Large Boxed Sets

These are the big ones. Those sets you got for Christmas or your birthday or when you had saved your allowance for quite a while. I was lucky, my two best friends were also into GI Joe and they managed to get what I didn't have so we had quite a collection. We managed to snare all the big sets between 70-74 and we had some great backyard adventures. Years later when I got into collecting GI Joe I was amazed at all the stuff we missed. I really would have loved the Seawolf or Capture Copter as a kid.

Spacewalk Mystery

Technically this isn't an Adventure Team set, it's an "Adventures of" set reissued with a flocked hair astronaut. This set consists of the standard capsule from the 60's astronaut set. It also includes a one zipper space suit with silver plastic boots, not the foil ones from the 60's set. The foil gloves also are not included. The standard space helmet with microphone was used in this set. To allow Joe to space walk there was an oxygen tank/backpack with a very short hose to connect to the capsule. As a kid I could never figure out how Joe was supposed to go anywhere with this little six inch hose! A propulsion gun was also included to help Joe maneuver out in space. The standard Mercury space flight record was included in either black or yellow vinyl. The Adventure Team capsule also had a glow in the dark interior to the space capsule, though my childhood capsule definitely has the standard blue interior. Don't know if the glow in the dark was just a first run thing or not.

Parts list: Mercury Space Capsule with Glow in the dark (or blue) interior, One zipper space suit, rocket decal on suit, space helmet with microphone, blonde Man of Action, silver plastic boots, propellant gun, camera, oxygen tank/backpack with orange O2 hose, 7" record (gold or black vinyl), 16 page adventure comic. Instruction sheet.

Sharks Surprise

The first of many Adventure Team (actually "Adventures of") sets to feature the shark. This set features a Sea Adventurer wearing an orange scuba suit. NOTE: Scuba suits for the most part haven't survived the test of time. The rubber reacts with other plastics and will actually bond to a Joe after a period of time. If it doesn't bond with something, it dries out, turns brown, cracks and becomes virtually worthless. Consider this before you lay out big bucks for a rubber wet suit or before you put one on a Joe for display.

Parts list: Sea Adventurer, Orange scuba top, orange scuba bottoms, orange hood, black dive mask, white air tanks/black regulator hose, speargun, grey shark, silver treasure chest, four plastic coins, sea sled, 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Secret of the Mummys Tomb

This set featured the introduction of the six wheeled Adventure Team Vehicle. This was a one man ATV which worked as well in water as it did on land. Attached to the back of the ATV for this set was a winch used to lift the mummy from the sand. Also included in this set was a pick, shovel, net, Land Adventurer with pith helmet and desert fatigues. The mummy case was an "aged" green that had a hidden drawer that slid open to reveal the mummy and three jewels. In 1976 this set was reissued with an orange ATV and the Land Adventurer was no longer included.

Another great box. See the front or the back. Note, this is the much rarer later issue with the 3D logo. The best part is the ATV is in Troubleshooter orange!

Parts list: Adventure Team six wheeled ATV (yellow or orange), winch with yellow "rope", Land Adventurer, Khaki shirt with AT decal, Khaki pants, pith helmet, short black boots, gold shovel, gold pick, net, mummy case with drawer, mummy, 3 jewels (red, blue, yellow). 16 page adventure comic. Instruction sheet.

Search for the Stolen Idol

This set featured the yellow Adventure Team "snap apart" helicopter. A button on the side of the helicopter caused the rotors to spin with increasing speed as you continued pressing the button. There was a winch on the bottom of the helicopter for carrying the idol once Joe located it. Included with the helicopter was an idol with three jewels hidden inside and a cobra. The helicopter was later issued alone without the idol, comic or snake as the Adventure Team Helicopter. Note in the ad for the set it is "Secret of". This was apparently used interchangeably with "Search for" as search is on the acual box.

