action Jet Planes Collector Series II" 5-pack (dated 1989), front and back: Double-axle jets, the so-called "super jets," were available in 4-packs. The card and plastic b...

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 ...

Funrise's "Micro Action" line of miniature vehicles and playsets was a contemporary competitor to Galoob's well-known "Micro Machines." As a child, I received the Funrise "Micro Action Jet Aircraft Carrier" for Christmas. The carrier also came with two miniature jets. This large but simple toy and the two tiny jets became the center of my imaginative play. Not long after, I got the Funrise "Micro Action Space Shuttle Launch Set" and NASA's shuttle joined as an integral part of the stories I played out on the floor of my room. While I had a greater number of Galoob's toys, it is the Funrise toys that I look back upon most fondly. When I wanted to reacquire these long lost toys of childhood I started looking for information on the internet. I discovered that there is not nearly as much information about "Micro Machines" as one might expect and nothing dedicated to Funrise's "Micro Action" series. As I'...