1997 Torpedo - Around The Web

Torpedo isn't a character or figure that I often use.  I'm not sure why as he's really good for what he is.  But, when it comes to divers, I always go a different direction.  I think it's due to either removable helmets or attached hoses.  Both are features that I enjoy more than Torpedo's sculpted head.  So, Torpedo isn't someone who appears in photos all that often.  While this 1997 repaint is strong, it's also tough to find content on it.  Most people use the 1983 figure instead of the 1997.  But, here's a bit of content I was able to track down on the 1997 repaint.

1997 Torpedo Profile

1997 Torpedo by sintechness

1997 Torpedo at the Attica Gazette

1997 Torpedo by thedustinmccoy

1997 Torpedo by Prince Adam

1997 Torpedo by thevintagetoylife

1997 Torpedo by Prince Adam

Rarities - Unknown Funskool Bomb Disposal and Torpedo

I don't recall the origin of the image below.  I seem to recall it being in a piece of Funskool promotional material.  The image likely came to me in the early 2000's and has been sitting in a folder ever since.  But, as you can see, this is an entirely different Bomb Disposal.  Gone is the bright Funskool green.  Instead, the base is done in an interesting tan color.  The arm and blast shields also aren't as glossy black as the Funskool production model.

On top of that, there is the weird Torpedo figure in the driver's seat.  The figure features a very orange chest...much darker than the yellow Torpedo that is a well known Funskool variant.

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Funskool Bomb Disposal that was released, having a tan alternative would have been a great addition to the line.  It would have been a more distinctive variant and something that would have warranted a purchase by many collectors who passed by a simple green shading difference.

I am not aware of any samples of a Bomb Disposal or Torpedo in these color schemes existing in the collecting world.  But, so many people like to hide stuff that there might be a few of them around and those who own them will fume that their special item made it to the light of day.  In some ways, I hope so.  It's unlikely that Funskool kitbashed this item together.  So, there's probably a few that were made at one point.  Whether they still exist, though, is something different.

1998 Torpedo

For vintage Joe collectors, there are two eras that define collecting: the vintage era from 1982 - 1994 and the repaint era that stretched from 1997 through 2006.  (The Post 2006 convention releases are included in the repaint era, but they were so small that they are afterthoughts rather than part of a full release.)  While both have their highs and lows, you'd be hard pressed to find any collector who would rank the repaints over the originals: in general.  Specifically, though, the late 1990's and early 2000's did see Hasbro revisit some molds who had suffered from lousy color choices in the vintage run.  While Hasbro didn't do this often enough, they did start right from the beginning in 1997 by choosing a later Alley Viper and Destro mold.  In 1998, Hasbro outdid themselves.  While the overall 1998 line was smaller, each figure was well done with solid accessories and exceptional paint masks.  While collectors have long focused on the Cobras and Oktober Guard from this year, it is from the underappreciated Navy Seal pack that find the focus of this profile: the 1998 Torpedo figure.

In 1992, Hasbro brought back the Wet Suit character.  He featured a sleek, militaristic appearance that was in line with the figure styling of the time.  It was a solid mold that was accentuated by the black base used for the figure.  Unfortunately, Hasbro chose to accent that black with bright orange.  While the figure is striking, it is also a bit gaudy.  As bright colors were a thing in the early 1990's, though, Hasbro followed up on the orange 1992 figure with a bright yellow repaint in 1993.  Neither are bad figures.  But, they are a product of their time.  The true value of the figure, though, was that it introduced a removable helmet that showcased a solid head underneath.  While Wet Suit has a mullet, you have to remember that he was likely sculpted in 1990 or 1991 and that you can only tell when you look at the figure from behind.  Finally, a classic character had a face that was not obscured by a helmet.

To this point, though, this profile is about Wet Suit.  But, the character profile is Torpedo.  The reason for that is one of the great introductions of the 1998 line was molds being renamed.  Thunderwing is the most obvious example.  But, this figure mold originally used for Wet Suit became Torpedo.  In 1997, the original Torpedo was released with a repainted Cobra Night Landing.  For the 1998 Navy Seal set, Hasbro wanted the big three divers in the vintage line.  Shipwreck was released as a repaint of his under-rated 1994 mold.  Wet Suit, deservedly, was released with his original mold.  This left Torpedo.  As 1997's were still on the shelf when this wave was rolling out, using the same mold as the prior year made little sense.  So, Hasbro commandeered the 1992 Wet Suit and renamed him Torpedo for this set.

