March 2015 Interview - Patchwork

Name?
Richard (Rich) Pachkovsky
Aka: "patch"

Online name?
Pachwerk

Location?
I am a life long Connecticut Yankee and live near Mark Twain's house.
http://www.google.com/imgres?

First Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure?  
My first GI Joe was discovered under the Christmas tree in 1964.  Don't really remember much advertizing on TV or in magazines, Life or McCall's magazine didn't exactly cater to and kids toys, so I guess I must have first seen GI Joe in the Sears Christmas catalogue.  That was a must cherished read at the time and the only link to Santa's workshop.  We would drool over to toys inside and dog ear all the pages.



What was your favorite figure as a kid, and do you still own him?  
Well I only had one figure.  My dad was a WW2 veteran and served in the Philippines.  Being some 20 years removed from the war made my Mom and Dad frown on my pleads for a SOTW German, Russian or Japanese foe.  They also said I had one, why would I need another?  I still have my first Army Joe with all his battle wounds.  He's missing a finger and has limb cracks from pretending to blow off an arm or leg in battle.  He was very brave as always being the lone survivor.  Over time I managed a 7000 5-star Jeep, Mercury capsule and a Panther Jet which I still have.





Favorite figure now?
I am never satisfied so it is always the last acquisition or bash that strikes my interest.  As you can see I over compensated for my lack of GI Joe foes and finally got the Japanese, Russian and German SOTW figures.



Next I moved on to VAM.  Palitoy really has some of the best uniforms.



My latest love is doing custom bashes.  Started with my 50 anniversary squad then my special Snowstorm Survival sled followed by my Israeli paratrooper and French Gendarme.  I am always looking for the next bash, here is a preview>




Most desired item?
I'd like to get one of the reissued 2001 Space Suits from Cotswold but too much for me.  Maybe I'll do a bash Smile



What will you do with your collection, as you get older?
My wife wants me to keep meticulous notes on each figure just incase I drop dead and she need to sell them.  I guess as some point I'll sell of most and keep a few but plan to do a lot more bashes.  Those are cheap to make and I like holding on to those even if not worth much.  Here is my latest custom in progress.  Nothing pictured is GI Joe.



What does your wife/girlfriend/partner think of your collection/hobby?
My wife tolerates my collecting.  My daughter accuses me of playing with man toys.  I guess she is right.  Love these toys.

Do you set yourself a budget?
I try to and my Wife reels my spending in when I go over.  I try not to spend big bucks on any one item.  The costlier the outfits I am driven to bash.  But it does get out of hand.






Worst Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figure?
Don't hate me but it's got to be the Bullet Man.  Never really took to him.

Views on 40th reproductions?
I really love them.  They are getting just as expensive as the real items.  I am not a traditionalist. I don't mind mixing 40th with vintage.  I plan to open all of my boxed and carded items too.  It is much more fun to play with them.        

Worst item of the Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 range?
Besides Bullet Man the worst disappointment was the Panther Jet.  Thought is was going to be real cool, just like the jet in the handbook but it ended up being a toddlers' push toy.

Best thing about collecting Vam/Joe/Mam or 1/6 figures?
It uses your imagination!  Outfits can be put together in endless combinations.

Do you think your collection will be collectible in the future?
Yes and but I will focus more and more on bashes and custom figures.

If you did not collect Vam/Joe/Mam what would you collect?
Nothing else interests me.  I don't drink (too much), smoke, carouse, or gamble.  I just play with man dolls.

What AM/Joe outfit or set would you like to have seen released?
Laurence of Arabia outfit would have been cool.  Also fancy an Egyptian British Guard.



Do you have a/What is your favorite section of AMMO?
I use the forum regularly.  Also go back to the old AMHQ for reference pictures.  Also the 3D Joes site is awesome.

Why do you like AMMO?
I like everyone here, they are good chaps.  We all share a common hobby.  It is lovely to share with others and have them in turn share with you.

Terrific interview Patch!, you have an amazing collection, and quite a few Vam too!

great interview

Great interview!! You've also given me the idea to put an orange lifevest on my turbo copter pilot!

Great interview Rich! I can attest that this collection is even more impressive in the flesh, so to speak!

-Nate

Awesome interview Rich! Nice work!

Why would you need another!!!

Parents, eh!

Great interview and some amazing pieces, really enjoyed this article.

i really enjoyed you interview and oh man what a collection you have , i agree with ross putting an orange lifevest on a turbo-copter pilot is pure genius

Great interview!

