January Interview (2015) - Fonnezz

Name ?
Darren

Online name ?
Fonnezz

Location ?
West Midlands

First Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure ?

I only ever had VAM and to be honest I have no idea what my first figure was. I remember having a couple of Basic Soldiers, a Mountie, German Soldier, Adventurer and a Sailor but I have no idea what order they came in. I eventually ended up with 18 VAM in various outfits and uniforms. I have very fond memories of collecting the stars to get the naked VAM come in that special box. Our postman came early so I always had these before I had to go to school. I remember my mom would bring them up to me and the excitement of opening the box to see my new VAM and then the frustration of having to put him back in it to go to school!!!

What was your favourite figure as a kid, and do you still own him?

My favourite was the German Kommandant, unfortunately I don’t still have him. I don’t have any of my original VAM, I had 18 VAM including a Bullet Man and Atomic Man. I had the training tower, Land Rover, Scorpion Tank, Power Hog, Scout Car and Motor bike and side car and they were all sold in one big box for £20 to a neighbour’s son. I agreed to it as well because I was at that age where VAM was no longer important to me, I was more interested football.

Favourite figure now ?

I have many favourites but if I had to pick one it would still be the German Kommanandt

Most desired item ?

I change my mind all the while but for a long while now it is a Kettenkraftrad. I keep my eyes open on eBay but the price they tend to go for is more than I want to pay. One day I’ll grab a bargain.

What will you do with your collection as you get older ?

No idea, I have no intention of giving it up and I have no kids to hand it down to.

What does your wife/girlfriend/partner think of your collection/hobby?

She is very supportive, every now and then I get a VAM or Vehicle and she can actually remember them as a kid as well. She will tell me that her cousins used to play with VAM and she remembers all the stuff they had, so that’s really nice for me. She not only understands and appreciates my hobby but can also relate to it having her own childhood memories of VAM.

Do you set yourself a budget ?

Not really, if I see something and I think it’s a bargain/value for money then I’ll get it. I have gone a bid mad over the last 12 months though but have calmed it down a bit again now.

Worst Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure ?

For me its the Space Ranger stuff, It never made sense to me at that age………..Space…………? Action Man was army, soldiers etc to me not Space Rangers!

Views on 40th reproductions ?

Quite happy with the 40th range. I have quite a few 40th items myself, things I never knew existed as a child. I also think it aroused the interest of many VAM collectors again. I know it’s not Vintage but I would imagine, like me during the 70’s and early 80’s money was tight for many families and they could not afford to get the VAM stuff they wanted but the 40th has given many, including me to get the item now that you always wanted or even never knew existed.

Worst item of the Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 range ?

Intruder, again like above this for me had nothing to do with Soldiers, Army etc. Even though I’m sure I had one!!!!

Best thing about collecting Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figures ?

The memories it brings back from my childhood. I am an only child but that never bothered me. I would spend hours, days even with my VAM all over the stairs and landing with ropes tied all over the place creating many a battle. Then every school holiday our neighbours grandson (my age) would come to his grandparents during the day whilst his parents were at work. He also was a VAM fan. I remember we both had the Cherilea German Motor bike and side car, we used to tie string to the handle bars so that we could pull them along the pavement up and down the road with VAM in both. We would spend many a hot sunny day in August doing this and throwing the VAM about but they never broke! The summer would be over before we knew and I would go back to the battlefield of the stairs but I was never bothered about playing on my own, why would I be I had 18 VAM to keep me company.

Do you think your collection will be collectible in the future ?

Not sure, I hope so but I like other members I do wonder what happens when all of us who had VAM in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s are no longer about. Will they still be so sort after when they will probably not mean as much to others as they do to our generation.

If you did not collect Vam/Joe/Mam what would you collect ?

Well, I also collect Subbuteo and to be honest I was a Subbuteo collector before I became a VAM collector. My Subbuteo collection is also quite large with over 300 teams, 2 complete stadiums (one from the 70’s and one from the 80’s as well as all the other bits and bobs that go with it. In fact I have one stadium permanently set up in the loft but I never play Subbuteo anymore.

What AM/Joe outfit or set would you like to have seen released?

