Gatilho - Brazilian Exclusive Python Patrol Airborne

Gatilho has been part of my collection for over 20 years.  In that time, he has been a major player, minor annoyance and, now, part of my core collection that defines my Joe experience.  I no longer really think of the figure as a foreign exclusive.  Instead, he's just another option when I'm looking to staff the villains in photos or displays.  He's more a part of the Python Patrol to me than even Copperhead or the Viper.  I just see him in this role as a major character whose origin in South America is one of the lesser aspects of his character.  And, as I've found Python Patrol to be a fun subset to build out, Gatilho takes on importance beyond being a foreign oddity and has become a key component of one of my favorite one-off sets in my collection.

At this point in my collecting life, foreign exclusives have been part of my Joe experience for so long that I really don't have the appreciation for them that they probably warrant. It is amazing that the world has changed to a point where acquiring decades old toys that were exclusively released on other continents is commonplace.  Figures like the Brazilian Gatilho were once nearly impossible find.  Now, they are relatively common and most collectors have easy access to the figure, though they may be priced somewhat higher.  We have knowledge of foreign releases and access to their home markets that allow anyone to add foreign figures like this to their collections.  That expansion of the Joe world has been a heavy driver of the brand's momentum for over 20 years, now.  Fan clubs, factory customs and licensed partners have all delved into the foreign Joe mythos.  And, it's been only possible because there is so much information about non-Hasbro releases available.  

Gatilho is pretty much what he's supposed to be.  He's a weird villain wearing a Python Patrol uniform.  His base is solidly military...a leftover from his Airborne roots.  But, the colors are non-sensical in any form aside from membership in Python Patrol.  The green, yellow and black is a visual treat, though.  And, I'd have enjoyed this figure quite a bit had I owned him as a kid.  As a collector, though, I appreciate that he brings the one element that was always missing from Python Patrol: named characters.  Python Patrol was an army builder's panacea.  But, a team with no leader didn't make sense.  And, in the pre-factory custom world, Gatilho was the perfect choice to lead teams of Python army builders into action.

Gatilho has some limitations, too.  His yellow waists makes him appear that he's wearing yellow underwear on the outside of his uniform.  It's somewhat distracting.  It does break up the figure's look.  But, not in a good way.  His kneepads are also unpainted.  A quick application of black paint here would really help set the figure out.  The busy camo pattern makes Gatilho's legs disappear.  Black kneepads would help to break this up and give you a visual resting point on the figure.  The rest of the colors are an odd mish-mash.  But, they are true to the Python Patrol visuals.  Really, it's amazing how well Gatilho and Relampago match up to the Hasbro Python Patrol figures.  It's this consistency that makes the Brazilian duo so useful.  They look like they are intended to match the Hasbro sub-team.

Back in 2003, I wrote up a whole backstory for this figure.  And, had I not written it down, I'd have no recollection of it.  I have less need for a complex and intricate origin for every character these days.  Now, I just see Gatilho as a guy who leads some similarly dressed Cobras into battle.  There's not much thought put into him beyond that.  He might ride a motorcycle or a helicopter.  But, those are just tools and not part of his character.  I like the figure because he looks cool and is a perfect match for one of my favorite Cobra Trooper recolors.  And, 20 years after his acquisition, that's enough.  I like using him and I take advantage of that when I can.  

Gatilho includes two accessories, but both are unique to this figure. The helmet is a yellow version of Airborne's original helmet, but with the molded goggles painted black. This additional splash of color helps to mute the bright yellow and gives the helmet far more character than was exhibited on the American Airborne. The figure also includes a charcoal colored version of Ripcord's rifle. This coloring is similar to the weapon included with the Tactical Battle Platform in the U.S. But, it has a glossier finish. Due to the figure's brittle thumbs and the rifle's large handle, though, I have never actually placed the weapon in the figure's hands. Instead, I use other, smaller handled weapons or have Gatilho posed like he appears in the photos below where he holds the rifle by the barrel or handle in a resting position rather than being ready to fire. The accessories fit the figure, but are not all that great. Having the helmet is worthwhile as the helmetless figure is a bit boring. But, there are other alternatives to Gatilho's weapon that allow for the budget conscious collector to skip that unique accessory and outfit him with something from the spare guns bin.