While the 1997 figures have a lesser reputation among collectors for their quality, the 1998 line does not.  It seems Hasbro learned a bit and produced a higher quality product without having to raise their prices.  The highlight of the 1998 figures, though, is the intricacy of the paint masks.  If you look at the original releases of the molds that Hasbro dusted off in 1998, most of them had fairly basic paint applications.  The original uses of this body mold featured just one paint application on the body and are among the most basic figures you can find in the line.  Hasbro created at least one additional mask for the Street Fighter line.  But, that was still a fairly simple overall design.  For this 1998 version, though, Hasbro pulled out all the stops.  Not only did they paint up the details, but they also painted details within the details.  The figure's black base is accentuated with aqua blue, grey, silver and a dark bluish/grey color.  The result is a figure that showcases everything that's great about the mold.  And, while the aqua blue is a somewhat audacious color, it's limited use helps to highlight the figure without overpower the overall ensemble.

When I first learned about the 1998 Joes, it was this Navy Seal pack that most interested me.  I loved the 1994 Shipwreck figure and even bought two of them in the mid 1990's as Joe was fading from retail.  As these sets came out, I bought some extras for army building.  I liked the base figures and accessories and molds were enough to get me to come back.  In total, I think I bought three sets that I opened and a 4th that I kept carded.  While this number was still lower than the overall number of Cobra sets I bought from that year, it was substantially more than the Oktober Guard.  I quickly realized, though, that I was likely the only collector who liked this set.  And, even I had to admit that the Mission to Brazil Wet Suit and the 1994 Shipwreck were better figures than the repaints of those molds released in this set.  The same could not be said of this Torpedo figure.  Somewhere, I have photos of this figure in the pool from my first house that I took in the summer of 2000.  It was this Torpedo who got taken out and used.  While I liked the idea of the other two figures, the actuality was that there were better versions readily available to me.  So, to me, this figure is always Torpedo and remains the highlight of the Navy Seal set...even though I like the other two molds more.

This mold had a fairly decent life.  It had the yellow and orange releases of the Wet Suit in 1992 and 1993.  In 1995 or so, the body was used for the Navy Seal Guile figure in the Street Fighter movie line of toys.  This Torpedo appeared in 1998.  In 2004, the figure's head was used on the high quality VAMP Chief Torpedo figure.  After that, the mold disappeared.  The black highlight variant of the Navy Seal Guile and this 1998 Torpedo are probably the best uses of the overall body mold.  While it might have been nice to see something a little different in terms of base colors, you can't say the mold was under-utilized.  And, this Torpedo figure was about the best way possible for the mold to fade into obscurity.

In late 2000, G.I. Joe's popularity amped up drastically.  Collectors discovered the newly released A Real American Hero Collection and started returning to vintage collecting in droves.  While both the 1997 and 1998 Toys R Us sets had been well received, they also hung around retail for quite a while.  As the new blood of 2000 and 2001 rushed in, though, these sets began to disappear and rise in price.  The Navy Seal set, though, was not part of this.  While the 1998 Cobras had long disappeared from retail and were fetching $50+ on the secondary market in 2001, Navy Seal packs still hung from Toys R Us shelves around the nation.  The set was stuck due to it being packed 2 per case (the Cobras were 1 per case) and it being divers with an aqua blue highlight package.  In short, the figures were duds.

18 years later, not much has changed.  While collectors do appreciate these figures a bit more, they are still not overly popular.  Mint and complete with filecard sets of the Seals can be had for $15.  Finding the individuals sold separately is a bit harder.  Dealers will sell this figure mint and complete for $10-$12, but you find no takers at that price.  If you can find out on his own, he shouldn't cost more than $4 or $5.  But, it's much easier to find all three figures together.  For the price, the figure is worth owning.  He's a solid update to the mold: whether you want to call him Torpedo or Wet Suit.  He's cheap to pick up.  And, you're not going to see another repaint of him ever again.  So, Torpedo has a lot going for him, even if he's not the type of figure you would otherwise seek out.

1997 Torpedo

The 1997 Joe line was so full of promise.  While collectors were largely disappointed by the actual, final product that was released, the reality of new Joes at retail was an endless stream of what could be.  Sure, there were misfires like the Breaker and Rock and Roll figures.  But, many of the other figures were strong and hinted at the possibility that the long term prognosis for the line was a steady flow of classic molds with their original accessories done up in new and often solid color schemes.  While that, largely, didn't come to pass.  The early waves of re-released Joes did have some real winners.

