1985 Airtight - Around The Web

We all make choices.  Some are good.  Some are bad.  Some stay with you.  Others don't.  I had a choice in February of 1985 when I found brand new Joes at a local KB Toy Store.  I could buy a Flint.  Or, I could buy an Airtight.  Flint, I knew about from the cartoon.  Airtight, well, he was all new and looked awesome.  In the package, Flint's head was drooping.  I thought he was broken since I didn't know about the new head articulation.  So, I bought Airtight instead of Flint.  Now, Flint became my white whale after I realized that his head was meant to droop.  But, I never regretted my purchase of Airtight.  35 years later, I can remember him disembarking from my then new Whale to attack Cobras at the top of the stairs in my parents' house.  It's a great memory for a great figure.  Here's the best of him from around the web.

1985 Airtight Profile

1985 Airtight by scarrviper

1985 Airtight by strikeforce_codename

1985 Airtight by Nekoman

1985 Airtight by Slipstream80

1985 Airtight by thedustinmccoy

Airtight in Wonderland by djv

Funskool Airtight - Around the Web

Airtight saw decent use around the world with releases in the U.S., Brazil and India.  But, the Funskool release is very similar to the American figure.  He is, however, slightly brighter.  Funskool produced the figure for many years.  He was absent when American dealers first brought Funskool figures over in 2001.  But, was among a handful of molds that were resurrected for production runs in 2002.  Collectors had ample opportunity to acquire one and many took advantage of his availability as an alternative to the Hasbro figure.  Here's the best of him around the web.

Funskool Airtight Profile

Funskool Airtight at YoJoe.com

Funskool Airtight at Serpentor's Lair

Airtight at Nekoman's Viper Pit

Ar Puro - Brazilian Exclusive Tiger Force Airtight

Estrela produced over 100 unique figures for the Brazilian toy market. Some of them are very similar to the American versions of a character. Others were unique amalgamations of various molds that were brought together into Brazilian exclusive characters. The third group was exclusive repaints of classic molds in drastically different colors. This group includes figures like the named Python Patrol characters and Urzor. It also includes, though, some exclusive members of the Tiger Force subset. Along with slight repaints of Duke, Lifeline and Dusty, Estrela also produced exclusive Tiger Force versions of Shipwreck (named Marujo) and the subject of this profile: the Tiger Force Airtight or Ar Puro figure.

The main difference between Ar Puro and Airtight is the color of the figure's trimmings. Sadly, the base yellow undercoat for Airtight's uniform was kept intact. In lieu of green accents, though, Ar Puro features a brown helmet, vest, gloves and boots with a few tiger stripes painted onto his legs for good measure. The result is a figure that is duller and more subtle than Airtight, but still strong in appearance. The brown is generally more muted and makes this figure seem more combat ready than his green, American or Indian brothers in mold.

But, Airtight is still somewhat difficult to use. I've found his best days are inside of vehicles or the HQ. In the field, the figure is somewhat out of his element. (Unless he's fighting Toxo Vipers....) As a crew member on a vehicle, though, Airtight's uniform works well. (I've always thought his overall look was reminiscent of Rebel Pilots from Star Wars.) So, you will see him in aircraft, gunner stations or computer terminals in various parts of my collection. In that capacity the figure works much better than as part of a patrol or combat unit.

As a kid, Airtight was one of my favorite figures. He was the first 1985 figure I acquired at retail (along with Footloose) and remained relevant to my collection for a long time. Seeing a new version of a figure I liked so much was a great discovery when I first learned of the Brazilian exclusives. While there are iconic versions of the classic 1985 and earlier Joes, I also like having options for them in terms of uniform design. So, while I'm not a fan of Tiger Force, per se, having Airtight in a color scheme slightly different from his iconic version is a nice way to diversify the character and allow to appear in more settings without getting stale. Ar Puro isn't as far removed in look from the classic Airtight as I would have ideally liked, but he is enough of a diversion that he brings some new life the character.

Ar Puro includes all the standard Airtight accessories.  The sniffer and hoses are black like the American versions.  But, Ar Puro's backpack is black as well.  This unique accessory is the most difficult piece to find for Ar Puro since the pegs tend to break and you can replace his other gear with American weapons without too much loss of use for the figure. While it is difficult to tell the differences between the Estrela and Hasbro sniffer, the Estrela accessories are made of different materials.  So, be sure to verify those if you purchase an Ar Puro figure.

The Airtight mold has been around.  After his release in the U.S., this Ar Puro figure was created in Brazil.  From there, the mold went to India.  Funskool started releasing Airtight at some point in the mid 1990's and continued to produce him off and on through 2004.  At this point, the mold could still be in India.  It could be in Hasbro's control.  Or, it might have been destroyed.  Whichever of those fates has befallen it, we have seen the end of Airtight figures.  It was not enough for my tastes as I think the mold could have made an excellent addition to the Anti-Venom or a new Eco Warriors set.  But, at least Ar Puro gives collectors a slightly more combat colored Airtight figure and another take on the Airtight character.