The Airborne mold was released several times.  Hasbro released Airborne in 1983.  He was available on a card and bagged as well.  His torso and accessories were then used for the first version of the Steel Brigade figure.  Then, the mold went to South America.  (This is why the Steel Brigade was changed to the Duke torso and also why Starduster was switched to Duke's torso since Recondo was also sent away.)  Airborne was released in colors based off his US figure in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.  The final release of the mold appears to have been this Gatilho.  But, foreign timelines are fuzzy.  In the early 2000's, there were people in Argentina who claimed to have access to the Airborne mold and could make exclusive figures.  No one took them up on the offer.  (Which, was probably wise!)  But, it implied that the Airborne mold existed at that time.  It was just not in Hasbro's control.  If this was true or if the mold might still exist are unknown.  Factory Custom maker Black Major released an Airborne torso on his Steel Brigade figures in 2017.  But, he never used the torso on another figure, despite the possibilities.  Airborne remains an underrepresented figure in terms of untapped potential for repaints of the mold.  But, it's unlikely to ever come to be.

While the Airborne mold was used quite a bit, I feel it was never really fully exploited.  The Argentine, Mexican and Brazilian versions of the character all have nuances from the Hasbro figure.  But, at their core, they are the same central theme based on the character's original appearance.  The Steel Brigade usage of the torso was good.  But, you have to find what is now one of the rarest Hasbro figures in the line's history to use on a custom to make use of the solid green color.  Fail Safe brought back the Airborne helmet in 2023.  And, it would have been awesome to have seen a drastic Airborne recolor to accompany Ripcord released some time after the Skystriker dropped.  I feel there's a lot of potential left in the Airborne mold that could be used for a definitive version of the character.  I don't think we'll ever see it, though.

In the grand scheme of things, this figure is rare. The brittle Brazilian plastic, lower overall production numbers and language barriers to its native release country all add up to a figure that does not exist in great quantities. But, despite all that, the figure is still very much available from South American Joe sellers and can even be found from American dealers with some frequency. Gatilho is still, though, a $80 - $100 figure if you want a mint, complete with filecard version. (You can get them cheaper if you can find an American seller with the figure, but that takes quite a bit of patience.)  That's pricey for the Joe line. It is up to each collector to determine if this figure brings that kind of value to their collection. Personally, I find Gatilho and Relampago necessary members of my collection due to the holes they fill in the Python Patrol subset.  But, if Python Patrol isn't a division of interest, then the value each figure brings to a collection diminishes.

 

Rarities - Plastirama Filecards

In the mid 2010's, I tried to set up an international filecard archive with scans and translations of every foreign filecard I owned.  For a time, it was up and I finished translating all the Plastirama filecards from Argentina.  Then, I lost the file....

So, I thought I'd put up the scans of the old filecards and, over time, maybe retranslate them.  Most of the text isn't all that interesting.  But, below, you can see most of the more common Plastirama filecards.  There's a few gems like the Cobra De Hielo being a new character and Sgto. Slaughter's name being Alan Heavy.  But, for the most part, the filecards aren't all that great.  But, they are a fun piece of the line's history.

1983 Airborne Around the Web

Airborne is the reason I'm a Joe collector today.  He was my introduction to swivel arm battle grip and was the catalyst that drove Star Wars out of relevance for me.  The figure hasn't maintained his place of prominence since then.  But, it's still an excellent release.  Here's the best of him from around the web.

Airborne Profile

Airborne by thedustinmccoy

Airborne by Scarrviper

Airborne by RTG

Airborne at the Attica Gazette

Plastirama (Argentina) Cardbacks

Plastirama cardbacks are, to put it mildly, junk.  They are made of much flimsier cardboard than the American cardbacks and lack the glossy sheen on front and back as well.  As such, finding high quality samples of the cardbacks can be tough.  But, enough warehouse overstock came to the U.S. and was opened by collectors that good enough samples of lesser figures are pretty common.