This Torpedo was everything collectors ever wanted in a repainted Joe line: an iconic pre 1988 figure with his original accessories done up in a color scheme that was strong, but did not tread on the original nor get too environmentally specific.  Granted, the base black color bears resemblance to the 1983 figure, but the lack of grey really differentiates them and allows the different versions to co-exist.  (The 2001 Wetdown, was a different story, though.)  The red highlight treads on Cobra coloring.  But, as an accent, it does help to give this figure more depth than a completely black figure would.  It should have been a great figure.  And, until you hold it in your hand, it is.  But, the construction quality on the 1997 Joes was spotty and Torpedo is among the worst offenders.  He feels like any movement could break the figure apart.  It's a sad detriment on a repaint that should be held in higher regard.

Torpedo was sold on a blister card for $9.99 in 1997.  The 1997 series consisted of 3-figure blister carded sets or "Mission Series" where you got 1 figure and a small vehicle for the same price.  The Mission Series consisted of Duke and the Silver Mirage, Viper and Trouble Bubble and Torpedo with the Night Landing.  This time, though, the Cobra raft was rebranded to Joe.  In and of itself, that wasn't a terrible choice.  The raft is generic looking enough that it could easily be manufactured stock that was sold to many buyers.  Plus, it's not really an iconic vehicle (like the Rattler!) where it would be tough to see it in any color without Cobra sigils.  For $10, these sets were an OK deal.  They seem like a bargain now, especially since the figures included their full complement of accessories.  But, in 1997 and 1998, you could often get the original figures and the original vehicles for about the same price.  (Even less if you bought large collections.)  It wasn't uncommon for lots of 40 to 50 mint and complete 1982 - 1985 figures and vehicles to sell for an average of $1 per figure and a couple of bucks per vehicle, depending on which vehicles they were.  So, when you considered that, the sets were seen by many collectors of the time to be of less value for their collecting dollar than buying vintage pieces.

As such, the 1997 Joe line largely languished on the shelves.  While it did sell well enough to warrant a 1998 series, pretty much every 1997 pack and vehicle was available through the entirety of 1998 and even in 1999.  Slowly, the more popular figures started to disappear.  And, as the various production runs of '98 figures came and went, the '97's started to dwindle, too.  The slow burn left a lot of collectors somewhat jaded on the 1997 figures for a few years.  But, when the Joe world exploded in late 2000 and early 2001, the rush to complete these recent sets brought back a great deal of interest in them.

The construction quality of the 1997 figures left a lot to be desired.  And, Torpedo is one of the worst figures in the series.  The figure just feels weak and poorly built.  It may a function of the mold's long use in India by Funskool, or just a really horrible batch of plastic.  But, Torpedo figures feel cheap and like any pressure would break it apart.  As a toy, this is a severe detriment.  As a collectible, it's less an issue.  But, the overall soft plastic used for the hands does make it difficult to long term display the figure in any configuration where he's holding his gear.  That greatly diminishes the figure's value.  If you can't put him out on display, what can you do with him?

And, in the end, that is what makes this figure problematic.  You can argue that this is the best version of Torpedo in terms of coloring.  But, the original is still so strong that this version being superior to it is a marginal victory if one at all.  What you gain in color, you lose in construction.  So, in the end, it's a wash.  I first acquired this figure back in early 2001.  I've wanted to use him many times since then.  But, I find that it's the original Torpedo figure who gets the call for dioramas, photo shoots or general display purposes.

The Torpedo mold got a lot of use through the years, though in few color schemes.  After his American release, Torpedo was also produced by Hasbro for Japanese and European markets.  The mold was then given to Funskool.  Torpedo was among the first figures released by Funskool and saw production runs for many years and in many variants.  (The most famous being the yellow Torpedo figure.)  Funskool, though, also used the mold for parts on a variety of different figures including their infamous Super Hero figure as well as Snake Eyes.  Hasbro reacquired the mold for this release and then proceeded to produce a renamed figure in 2001.  Unfortunately, outside of the Funskool yellow version, most of the other Torpedo molds resemble the V1 American figure.  There is no Tiger Force, or swamp Torpedo that would have brought some diversity to the mold.

