Hi Action Team fans,well, to get this blog started I thought I would show you one of the lesser known sets, the adventure raft. It was released in Germany under the name "Abenteuer-Floß".
You probably remember the inflatable raft which was used for everything from espionage to deep-sea diving but what about a wooden raft ? No ? Well thats no surprise because this particular set was unique to the Action Team range and only produced in Germany.
The box art shows the bearded adventurer guiding his raft through stormy seas. A large sail with the familiar A.T. logo is catching the wind.
On the box is a notice stating "Bausatz" which means some assembly is required. Inside the box are several long thin pieces of wood resembling miniature logs, a cloth sail and some instructions. So, lets see, we have a raft with a sail and an oar which doubles as a rudder. Put it together and VOILA, you're ready to hit the high seas or at least the fishpond in the garden.
The idea itself is simple as it is effective. The natural material is more realistic and fun than plastic when playing pirate or escape from Skull Island type scenarios. Plastic is durable but brown plastic is simply not wood. The idea that the adventurer got that "muscle body", "kung-fu grip" and "realistic hair" from chopping down all those trees to make the raft is also totally plausible.
I know, you probably want your own raft right now. Unfortunately this set was released in the late seventies and shortly after, the Action Team series became less popular, sales dropped and production stopped. In other words it's one of the rarer sets. You may be lucky enough to still find one but if not an Adventure Raft could make an interesting building or customization project. Yes, that was a hint :-)