Ar Puro figures are hard to find.  The brittle thumbs and Brazilian release have combined to make a mint, complete with filecard figure a $100 purchase. That's a lot for a figure with limited use whose colors don't really match the Tiger Force team from the US or Europe. But, this is a figure that has a uniqueness to him that helps to justify such an expenditure. He is certainly hard to find and does stand out in any collection. That may not be enough to justify the price tag, but it is something that gives the figure value beyond the yellow and brown colors.

Funskool Airtight

Airtight was one of my first two 1985 Joe figures.  The minute I saw him on the shelf of KB toys in February of 1985, I had to have him.  Sure, he was brightly colored.  But, his helmet, accessories and general sculpt were too much for me to resist.  I bought him over other '85's and was very happy with my purchase for a long time.  As I got older, Airtight's role morphed from the original hostile environment specialist into a diver, pilot and even astronaut.  But, he continued to be used long after many of the other 1985 figures had been replaced.  Unfortunately, Hasbro never revisited the Airtight mold.  So, I only had the original for use in my collection.  In early 2002, though, Funskool brought back three older figures that they had not produced since before Joes were heavily imported into the U.S.  Among them was the Indian version of Airtight.  Once again, I had the chance to buy one and once again enjoy the notion of a new Airtight in my collection.

On the surface, the Funskool Airtight is the same as the U.S. version.  He has a yellow base, black highlights and green extremities.  The green is a bit brighter than the American version.  So, really, the figure is inferior to the American release.  When you add in Funskool's notoriously lack paint jobs from the 2002 era, you definitely have a figure that is worse than the American version.  But, sometimes that doesn't much matter to me.  The fact that I could get an Airtight on the card with his original artwork and original accessories for $4 offset the quality and coloring issues.  The accessories are the same as the American versions.  However, the hose attaching his sniffer to the pack is notoriously flimsy while the hose that attaches to the back of the figure's head is extremely stiff and hard.  So much so that it can not be used with the figure.  So, again, you have issues with the Funskool quality that is inferior to the original version, even with the original predating the new release by 17 years.

As a kid, I didn't view Airtight as just a Chemical, Biological and Radiological warfare specialist.  I took the "Hostile Environment" theme to include territories on Earth that were hostile to survival.  Caves, tundra and deserts were all within Airtight's realm of specialty.  I saw Airtight's suit as a self contained survivalist environment that could keep him heated, cooled and airtight underwater or in space.  It was a broad brush with which to paint the character.  But, it allowed Airtight to be more versatile.  In time, though, this catch all approach got old.  Slowly, I acquired more 1985 figures.  Airtight just didn't visually fit with Alpine, Flint, Snake Eyes and the others.  So, he became somewhat marginalized.  (Throw in the fact that I lost some of his accessories and you can see how his luster faded.)  In time, Airtight became a default member of my Whale Hovercraft crew.  In this capacity, he didn't need his accessories, but could still have some use.

As an adult, I have appreciated Airtight's true specialty more and more.  It remains a curious oddity that Airtight was not a member of Eco Warriors.  But, even with more modern figures that complement Airtight, I don't find the figure having much use.  I have used him as a co-pilot in the Skystriker and Dragonfly.  But, his bright colors really didn't fit with those vehicles.  So, mostly, the figure remains a display piece.  This Funskool version falls into the same position.  While I like the figure's look and visually appreciate the brighter green juxtaposed with the yellow and black, I just can't find myself using the figure with any contemporaries.  The mold fits with other figures from the 1985-1986 time frame.  As such, he looks out of place among the 1990's figures with whom his specialty best aligns.  All this leaves me with a figure that I want to use more, but just can't find a good fit.  So, today, Airtight mostly finds himself relegated to duty in the G.I. Joe Headquarters: manning a computer terminal or servicing the machinery.  Here, you can appreciate the visual aspects of the figure without having him contrast too greatly with the vehicles or other figures from his time.

The Airtight mold had a short, but distinct history.  The figure was released in the U.S. the one time and not seen again.  Around 1991 or 1992, the Airtight mold showed up in Brazil.  However, Estrela released Airtight as a member of Tiger Force (Forca Tigre) named Ar Puro (Pure Air).  While this figure still featured a yellow base, the yellow was more muted than the American figure.  The black and brown tiger flecks, though, make the figure much more distinctive.  As such, Ar Puro is a must have for many collectors.  From there, the mold migrated to India.  At some point in the mid to late 1990's, Funskool began producing Airtight figures.  There are slight coloring differences from year to year, but no major variants.  The fact that the Funskool coloring closely matches that of the American figure tells you that Hasbro had at least some interest in the character since they didn't allow Funskool to stray too far from the figure's original design.  Funskool stopped producing Airtight figures at some point prior to 2001.  As such, he was not among the 40 or so Funskool figures that became available via American dealers in early 2001.  In 2002, though, Funskool brought back Airtight, Flint and Scrap Iron and reissued them.  This allowed modern collectors to acquire the figures for rock bottom prices.  In late 2003, Airtight was among the molds returned to Hasbro by Funskool.  But, Hasbro never did anything with it.  So, while Airtight had 3 releases on 3 different continents, there are really only two distinct versions of the figure and both have similar base colors.  Hasbro could easily have brought the figure back in a new color scheme (He would have been a perfect fit for the Anti-Venom Set.) but they did not.  So, the Airtight mold is a story of what could have been.