The 1997 figures have had an odd aftermarket life.  In 1997 and through the first part of 1998, they were all fairly common at retail.  It's likely that had they more shelf space at TRU, collectors would have considered them pegwarmers.  They sold, but not briskly and you could pretty much get any set you wanted at retail for at least a year.  When the 1998 Joes came out in December, though, that helped wipe away most of the unsold 1997 merchandise.  While you could find some of it into 1999, it was mostly gone.  (At least, the figure sets were.  The Stars and Stripes set lingered a little longer.)  Once they were gone from retail, though, collectors largely forgot about them...until 2001.  Then, as the Joe world exploded under the release of the full retail A Real American Hero collection as well as internet ascension kismet, the market for 1997 figures got rather heated.  By the end of 2001 and through 2003, most of the 1997 Joes were $15 - $20 acquisitions with the army building Vipers and Alley Vipers hitting nearly $30 with regularity.  The 1997 Joe collectors had bought the new figures for their collections, but few bought extras for future trading.  So, as the Joe world got larger and larger, there was simply no supply of 1997 figures available and pricing reflected that.  Slowly, though, a combination of a shrinking collector base and release of other, better versions of many of the 1997 molds brought substantially lower pricing.  Today, the 1997's tend to be pretty cheap.  The poor construction and materials combined with the wealth of other figure options has left them largely by the collecting wayside.

And, that is the fate of Torpedo in my collection.  The vintage figure is much better both in terms of coloring and construction quality.  As such, he is much more useful.  As an alternate, this Torpedo is decent.  But, the overall dark color base makes him difficult to photograph in many vehicles where he would best fit.So, when I'm looking for a Torpedo to man the WHALE or Shark 9000, it is the vintage version who gets the call.  This 1997 figure mostly sits in his drawer and gets pulled out when I have things like a profile of an obscure figure version to write.  It's not a terrible fate and this is a figure who is superior to many of his contemporaries.  I just don't find myself taking advantage of the figure's quality.

2004 Chief Torpedo

If you look back at the years from 2002 through 2005, you see that during those years, Hasbro simply inundated the market with Joe releases. In each of those years, there were at least 90 unique figures that were released to retail. That volume guaranteed a few things: 1. A lot of those figures sucked. 2. Some of those figures were great. and 3. Collectors were sure to overlook some great stuff in the mass of product. Sure enough, all three of those points are true when looking at those years. The focus of this profile is to showcase one of the great overlooked and amazingly high quality figure releases that was dumped on us in the 4th quarter of 2004: the VAMP exclusive Chief Torpedo.

The VAMP set really was a winner. It was modestly priced for the amount of product it offered and the set featured some vehicles that had were welcome additions to most collections. For $20 you got: a new mold VAMP jeep in classic olive green, a Whirlwind in the same colors and three figures. Granted, one of the figures, Pathfinder, was the same paint scheme we saw with the A.W.E. Striker in 2001. But, this time he included his full range of original accessories in new, exclusive colors. Big Brawler is...well...Big Brawler. But, he did feature a new paint scheme. The Torpedo figure was the class of the set, though. A Muskrat body with 1992 Roadblock arms and a 1992 Wet Suit head made for a great figure. On top of the decently amalgamated mold, Torpedo also features incredibly detailed paint masks. The reason for this is because Torpedo features the exact paint masks that were used on the Convention Dreadhead figures. (At the time of his release, though, this was a detriment as the Dreadheads really didn't catch on with the collecting community and many collectors were tired of the Muskrat body after Dreadhead overload.) The result is that Torpedo is really a convention level figure in terms of quality.

As a kid, one of figures I most wanted Hasbro to produce was a Wet Suit and Torpedo in standard cammo and combat gear. After they appeared in these outfits in the Yearbook, it was obvious that they could be great additions to the line. Alas, Hasbro never produced either of these characters in anything other than dive suits in the vintage line. When Muskrat was released in 1988, I thought that he might make for a good representation of either of the divers based on their comic appearances. But, by 1988, I was pretty much out of Joes. As the modern line progressed, it became more and more likely that Hasbro would, eventually, visit one or both of these characters in alternate environmental gear. When Torpedo was finally released, the result was as good as could be expected with the parts available. I would have liked to have seen a boonie hat (maybe Crosshairs') included with the figure, but that might have been a tough call to find a head on which it would have fit. (Plus, by late '04, Hasbro had gotten lazy in their accessory complements with their exclusive figure releases. So, it's hard to condemn a figure released during that time for lack of accessories.)

