A few questions for Canadian collectors….

[Tattoo Shane]

Shane, hmmm - That's interesting stuff!

The Cobra HQ was released in 1982 through Sears - correct?
Was the MSV also released in 1982, or was it released later in 1983 or 1984?

Do you have a copy of the catalog it was in?

I had always assumed it was an 82 thing, based on what's written on yojoe, but to the best of my knowlegde, no advertising material for the MSV has ever surfaced so i can't say that conclusively.

I think the Sears Hal/VAMP set was released in 1984 - It makes sense that this set would have been put together as a response to the MSV set. The question I still have is, was the MSV released 1 or 2 years before, or the same year (1984)?

You're right...being that it's an American set, i didn't know a whole lot about it and based on the vehicle years, always just assumed it was an 82 thing. Perhaps then, the CCS was the Cdn exclusive response to the Hal/Vamp set as it was released here in 84?

I also have another question, if that's OK:

Spirit's glider has a US flag as part of its decor (not a decal). Was that changed for the Canadian market, or was it left as it?

http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/92/air...rit_card.shtml

Now that's a question i have no idea about. The only Spirit variant i care about is Shaman! LOL...

[airedevon]

Here is the best timeline I can come up with for the moment - (Hopefully, with more incoming info, we can figure this out for sure : -)


--Cobra Headquarters - 1982 (Did it continue into 1983 as did the US release?)


--Cobra Combat Set MSV - 1983 (Perhaps the US release VAMP/HAL set was also available in 1983 as an in store exclusive like the MSV, then the following year, 1984, it was included in the catalog)

The general design of the boxes for both the VAMP/HAL set and the MSV set are very similar (Created the same year?). Both sets have the Hasbro logo placement in about the same place, and neither has white borders...

VAMP/HAL
http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/84/vam...phal_box.shtml

MSV
http://www.yojoe.com/international/c...cobramsv.shtml


--Cobra Combat Set (CCS)- 1984

In contrast, the CCS has the Hasbro logo on the opposite side, and does have white borders... suggesting that it was made (or at least designed) at a different time:
http://www.yojoe.com/international/c...racombat.shtml

Perhaps, with Sears US including the VAMP/HAL set in it's 1984 catalog, Sears Canada decided to do the same thing with its "Cobra Combat Set MSV" - but for some reason was unable to, (too costly to reissue?) and instead substituted a different "Cobra Combat Set" with 2 of the current offerings, Stinger and ASP...


--Cobra Motorized Tank - 1984 (It looks like it says 1984 on the box):
http://www.yojoe.com/international/c..._writing.shtml


Does anyone have any more info (memories, ads, etc) that could shed some light on this?

[airedevon]

hmmm... I am going to revise my thinking a little bit...

I was working on the assumption that it was likely that US and Canadian exclusives that shared the same general packaging design, would have been released in the same year...

But... I think I jumped the gun with that assumption! It looks like Canada was taking the lead on these exclusives..

In 1984 Canada released both the second Cobra Combat Set (CCS) and the Cobra Motorized Tank.
Both vehicles share the same "artwork sheet glued onto white box" packaging.

http://www.yojoe.com/international/c...racombat.shtml

http://www.yojoe.com/international/c...tank_box.shtml

A year later, in 1985, Sears US comes out with the CAT (and apparently in Canada, too) which has the same "artwork sheet glued onto white box".

http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/85/cat/cat_box.shtml

Given that for the vehicles above, Sears US came out with a similar package design a year after the Canadian releases, it is possible (and even likely) that, in a similar vein, for the earlier vehicle releases, the Canadian release of the first Cobra Combat Set -MSV, came out a year before the US release of the HAL/VAMP set in 1984...


By the way, YoJoe states that the Cobrat Motorized Tank was released in 1982 and shows it with a straight arm Cobra Commander. However, closeups of the box show the date 1984 (as indicated in the oost above), and the words "swivel arm":

http://www.yojoe.com/international/c..._writing.shtml

http://www.yojoe.com/international/c...writing2.shtml

And for reference, I checked my CAT, and it has the date 1985 printed on it.

I guess it is really just the MSV that is in question - my best guess, based on all this, would be 1983...

Anyone have more info or ideas? Thanks again to everyone!
Aire

[airedevon]

Can someone who has the boxed MSV, check to see if it has a date on the packaging or blueprints?

THANKS!

[Pete The Greek]

Can someone who has the boxed MSV, check to see if it has a date on the packaging or blueprints?

THANKS!

1983

[img=http://img11.imagevenue.com/loc108/th_69329_Picture_001_122_108lo.jpg]

[img=http://img42.imagevenue.com/loc234/th_69334_Picture_002_122_234lo.jpg]

[airedevon]

Pete, Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!! : -) : -) : -) THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cool, now I think we have the timeline:

Cobra Command HQ (Canadian release): 1982
First Cobra Combat Set - CCS MSV: 1983
Second Cobra Combat Set - CCS Ensemble: 1984
Cobra Motorized Tank: 1984
CAT (Canadian release): 1985

Thank you again, Shane and Pete, for helping me figure this out! Much obliged!

Pete, do you have any info on the Air Commandos Spirit Glider? Was the one released in Canada the same as the one released in the US, or was it altered?

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aire

[Pete The Greek]

Pete, do you have any info on the Air Commandos Spirit Glider? Was the one released in Canada the same as the one released in the US, or was it altered?

I never saw an altered version in CAN stores in 1992 and 1993.

[Tattoo Shane]

Cool, now I think we have the timeline:

Cobra Command HQ (Canadian release): 1982

To answer your other question as to whether or not it was carried forward into 83, there were no Joe items in the 1983 Sears Canada Xmas catalogue but it's very possible it was sold in stores during that year. Sears Canada often shifted unsold catalogue exclusives into brick and mortar stores to get rid of it all. It's not uncommon to find some of their SW exclusives with price tags on them - inculding the vacuformed figures.

First Cobra Combat Set - CCS MSV: 1983
Second Cobra Combat Set - CCS Ensemble: 1984
Cobra Motorized Tank: 1984
CAT (Canadian release): 1985

That seems to fall in line with my thinking as well. Don't forget the HISS/SMS was sold here in the 1985 catalogue as well.



FWIW, i'm still desperately seeking Cdn examples of the CAT, SMS and MSV MIB or mint with box, or just the boxes alone. If any one has any leads, i'd be very appreciative.