Funskool Airtights are cheap.  They were heavily imported by U.S. based dealers for at least two years and sold for around $4 each.  A decade later, the figure hasn't appreciated much on the aftermarket.  Carded, you can still get them for under $6 plus shipping with a little looking.  It's a great figure and one worthy of being a part of every collection when you consider the price.  I'm happy to have had a chance to get another new Airtight.  The brighter green is just enough of a difference to make the figure distinct.  Really, that's all you can ask for when the figure is so cheap and plentiful.

1985 Airtight

When I was in grade school, I always got a reward if I had good grades. In Feb. of 1985, I continued my trend of solid grades and was allowed to get a toy or two. Rumour had it that the local KB toy store had the new 1985 Joes. I finally convinced my mother to take me. Sure enough, they had a section full of the new 1985's. After a second or two of digesting the 10 or 12 new figures they had, I finally grabbed an Airtight and a Footloose. (I would have gotten Flint, but all the heads in the Flint packages were drooping and I thought the figures were broken. Imagine my surprise when I got home and discovered the new head articulation Joe figures were given that year.) As I was surveying the figures, a clerk came over and promptly told us that they had sold out of all the Commando (Snake Eyes) figures in a matter of minutes. It mattered little to me, though, as I had two awesome new figures.

Airtight quickly became one of my favorite figures. I would use him as a diver off of the hovercraft or a pilot for the Skystriker. (I still think he looks an awful lot like the Rebel pilots from Star Wars.) I also used him as a flamethrower or had his gun shoot out toxic gas. I don't remember where I read it, but I am still sure that somewhere in all the Joe literature I had at the time it said that Airtight's gun was not only a sniffer, but also shot a 9mm bullet. With that info, I used him even more. I quickly wore out my original figure and had to replace him late in 1986. That is the figure that you see here. I took my original apart and used him for customs. After I got the Tomahawk, though, I put him back together and used both my Airtights as the Tomahawk crew. I also used him as a science officer. He, along with Mainframe, often manned the computer of the G.I. Joe headquarters. Airtight was a versatile figure that could do all sorts of things. As such, I always wanted a few more. Two was just not enough.

Now, I like to look at Airtight, but I don't use him all that often. He is one of those figures that I don't know what to do with. I still like to use him as a pilot, but all the Star Brigade figures I have work just as well, plus they have removable helmets. I still use him as a science officer or a firefighter, but he doesn't get nearly the use he once did. I slowed my quest and haven't picked up another Airtight until just a few days ago. I still think he is an awesome figure. I love to have one displayed. Like many of the early Joes, he was slightly eclipsed by the later figures whose way of removable helmets and more detailed molds were paved by the early figures like Airtight. Still, this guy is great because he is simple. He uniform isn't so busy, like many of the later figures, that it takes away from the aesthetic tranquility of the figure. The bold, contrasting colors create a figure that is just fun to look at and own. His play value can be found with a little imagination. With a lot of imagination, he can become an essential figure for any collection.

Airtight was the quintessential backup character that made the '85 line so memorable. Like Alpine, Airtight wasn't the focal point of the '85 line, but was an key backup figure that was fun to own and cool to look at. The 1985 series was probably the best year in the history of the G.I. Joe line. It was full of memorable main characters as well as awesome backup characters that kept the Joes on the cutting edge. Now that Cobra had all sorts of cool specialty troops, Joe needed them to. Airtight was part of the backup team that pushed Joe to the top of the toy world.

The Airtight mold was a world traveler. After Hasbro was done with it, Airtight was sent off to Brazil. There, he was released in an exclusive Tiger Force color scheme as Ar Puro. From there, the mold went on to India. Funskool released Airtight in colors similar to the American figure for many years before he was temporarily discontinued. In 2002, Funskool released Airtight again and the Funskool Airtight is rather easy to find today. It is likely that Hasbro got the Airtight mold back in 2003 when they acquired all the other Funskool molds. For whatever reason, though, Airtight has yet to appear in the re-release line. (He would have been an ideal candidate for the Anti-Venom set. I would very much like to see the Airtight mold reappear. It is very high quality and could lend itself to some very cool repaints. (Just see what some customizers have done with the mold.)

Airtights aren't too tough to find mint and complete. They are not nearly as popular as other '85's so they aren't too expensive either. He is just a cool figure, though, that didn't get much airtime and came out in a great year. (Though his appearance in G.I. Joe Special Missions was very memorable.) Even collectors that hate the later neon figures like Airtight. He is just one of those figures that many people have, but don't pay attention to. At least he can get some due. (Just a side note, check out Airtight's Hostile Environment. It's a great page full of awesome stuff, including a nice profile of the figure you see here.)

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