This release of Torpedo brought new life to the character, though. As all the other Torpedo figures were stuck in underwater gear, it was tough to use them outside of an aquatic setting. For a while, Torpedo did see use as part of my hovercraft crew (inspired by issue #36 of the comic!) but that was short lived. With this new land based version, though, Torpedo could finally be the full SEAL he was meant to be. His greyish-tan base makes for a figure that can be used in the jungle, desert, forest or swamps. He retains a realistic color scheme without blending into the sea of olive drab Joes that were the hallmark of many of the '01 releases. The convention paint masks bring out the detail in the figure as pretty much everything is painted in some highlight color.

The figure has a few drawbacks. The most glaring is the mullet that was molded onto the figure's head back in the early 90's. It's hard to take this figure too seriously once you see that. It is a chilling reminder of the changes in style since the vintage Joe line. But could also be a fun character trait that other Joes could use to torment the fashionably challenged Torpedo. The figure also lacks any decent accessories. While the Pathfinder figure featured his full complement of vintage gear, the other 2 figures in the set were left to share a silver rifle that you see pictured with the figure below. This weapon works well enough for Torpedo. But, a SEAL just feels like he should include a pack, helmet and some other piece of equipment that showcases his level of training. At least it's easy to find surplus accessories lying around these days. But, at least some attempt at a decent accessory set would have been appreciated.

One of the gripes with this figure is that it should have been Wet Suit due to the use of the head. In that regard, I really can't disagree. Personally, when I see this figure, I see the Wet Suit character instead of Torpedo. But, the use of this head for Torpedo is at least consistent with the 1998 Torpedo figure. At this point, the head has been used for Torpedo as many times as it's been used for Wet Suit, so it's hard to really allow this one issue to preclude enjoyment of this figure. It would have been nice if Hasbro at least attempted some skin color variation to match Torpedo's Hawaiian ancestry. But, the overall looks still supports the character since it is unlikely that many collectors use the '92 or '93 Wetsuit sans helmet with any frequency.

The primary mold used for Torpedo is Muskrat. Aside from the Dreadheads and this figure, the Muskrat mold has not been used by Hasbro. While Muskrat appeared in both Brazil and India, those figures are very similar to the American figure in terms of color and paint masks. While this Torpedo figure gives collectors a way to at least have something new with the mold, the reality is that Muskrat himself would have been a great candidate for re-release at some point during the modern Joe line. Perhaps he'll one day return in a Convention set. Or, maybe we'll see Torpedo retain this body mold and appear again somewhere. But, this isn't a mold that's been played out. And, since it's been since 2004 that we've seen it, enough time has passed for the mold to be somewhat fresh and exciting again should it be used properly.

The last quarter of 2004 saw an tidal wave of Joe exclusive products. Aside from the standard retail waves that were shipping, Hasbro also offered 2 exclusive 6 figure packs and 2 exclusive vehicle packs. One of the figure packs was the highly army built Ninja Strike Set while the other vehicle set was the well done Operation Crimson Sabotage. Both of these sets were very desirable in multiples (at that time, there was no confirmation that the Toys R Us exclusive Crimson Guard army builder set would be released and the Sabotage set was the only way to get a quick Crimson Guard army) As such, many collectors simply found that their wallets could not keep up. When faced with the decisions of which toys to cut out during the holidays, most collectors left the Desert Patrol and VAMP sets sitting on the shelves as they bought up multiples of the Cobra army builders. Many collectors figured these two Joe themed items would be plentiful after the holidays and might even reach clearance.

But, a funny thing happened. The VAMP and Desert Patrol sets dried up at retail during the holiday season. As such, as we headed into 2005, there were many collectors who had missed out on these 2 items at retail. But, just when some chatter about how these Joe items had disappeared was starting to show up in collecting circles, the whole Oktober Guard availability issue hit and the 2004 Joe sets were forgotten as collectors scrambled to pick up the Russians. The result, for a time, was a pricey set. Many boxed VAMP sets were selling for nearly $40 plus shipping. Now, though, much of the wind has come out of Joe prices and you can get a boxed VAMP set and all three figures for under original retail price. When you can find a loose Torpedo by himself, he'll sell for under $6. For a figure of this quality, that's a steal. It's likely that there were only ~15,000 of these figures produced and this remains the only version of Torpedo that isn't in a dive suit. As such, it's a figure that belongs in every collection. And, at the current pricing, there really is no reason he shouldn't be.