Never really thought about this as a kid but now I would like to have seen a Naval Officer

Do you have a/What is your favourite section of AMMO?

As I said earlier I am more VAM so definitely the VAM section, especially kitbashes and other member s photos. Some of pictures of members collections and random photos are quite superb and have been an inspiration for many of my own kitbash figures.

Why do you like AMMO ?

People like me who collect VAM. I only stumbled across this and other forums around 12 months ago and it was almost a relief. I had never looked for VAM forums as I thought there would be no such thing. I felt a bit silly collecting one of my childhood toys and all its variations and I kept it very personal to me because of the chance of ridicule. Then I find not one but three VAM forums all with lots of people just like me, this without a doubt kick-started my VAM collecting all over again and to be honest took it to another level.

Awesome intervew Fonnezz...

Fantastic start to the New Year with a great interview. Nice one Dazza.

Great interview, Darren!

Thanks,
Brian

Fantastic interview Darren!

As with many interviews I can really identify with what was said. I had loads of AM too, and the bit about next door's grandson really hit a chord with me. I can remember when all the kids in my street played AM and we'd have massive battles. Unfortunately all but me seem to have out grown AM quite young and moved on to other things. After that the highlight of my AM year was the couple of weeks in the summer holidays I'd spend at my uncle and aunts playing VAM with my cousins.

Those long summer days of childhood!

....and the intruder is your 'worst' VAM item? You tick all the correct boxes Darren!

"the summer would be over before we knew"


How true the summer holidays seemed to last forever then suddenly it was back to school

I really liked reading though the eyes of a VAM collector so it was a good interview, thanks for sharing Fonnezz.

Great interview Fonnezz

Great read Darren!

Great interview Fonnezz very interesting indeed the way I look at the potential embarrassment of what others think of collecting VAM and Joe's etc is that old guys have been playing with and collecting toy soldiers and train sets for decades now, this is just a modern version of this fascination and gives us the chance to collect the things that delighted us as youngsters but which we possibly couldn't afford or didn't fully appreciate as we do now, This is a great hobby and needs us collectors to preserve future prosperity

Cheers Ian

great interview , enjoyable read , is it the 1974 world cup stadium you have ? that's the one I had , strange how Walsall would always make the world cup final

Hawkeye wrote:

Great interview Fonnezz very interesting indeed the way I look at the potential embarrassment of what others think of collecting VAM and Joe's etc is that old guys have been playing with and collecting toy soldiers and train sets for decades now, this is just a modern version of this fascination and gives us the chance to collect the things that delighted us as youngsters but which we possibly couldn't afford or didn't fully appreciate as we do now, This is a great hobby and needs us collectors to preserve future prosperity

Cheers Ian

Totally agree with that.

Super interview Darren. Again can relate so much to much of what you say.

Don't think we need to worry about the future of VAM. My six year daughter bounced with joy when she saw her DSD and my 2 1/2 year old god son and his twin sister are still taking their present to bed with them. Will had a MAM and Motorbike, (but wanted my cherilea bike and sidecar with Kamp Komondant and stormtrooper). His sister Iona had a MAM and vintage assault craft. Oh and my 14 year old step daughter has the polar explorer and sledge and HASBRO Gi Jane

Well done Fonnezz, another very intresting interview for A.M.M.O.

String and Action Man=Fun

fantastic interview !

nice interview Darren,thanks so lot

What a awesome interview to start the New Year on AMMO I enjoyed reading this Darren, well done,

I remember good times in the late 60s and 70s with Vams and start of the 80s,

What's the dislike for the the intruder, am I the only one who likes him

Hey Mark.

Me and Jemma are members of the Intruder fan club. It's a small club (two members) but you're welcome to join lol

Sparkys6887 wrote:

Hey Mark.

Me and Jemma  are members of the Intruder fan club. It's a small club (two members) but you're welcome to join lol

please send me an application form before you run out of them mark

Great interview....if your passing I'll
Have you a game of subbuteo....60's
Liverpool vs Peru!! ( or Ajax!)

...my Action Man was an only child and I only had the one Action Man, but since we've joined this forum I've found long lost relatives and new friends for Tom K and I've also found lots of equally loony Action Man collectors to hang out with like you...

Love the interview...keep up the good work!