Parts list: Two yellow body halves, 3 rotor blades, 3 back caps for end of blades, tail boom, stabilizer, tail section, windshield dome, landing gear, seat, two control panel halves, control stick, motor assembly, winch string, winch hook, winch rotor, gold idol, 3 jewels (red, blue, yellow), cobra, decals for control panel, decals for rotors and stabilizer, 16 page adventure comic. Instruction sheet.

Mobile Support Vehicle

This was the most elaborate of all the Adventure Team vehicles and arguably the best vehicle Hasbro produced during the vintage era. The rear of the vehicle opened up into a communications center, with a storage area, map rack, radio console with headset and a swivel chair. A door in the side of the vehicle opens to expose a working satellite launcher, complete with ladder to allow Joe to climb up to access the controls. Another side door exposes a control panel for a working searchlight and radar dish. A door on the opposite side opens to reveal two storage drawers. Also included was a satellite and a radiation detector/retriever for picking up the satellite once you found it. The front cab detaches to become a separate reconnaisance vehicle leaving the back section as a temporary headquarters. No Adventure Comic for this one.

Parts list: Four wheeled cab with removable windshield, retaining latch used to attach cab to communications trailer, four wheeled communications trailer, 2 storage drawers, ladder with removable non-slip base, 2 flying recon "cameras", battery cover swivel chair (two piece silver base + black chair), map rack, headset, searchlight, radar, access door to radar controls, radioactive satellite, satellite grabber. Instruction sheet.

Adventure Team Headquarters

The Adventure Team Headquarters was constructed of vinyl covered cardboard. The entire set folded up and all of the accessories stored inside the HQ. When the case opens out you have a communications room to the left. The video screens in the communications room are illustrations from the other AT sets including "Eight Ropes of Danger" and "Fight for Survival". The center room is a two story room. The bottom has a sliding door to the outside and an elevator chair ascends into the tower where there are controls for the searchlight and warning buzzer. The room to the right is a storage closet with shelves, coathangers and hooks for hanging uniforms. Also included with this set is a map table with three maps, a fuel hose for the various vehicles and a radio headset that plugged into the various screens in the communication room. This set also came with a 16 page adventure comic.

Parts list: Vinyl carrying case with extendable tower and handle, sliding door, control console which controls light and buzzer, searchlight, elevator chair, elevator pole, map table, 3 paper maps, table bottom (box), headset, 3 hanging shelves with six sides for the shelves, 5 coathangers, 8 uniform hooks, 4 plastic slides for holding the tower up or closed, fuel hose with nozzle, 16 page adventure comic. Instruction sheet.

Desert Patrol Adventure

The 60's desert patrol jeep minus the armament, issued as a JC Penney exclusive.

Parts list: Tan Jeep with AT logo on hood and foil headlights, gold shovel, gold pick, camo poncho, pith helmet, map case/map, hand held searchlight, crocodile, net, knife/scabbard, supply chest (orange/black), canteen/cover, mess kit(spoon, fork, knife), hunting rifle (gold barrel and scope), flare gun, orange raft/black paddle, orange/green tent with metal poles, rubber campfire camera gun. Instruction sheet.

Adventure Team Training Center

The Adventure Team Training Center was a three foot orange tower. The top of the tower consisted of a platform with a crane and a rope slide to allow Joe quick access to the ground. Joe reached the top of the tower via a "rope" ladder attached to the platform. Once on the ground Joe had a rifle rack complete with M16, Carbine, Revolver and 45. Joe also had two stand up targets to shoot at. After rifle practice there was an obstacle course consisting of a barrel, barb wire, three tires and two logs. A cave was included which included a tarp and poles to mount to the front of the cave for a shelter. A large first aid cabinet contained an oxygen tank with mask, bandages and a snake bite kit. Last but not least was a huge snake to menace Joe. Sears would later issue this set in an exclusive version with a plastic playmat, a searchlight and a vulture replacing the snake. The Sears set also eliminated the rope slide. Two separate 16 page adventure comics were issued with this set. The first featuring the snake, the second featuring the vulture.