The cardbacks themselves followed the general theme of American Joes.  You see the photo grid of character artwork for the other characters that were available around the same time as the figure you purchased.  You also have the requisite filecard on the back.  Only, Plastirama filecards are a bright yellow color.  It's visually distinctive and helps obscure the fact that the cards aren't as shiny or robust as those that were released by Hasbro.

The main item of note is that the characters listed on the were limited to 10 for these two series of figures.  You see the "Nuevo" banks on various figures on the Condor cardback.  Condor was part of a later wave release.  What's odd is that Recondo is listed as an earlier Plastirama release.  However, Recondo was never produced in Argentina and disappeared with Leopardo in Brazil.  The theme of unreleased figures is carried over to the Alado cardback, too.  Here, we see both Barbecue and Flint.  While both were released in Brazil (and, later, India) they were never released in Argentina.  Why these figures showed up on the cardbacks but were never released is a mystery.  It could be the molds were recalled by Hasbro or were never sent on by Estrela.  But, they offer insight into some possible other outcomes for the Plastirama line.

Diorama - Eel In Training

We had a bit of early winter rain.  Overnight, it turned cold and the ground water froze.  We then got a light dusting of snow.  I liked the idea of Arctic training for the Eels and thought of having them break through the ice.  Rather than attacking the Joes, I turned the table and had the Joe surprise the trainees.  I was hoping to get some better photos of Airborne.  But, none of those turned out.  The plan was to use the pics for a Duke profile, too.  But, I only ended up getting his back.  Still, this was a fun set to set up and take as the weather wasn't too bad, but the setting made it look like it was.

Condor - Argentine Exclusive Airborne

While my first G.I. Joe figure was Breaker and my earliest memories of the line were playing with my younger brother's Clutch figure, the reality is that I am a Joe collector today because of one figure and one figure alone: Airborne.  In the late, post "Return of the Jedi" summer of 1983, I was captivated by the Airborne figure.  The swivel arm battle grip opened up a huge new realm of play possibilities.  Plus, the figure and his accessories were nothing short of spectacular.  Airborne piqued my curiosity and I found the entire slate of 1983 Joes to be so much more entertaining than the Star Wars figures that had dominated my play patterns from May through June.  With that new notion in hand, I've embarked on a 30+ year collecting odyssey with Joes.

Gatilho (Brazilian Exclusive Python Patrol Airborne)

Most of you are familiar with my other profiles of Brazilian exclusive figures. Estrela toys produced a steady stream of exclusive Joe figures throughout the late '80's and early '90's. While their exclusive Tiger Force Airtight (Ar Puro) and Tiger Force Shipwreck (Marujo) figures garner the most collector attention, they also produced two exclusive Python Patrol figures to complement the Brazilian Python Patrol line. Unlike the American Python Patrol, that was only comprised of army builder type figures, the Brazilian line included two dramatic re-interpretations of classic molds. While I've already profiled the Python Patrol Ripcord (Relampago), I felt it was time to showcase the second, and more elaborate exclusive entry into the Brazilian Python Patrol world: the Python Patrol Airborne, Gatilho.

While the Relampago figure is nice, he is rather bland. the entire figure is done in the camo pattern that matches the Python Tele-Viper. It works and it a nice homage to the original design, but lacks any real flair. Gatilho, though, has no such shortcomings. In fact, it was the overstylized nature of this figure that decreased my interest in him. The photos I had seen didn't do Gatilho justice. However, once I had him in my collection, the truly unique nature of the figure lead to his greater prominence in my collection. This figure is colored in a way that mimics the Python Copperhead. If you look at the photos below, I made an effort to include Copperhead in order to showcase the figures' similarities. As on the Copperhead figure, the dark greens offset by the deep blacks with the yellow and burgundy accents work to create a richly colored figure who is remarkably likable.

In an odd twist, Gatilho utilizes the mold of the 1983 Airborne mold. Like Relampago, Gatilho takes a good guy mold and turns him to Cobra. For whatever reason, both Airborne and Ripcord saw heavy use in South American interpretations of the G.I. Joe line. Both appeared in Argentina and in Brazil as Joes. (Both had slight color variations, but were nothing extraordinarily different from what we saw in the US.) They were then chosen as the exclusive entries into the Brazilian Force Naja. The equivalent of Python Patrol. It could be that these molds were simply available and the powers that be at Estrela decided that they would work as exclusive figures. It could be something else. At this point, their reasoning will probably never be known.

