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Author
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Topic: 1:18 Apollo A7L astronaut figures (Chinese)
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Gkitman
New Member Posts: 9
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2002
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posted 02-23-2015 01:49 PM
   
I've recently bought a couple 1/18 figures from eBay (seller: shoporiental).They are pretty nice, accurately detailed (for toys). Similar to the Dragon figures (1/24) or the old 1/12 1998 Space Explorers. There are several of these. One with removable helmet looks kind of like Armstrong. The others have narrow minded astronauts with side shades down. Visors are gold chrome plated. Some have a base and some not. Some a Hasselblad or tongs, or flag. Arm positions differ. The arms and legs are movable.  
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the clocks running
Member Posts: 382
From: Rochester, NY
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted 02-24-2015 03:45 PM
Are these Apollo astronauts produced by Dragon?This figure looks a lot like the Dragon Apollo collection that was supposed to be released a couple of years ago. |
CaptSpry
Member Posts: 33
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 02-25-2015 12:25 PM
I bought one of these about a week ago, just waiting for it to arrive. I got the one with the flag. If I like it I may invest in the others as well. |
Gkitman
New Member Posts: 9
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2002
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posted 02-26-2015 09:06 PM
Maybe they are made by the same company as did the Dragon? Features and coloring are similar. They come in a simple soft plastic ziplock bag, no fancy packaging at all and no manufacturer's name. They look good and are appropriately scaled for 1/18. They stand pretty 'normally', not the peculiar lopsided pose of the Dragon Can Do figure with the tool.
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Gkitman
New Member Posts: 9
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2002
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posted 02-26-2015 09:11 PM
Actually, looking at the ad from 2012, these definitely look like the same figures. The one not shown in the Dragon ad is the Neil Armstrong with removable helmet. |
Daugherty54
Member Posts: 591
From: Cabot, Arkansas, USA
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 02-26-2015 10:09 PM
Are the hands larger than the rest of the scaled body? They don't look right in the pictures. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42982
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-26-2015 10:17 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Gkitman:
Actually, looking at the ad from 2012, these definitely look like the same figures.
To my knowledge, Dragon never released their 1:18 astronaut figures. So, based on that and given that the figures for sale now come without formal packaging, it is possible that they are counterfeits based on stolen or discarded molds. |
Gkitman
New Member Posts: 9
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2002
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posted 02-27-2015 07:45 AM
The hands appear proportional. I suspect that the one image of Armstrong was taken from a distance using a zoom and so foreshortenining makes one of the hands look larger, but its not real. They are well proportioned. |
CaptSpry
Member Posts: 33
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 02-27-2015 11:24 AM
It appears they are missing the patches, which can easily be printed and added on. I will confirm this when mine arrives, which will probably be today or Monday. |
p51
Member Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 02-27-2015 06:47 PM
Chinese copies of items like this are everywhere, and found all over eBay. I bet these Apollo figures have no maker markings underneath, right?Name a toy, you can probably find counterfeits out of China. Ask any collector of mainstream toys who knows their stuff, they'll tell you. I collect items for the character, "Sarge" from the Pixar, "Cars" movies and have several pirated Chinese items in the collection. Some of them are really well done but all of them have something 'off' about them if you know what to look for. |
Gkitman
New Member Posts: 9
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2002
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posted 03-01-2015 11:37 AM
I've noticed that there are some of these on eBay being sold in hard plastic blister packages for about three times the cost, near $50 each. As compared with the $12.99 and $14.99 prices of the vendor with the provided links. There are no emblems or markings on these, including no US flag. The flag would probably be on the ball of the shoulder ball joint. |
CaptSpry
Member Posts: 33
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 03-02-2015 11:37 AM
I just received mine... here are some pictures. As I assumed, no patches, but I will just print some up and add them. Since they never released them as they announced a long while ago, this seems to be the only way to get them. 
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CaptSpry
Member Posts: 33
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 03-02-2015 11:38 AM
 
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