Parts list: 12 orange tower supports (4 large, 4 medium, 4 small), silver tower consisting of 3 side pieces, base, horseshoe shaped top, arch, snap in console, black winch/crane, antenna, black safety bar. Plastic "rope" ladder, nylon rope, orange/black t-bar slide, 3 half tires, 2 different plastic logs, 2 paper targets, 2 plastic target stands, 2 coils barbwire, compass in green holder, rifle rack (unique to this set), two open barrels, 45 caliber pistol (silver), revolver (silver), M-16 (black), carbine (brown), large snake, 5 tarp poles, tarp, painted styrofoam cave, first aid cabinet containing (two rolls bandages, snake bite kit, oxygen mask with oxygen tank. The Sears exclusive dropped the snake and the slide and added an orange searchlight, 4'x4' plastic play mat and a black vulture. 16 page adventure comic. Instruction sheet.

Sandstorm Survival

For the first time in a large boxed set there were no new vehicles, instead Hasbro brought back the Five Star Jeep, kind of. The cannon, searchlight and trailer were gone and budget cuts appeared in the form of "foil" headlights.

Parts list: Green Jeep with AT logo on hood and foil headlights, gold shovel, gold pick, camo poncho, pith helmet, map case/map, hand held searchlight, crocodile, net, knife/scabbard, supply chest (orange/black), canteen/cover, mess kit(spoon, fork, knife), hunting rifle (gold barrel and scope), flare gun, orange raft/black paddle, orange/green tent with metal poles, camera gun. Instruction sheet.

Adventure Team Helicopter

A reissue of the Stolen Idol helicopter but this time with just the helicopter parts and without the idol, jewels, snake and comic. Reissued once again in 1976 with the KFG 3D logo on the box.

Parts list: Two yellow body halves, 3 rotor blades, 3 back caps for end of blades, tail boom, stabilizer, tail section, windshield dome, landing gear, seat, two control panel halves, control stick, motor assembly, winch string, winch hook, winch rotor, decals for control panel, decals for rotors and stabilizer, instruction sheet.

Adventure Team Vehicle

The ATV from the Mummys Tomb set without the mummy, net, jewels, uniform, figure or comic. This set was reissued again in 1976 in a box with the KFG 3D logo.

Parts list: Adventure Team six wheeled ATV (yellow or orange), winch with yellow "rope", instruction sheet.

Fate of the Troubleshooter

The Troubleshooter was a cool tracked vehicle using the body from the Adventure Team vehicle and molded in orange instead of the usual Adventure Team yellow. It now included a windshield in front and a battery operated communications center on the back that issued six commands at the press of a button. It also had a view screen and by turning a knob you could see scenes related to the spoken commands. A removable circuit board let Joe "repair" the communication center"

Parts list: Orange tracked ATV, black windshield (no "glass"), windshield support, solar panels, large radar, 2 small radar antenna, whip antenna, black battery box cover, silver talking communications box, vulture, decals, removable silver circuit drawer, 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Devil of the Deep

Sharks, mummies, tigers, vultures what evil creature lurked around the corner for Joe next? The Hammerhead Stingray! One of my favorite of the creatures included in the accessory sets this was a stingray with the head of a hammerhead shark. Way cool for the average 10 year old. Another new vehicle made it's appearance in this set. Joe now had an airboat to add to his fleet of vehicles. This vehicle used a hull similar to that of the pygmy gorilla boat with attached pontoons, storage lockers and a large fan on the back, and yes it floats. To help catch that nasty hammerhead, Joe had a noose on a pole which fit over the creatures head and retracted to hold him tight.