1983 Torpedo

It's been a long time since I've profiled any figure from prior to 1984. The main reason is that those figures, while nostalgic favorites, tend to be smaller and skimpier than the majority of the figures from the line. Add to that the fact that most of the characters introduced in 1982 and 1983 had later figure versions that offer a more standard size and shape than the original and it becomes clearer as to why these figures don't tend to get a lot of use in my collection. However, the historical significance of the 1983 figures can not be denied. 1983 took Joe from it's humble drab green beginnings and turned it into a toy marketing force. The radical change in the way the figures were designed as well as the increased characterization really made G.I. Joe stand out on the retail shelves. While many people still consider the 1983 figures essential, I've chosen to profile one of the more obscure members of the class of 1983: Torpedo.

Back in 1983, the commercials showcased 4 main Joes: Gung Ho, Snow Job, Airborne and Doc. The two other retail released Joes, Torpedo and Trip Wire were kind of left out. This carried over the retail shelves as well as most of my friends were unable to find either Tripwire or Torpedo until the summer of '83 was almost over. However, the Torpedo figure was worth the wait. I first saw him in August of '83 and was immediately hooked by how cool the figure was. Torpedo is covered in small little details that really accentuate the fact that he is a combat diver. Combining that with his cool color and really remarkable accessories created a figure that still works well today.

As Torpedo wasn't really one of the major players of 1983, he is somewhat of an afterthought. While his wetsuit makes for a neat figure to use in the water, it also really limits his use in any setting outside an aquatic one. This is a common problem with just about every diver ever released in the Joe line. Their figures are great, but if you want the character, you have to create a custom of steal another figure in order to use the character outside of an underwater setting. Even later divers like the '92 Wet Suit who had a removable helmet couldn't overcome this. The one nice thing is that the new Joes have taken a few steps to remedy this. Both Torpedo and Shipwreck have already been released in land based uniforms. It is a nice homage to old fans to finally get a few classic characters in uniforms that are more useful. Hopefully, the time will come when Hasbro is able to put together a diver figure who comes with gear that allows him to be used both underwater and on land. Much of the Spy Troops gear that has been issued tells me it is possible. It's just a matter of when.

In my collection, Torpedo fills a few roles. I still use him as Torpedo from time to time. However, I like to have armies of unnamed divers who battle legions of Eels and other aquatic Cobras. In those cases, I use my extra Torpedo figures as faceless legions of U.S. soldiers who simply have the misfortune of uncovering a Cobra operation. Beyond this, though, he doesn't see much use. I still keep one in the recon sled in the belly of my Hovercraft, but that is more for nostalgic purposes. Divers just don't lend themselves to lots of use in any collection. They fill a niche purpose that, while important, limits their overall desirability. The Joe line is stronger for having them, but they are not usually figures that people will use as one of the principle Joes.

One interesting thing about this mold is that it has become a favorite of customizers. However, it is not due to the cool parts. It is more due to the fact that Torpedo is rather slender and his parts can be converted for use on female Joe customs. As there aren't many female Joe parts out there, customizers options are very limited. Torpedo is one of the few figures who has "crossed over" and can be used in that regard. It many be a dubious honor, but it has become another part of this figure's legacy.

Torpedo's mold has had many uses. After he was released in the US, Torpedo also saw release in India. There, he was released in two distinct color schemes: yellow and an aqua similar to the American figure. (His waist was also used on some versions of the Funskool Snake Eyes figure.) Hasbro, though, re-acquired the mold for the 1997 releases where Torpedo was released a second time. In 1998, the Torpedo character returned, but the 1992 Wet Suit mold was used to represent the character. In 2001, the Torpedo mold was used again, but this time as a new character named Wet Down. Really, all of the American releases are rather similar, so any of the three uses of this mold can easily be used as Torpedo as the mold is so recognizable as the character.

Torpedos are not hard to find. Even though he came with accessories that are easy to lose, was cast in a color that tends to fade, is an aquatic figure who tends to have been used underwater and is now rusting and used paint that chipped easily, Torpedo figures are out there. He was produced in huge quantities during the beginning of Joe's great popularity. As such, even his tendency to decay can not overcome the sheer abundance of figures out there. That is nice as it does keep this figure relatively affordable. As such, Torpedo is still a staple in many people's collections. While he is not as complex a figure as many later divers, the simplicity of the mold really shines and still allows this figure to be used as a combat diver. This is why I used to army build Torpedo figures and still have several of them left. He works in a number of capacities and is a realistic figure who has yet to be truly dated. That speaks volumes for the overall quality of this figure.

I'm set for American Torpedo figures. However, if you have a Funskool version, I might be interested in it. Let me know.