In my collection, Gatilho is a specialized mercenary who, while employed by Cobra, is not actually a part of the organization. In my previous profiles, I've made mention of my currently running Cobra story line. Gatilho fits into this as a hired gun whose sole purpose is to protect Letal while he conducts his research. (He is the hired gun to whom I refer in Letal's profile.) This makes Letal less vital to the overall Cobra hierarchy, but also keeps him a more interesting role player as he is not pigeon-holed into Cobra and is free to associate with other factions in my Joe world. He really is a mercenary, but prefers to work for Cobra as they pay well, provide competent help and have the best equipment. As such, he is most often seen in the company of Cobra forces.

Gatilho's goal, though, is to join Cobra. He is a native to South America and realizes that if Cobra's goals on that continent are reached, he would be in a good position to help them. However, after meeting the character portrayed by the Flying Scorpion, Gatilho realized that the lack of loyalty in the past was going to prevent from just joining Cobra in a position of prominence. As such, he works as a freelancer in the hopes that he can prove his worth to Cobra and be allowed to join them. He also realized that Letal was a good way for him to show his loyalty. Gatilho's contract with Cobra was to protect Letal at any costs. When the Joes found Letal's secret lab in Brazil, Gatilho managed to flee with Letal (and all his research) and left the Joes with no tangible evidence of the operations' purpose. Gatilho took Letal to a plane he hid in the jungle and flew him to safety, showcasing a skill Cobra was not aware he had. As such, Gatilho is now more valuable in Cobra's eyes. While still not a part of their organization, he is now paired with higher ranking Cobra leaders and is slowly earning his way into the top cabal. Like most of my new Cobras, though, Gatilho is more interested in following the plan of the Flying Scorpion character than trying to gain more power for himself. However, Gatilho's past shows that he is loyal to who pays him. Where I'm going to take his story from here, though, is something that is going to have to play itself out in the coming months. ;->

Gatilho's are very hard to find. If you want them mint and complete, they are almost impossible to acquire for under $50. Like the other Brazilian exclusive Python Patrol and Tiger Force figures, Gatilho is very brittle and is VERY prone to breakage. As he also comes with an exclusive helmet, Gatilho becomes even harder to get if you are a stickler about completeness. However, when I acquired this figure, I had only ever seen 2 other mint, complete Gatilhos offered for sale. Since my acquisition, I have seen nearly a dozen more publicly sold and know that many collectors have also picked them up via private trades. Why the upturn in availability? Simple, Brazil, as a nation, is making a push to get its citizenry more internet access. As that occurs, more Brazilians are realizing that many of the toys they have sitting around can be sold to Americans for substantial amounts of money. This has, in turn, made many previously hard to find Brazilian exclusive figure much easier for American collectors to track down. As we go forward, I see figures like Gatilho becoming easier to find. However, I don't think they'll ever be so common that you'll find them for common prices. With that, if you want a Gatilho, it is probably in your best interests to wait. However, as this figure is very cool and will remain desirable, if you can find one for a price that you're comfortable with, I would go for it. I've found Gatilho to be a nice mesh into my collection. With an updated Python Patrol supposedly coming this year and, perhaps, new prominence for that subset in the collecting world, having a Gatilho makes more sense. He is certainly not a typical figure, but one that I think most collectors would enjoy.

With Gatilho, I've got the Brazilian Python Patrol exclusive figures. I would, though, like to track down a Reptil Do Ar figure. If you have one available, please let me know.

1983 Airborne

In 1983, Return of the Jedi finally came out. What little headway G.I. Joe had made into my toy collection in 1982 was quickly erased by the new wave of Star Wars figures that were being released. After seeing the movie, though, playing with the figures became anti-climatic. That summer, my brother got an Airborne figure. On day, while playing, I decided to use this Airborne. At that moment, I was a full convert. Star Wars was out, G.I. Joe was in. The swivel arm battle grip had intrigued me, but once I held this figure in my hands, it was the amazing detail and accessories that won me over. Airborne had the awesome bayonet, and a pack that I thought had a parachute on top. (I now know differently.) He became my favorite figure. Soon, I had all the other '83's. Airborne, though, remained at or near the top of my play list until 1986. After that point, the newer figures were winning me over. Besides, my Airborne was dying a slow death. I managed to replace him, but it was too late. Now, though, this figure holds a special place in my collection.