Parts list: Swamp Craft (hull, 2 pontoons, 2 control handles, fan unit with equipment lockers, 2 rudders, 2 equipment locker doors), snare, small searchlight to mount on boat, hammerhead stingray, decals, 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Secret Mountain Outpost

This was the testing/training center for Mike Power. The concept is great, the actual product could have been better. I wish they would have updated the original Headquarters and added the new stuff for Mike Power. The strength tester, atomic eye tester, height check, treadmill etc. They could have used the basic HQ structure, dropped the tower and searchlight and still been better off. Oh well. This playset consisted of a cardboard wall that you slid into a plastic frame. On the outside it looked like a log cabin. The interior was the testing center. The best part of the set was the treadmill and the running shorts/shirt/shoes for Mike Power. The tennis shoes were a nice break from the standard GI Joe boots. The original version of this referred to the computer as a "Bionivac-4". Needless to say the Six Million Dollar man folks put a stop to that. A few years ago a warehouse find uncovered a bunch of these still sealed, because of that you can find them in great condition for a good price.

Parts list: Coated cardboard walls, silver plastic base, 3 roof struts, cardboard door, "wheel" door handle, plastic log "lock", flag pole, paper AT flag, radar antenna with small plastic base for attaching to outpost, treadmill with "T" hand grip handle and cardboard instrument panel, red lens viewer (kid sized), cable to attach treadmill to computer, white tennis shoes, nylon t-shirt, blue shorts with red stripes down both sides, labels, 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Trapped in the Coils of Doom

Coils? Does this mean...Yes that huge snake from the Training Center returns in this Sears exclusive set. I guess he felt snubbed when Sears replaced him with that vulture before. The Troubleshooter returns minus the communication center and this time molded in a subdued tan. I guess all that orange and yellow made the team stand out a little too much. Also included was the pontoon boat and a snare(see above) to catch that snake. In case you've never tried it the pygmy gorilla boat fits nicely on the back of your Adventure Team Vehicle or your Troubleshooter. The white pieces for the pontoons fit in the holes above the "trunk" and the boat rests nicely on the top of these supports. It looks good too.

Parts list: Tan tracked ATV, pontoon boat with 2 pontoons/supports, outboard motor (non-working), seat for boat, large snake, black windshield, windshield support, khaki pants, hunting jacket with AT decal, tan belt, short black boots, instruction sheet.

Fantastic Seawolf

Well that Navy guy is still floating around in his raft (bg), but the Adventure Team now has a submarine! The Seawolf is a white one man submarine with a hand air pump to control the ascent and descent of the sub when you took it out to the pool. It works too! There was also a viewer which you could look through and watch the sub underwater. Also included in this set is a squid for Joe to capture with those grabber claws on the front of the sub. There is also a periscope so Joe can view the entire daring capture. Unfortunately when you find a Seawolf today the "lens" from the top of the periscope is the piece that is almost always missing.

Parts list: Submarine hull, conning tower (two pieces clear/white), periscope, black valve goes on top of sub to allow the pump to attach. lens (goes on top of periscope), camera/light (mounts on claws), grabber claws, face mask/regulator on 12" orange hose, rudder, 2 diving planes, remote control pump with 48" clear plastic hose (attaches to top of conning tower), kid sized viewer with mirror, two pontoons for viewer, decals squid, Camouflage swim trunks, 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Skyhawk

Can you say hang glider? Yep, Joe has now gotten into hangliding. This is a huge piece of equipment spanning nearly six feet. Basically a souped up kite with a seat underneath, the Skyhawk comes with a towline allowing you to tow Joe through the air. When you let him free he glides around the yard. Because of the wear and tear on this vehicle you don't see many loose in good condition. Fortunately a few years back someone found a bunch of sealed ones in some mysterious warehouse so there are some nice ones around. An adventure comic came with this set. The comic features a giant spider, but you have to purchase "Skydive to Danger" to get that menacing arachnid.

Parts list: Large plastic sheet (uncut), 6 wood dowels(spars), Main Frame with seat, landing skid, black "nose" for front of Skyhawk, dual arched sail support to hold kite out and up from main cross section, 3 yellow round spar end caps to attach to back of dowels, 3 clear pastic spar couplings for connecting dowels together, spool of string (100'), tow ring, yellow tape strips, sail support adjuster (small yellow piece fits on middle spar), 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Big Trapper

If this set would have been issued in 1972 it would have been one of the best Adventure Team sets issued. Unfortunately, budget cuts took their toil and this one comes up a bit short. Upon first looks this is a great vehicle. It is a large yellow six wheeled vehicle with room for two Joes in the front and another standing in the back manning the laser cannon. The front and back sections are separated by a flexible bellows allowing the trapper to maneuver over the roughest terrain. Hanging on the back of the trapper is a large gray cage with black(elastic) bars. This cage was used to hold Joes newest enemy, the Intruder. So far so good. Upon closer inspection the first thing you notice is the great seats included in the Mobile Support have been replaced with cardboard seats for this vehicle. Because of this, you rarely see a Big Trapper with the seats intact. The other items often missing are the two cardboard communication panels that insert into the inside of the back section. This set was issued with or without an Intruder.

Parts list: Six wheeled vehicle, laser cannon with mount, silver cage with elastic bars, intruder, 2 cardboard seats, 2 cardboard control panels, rear access door, decal sheet. 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Capture Copter

Okay Hasbro, I forgive you again. This is an AWESOME vehicle. The standard yellow helicopter has been updated and now it's black. Instead of a windshield the front of the copter is now "armor plated". Man those Intruders were tough! The landing gear has also been replaced with pontoons for water landings and a huge claw in the front for grabbing onto an intruder as you fly by. The winch from the AT copter is still there but now you have a plastic net to haul the intruder around in. The decals to trim the copter are now orange and metallic silver contributing to the menacing look of this vehicle. A 16 page adventure comic was included with this set.

Parts list: Black copter, 2 black pontoons, grabber claws, yellow plastic net, intruder, 3 decal sheets (2 foil, one paper), 16 page adventure comic, instruction sheet.

Avenger Pursuit Craft

Those Intruders must have inspired someone, because this is another great vehicle. The Adventure Team now has something that Air Force Pilot never had, a plane! Actually this is much more than a plane, it is also a car and a water craft. The primary body of the craft remains the same while you can also attach wheels, pontoons, a wing and a tail section with a cargo bay. This was years before Transformers. Of course we also have a handy winch for snagging those persistent cavemen from outer space! Surprisingly, no comic with this one.

Parts list: Gray plane hull, steering wheel, two yellow pontoons, black seat, tail section, 2 yellow rudders, yellow cargo door, yellow cargo bay, gray wing, wheel section with three wheels, gray pontoon support, 2 black jet engines, winch with rope and hook, instruction sheet.

Combat Jeep and Trailer

A new version of the five star jeep. The trailer and cannon are back but the cannon no longer fires (doesn't even have the "guts") and the jeep is entirely new. It's closer to that blow molded garbage Irwin put out than the five star jeep. No redeeming qualities to this set.

Parts list: Jeep, steering wheel, cannon (no spring or firing mechanism), trailer, tripod, decal sheet, instruction sheet.

Recovery of the Lost Mummy

Another of the reissue sets. This was a Sears exclusive. This set came with the AT Helicopter, ATV, orange life raft with black oar, mummy/tomb, "rope" net, pick, shovel, pith helmet, bayonet, belt, first aid kit, compass,animal trap and one of the storage crates from "Pygmy Gorilla" minus the printing on the lid.

Super Adventure - Flying Space Adv, Spy Island, Danger of the Depths

This large box contained all three window box sets with the cover art for all three. I have seen this a couple of times but incomplete.

Super Adventure - Pygmy Gorilla, Mummys Tomb, Fight for Survival

A Sears exclusive. This large box contained most of the three window box sets with the cover art for all three. The Fight for Survival set was cut back to 1 dog and included the "Deep Freeze" 60's sled instead of the large dog sled. A white parka with AT decal and pants were used instead of the blue parka and yellow pants.

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