I liked the Airborne figure, but after reading G.I. Joe #31, his character had me hooked. He and Spirit made a great story work perfectly. After reading that comic, I made them a team. Of course, after watching wrestling from the time, they eventually split up and became enemies. It just seemed the natural thing to do. Airborne was the least treated of the five major new character introduced in G.I. Joe #11. While Wild Bill was only available with the Dragonfly, Airborne, a regularly carded figure, got considerably less press time. With #31, he was finally given some adequate comic time. Of course, after this triumph, his only other appearances were token. Airborne was probably one of the first signs that the G.I. Joe team would grow to big to be manageable in a single comic.

I gave Airborne a quiver and Storm Shadow's bow. Like most of my favorite figures, he had to be over accessorized. This also lead to hard times for the figure. Many of my early versions have broken thumbs, crotches and accessories. The nice thing, though, was that Airborne was available for about three years. As I broke my old figures, I could still replace him. After he disappeared from the shelves, though, I was cautious of the figure so I wouldn't destroy the only one I had left. The figure was pretty strong, but the beating he would take over the years was enough to make anyone cringe. He was buried in dirt, left out in the snow, dropped from the top of the garage, had his parachute (a cloth Fisher Price jobbie that was about the coolest working 3 3/4" accessory I ever found. Those crappy plastic Hasbro parachutes always sucked and would never work right. This Fisher Price thing, though, was awesome. It opened every time. The rainbow colors, though, kind of made it difficult for military use.) rip off him in midair, and was run over by monster Tonka trucks. At least I never set him on fire....

The Airborne mold has a long international history. After the mold was used on the very first Steel Brigade figures, it was shipped off to South America. There, Airborne was released in both Argentina and Brazil, though in colors very similar to the American figure. (Of note, though, is the exclusive card art that Airborne received in Brazil. It is quite cool.) In the early '90's, the Airborne mold was dusted off, colored in Python Patrol colors and released in Brazil as a Cobra named Gatilho. After this use, though, the mold disappeared and has not been seen since. It is likely that the mold has stayed in Brazil where it is, for all intents and purposes, lost. It's too bad as a new take on this mold would be welcomed. At this point, I'd even settle for a new amalgamation that was true to the Airborne character.

It's sad, really, that most of Airborne's attention from collectors is from the fact that he made up most of the mold for the Steel Brigade figures. You never really hear people talking about him. When Ripcord came out in 1984, Airborne was basically replaced as the co-pilot for the Skystriker and Dragonfly. As such, he fell by the wayside. Since there were so many other awesome '83's, he is also easy to overlook. The figure, though, is awesome. I love the mold. I often gave him a spare Ripcord's parachute pack and mask. This tandem of skydivers became the first assault unit that always came in and made it safe for the later troops. With a little imagination, Airborne remained one of my most popular figures for several years. That's a lot longer than the average figure would make it.

Airbornes are not expensive, in comparison to other '83's. Do expect, though, to pay a bit more for him than you would for other, newer figures. He isn't too tough to find, but can be problematic. Like most '83's, you don't find pristine copies of Airborne without a little search time. Kids then played with their toys and most surviving versions are in bad shape. You will notice the damage done to the gun on this sample. While the figure is good, I have at least 4 dead ones that couldn't make it out of the '80's. Airborne's paint is fairly resilient, except on his hands. This is were the majority of wear occurs on these figures. He appears for sale rather often, though. Probably more so than other '83's like Gung Ho and Snow Job. (The only two Joe figures from '83 that really beat out Airborne from a sheer coolness standpoint.) Of course, I have now picked up a couple of extra copies of this figure. The only way I will display my Dragonfly is with Airborne in the gunner's seat. It is his place of honor for the figure that made me a full fledged Joe fan.