Nice to get to know you better.

Brian

Rich, great interview enjoyed reading it, nice to know more about you well done

great interview !

Great interview Robert! Good to hear more about you.

brownboots wrote:

Why would you need another!!!

Parents, eh!

yeah that's the same kind of 'Parent attitude' that made them think buying us KO figures was a good idea!

Your 'Joe Room' looks like it's had plenty of playtime, a bit like mine last year. It's always intresting to find out what enjoyment other Joe/AM fans get out of the hobby..

Quote :

Outfits can be put together in endless combinations

I agree, and just like back in the day, kitmixing is fun. The yellow MAM rucksack in photo 4 is pretty useful in any collection, I usually stuff some cotton cloth inside to plump it out. They also come in a brown colour. You have some very nice man toys  

Another very intresting 'members interview', well done!      

brownboots wrote:

Why would you need another!!!

Parents, eh!

 I used to get that when I was collecting video games, many late nights ago.

thanks for this interview Patch, and i like your joe roomexactly what I want!

[quote. The yellow MAM rucksack in photo 4 is pretty useful in any collection, I usually stuff some cotton cloth inside to plump it out. i usually use tattered clothing in mine because i hate throwing things away

blueboxier wrote:

[quote. The yellow MAM rucksack in photo 4 is pretty useful in any collection, I usually stuff some cotton cloth inside to plump it out.     i usually use tattered clothing in mine because i hate throwing things away

The yellow thing between the Russian and German is an extra LSO hat. I moved the figure from there without noticing. Picture 3 actually has a yellow rucksack in the middle of the table next to the Royal Hussar uniform that is stored flat. The pack is off of a Hall of Fame Stalker figure.

Richard

yeah pach mercury capsule on the right yellow ruc on the left

pachwerk wrote:

blueboxier wrote:

[quote. The yellow MAM rucksack in photo 4 is pretty useful in any collection, I usually stuff some cotton cloth inside to plump it out.     i usually use tattered clothing in mine because i hate throwing things away

The yellow thing between the Russian and German is an extra LSO hat.  I moved the figure from there without noticing. Picture 3 actually has a yellow rucksack in the middle of the table next to the Royal Hussar uniform that is stored flat.  The pack is off of a Hall of Fame Stalker figure.

Richard

The rucksack in Picture 4 (4th down) was the one I was refering to, I have about 12 of them so far, it might be more, I know a couple went out to Ackie in a swap. I'm hoping to find some more of those rucksacks in the next few weeks when the boot sale season starts again

The yellow rucksack on the left..

great interview and photos , I am sure most of our wives /partners have all thought , " I wonder how much they are worth "

Great interview and pictures and I see you have a boxed 105mm field gun VERY nice

Sparkys6887 wrote:

Great interview and pictures and I see you have a boxed 105mm  field gun VERY nice

I bought the cannon on a trip to the UK pre-9/11. Had it as a carry on so it wouldn't get crushed. I had every conceivable security person examining the box and contents. Needless to say it was deemed too dangerous to take on board. Why I might put someones eye out

hard to put an eye out if its in a box or did they think you would get it out during the flight and shoot it up the aisle

blueboxier wrote:

hard to put an eye out if its in a box or did they think you would get it out during the flight and shoot it up the aisle

You are quite correct in that it was in the box and had all the inserts that hold the contents steady and in-place. I offered to have the flight stewards put the package in their own storage so I could not grab it from over head carry-on storage. But standing there with threatening people, sometimes you just have to pick the battles worth fighting. Security insisted that I check the package. I agreed. It was absurd and luckily the package was not damaged in transit.

A similar absurdity occurred to my Wife and me on a UK trip After 9/11. New York security checked all our carry-on luggage without incident. Arrived at Zurich airport, changed flight in Zurich and traveled on to Heathrow. After a week we bothreturned via Heathrow and had another stop over in Zurich. I proceeded through Zurich security easily but had to wait for my Wife. An excited baggage examiner had discover a BLADE in my Wife's luggage. This potential weapon unfolded from a normal sized nail clipper stored in our over shoulder bag. I came to my Wife's rescue and asked what the problem was. The examiner held the 2 1/2 inch nail clipper with the unfurled 1 inch nail file and pointed menacingly to an picture displayed next to the counter. She held the nail clippers and gestured to the international symbol of a 10 inch scissors encircle in a bold red circle and crossed with a slash "/". "Forbidden to carry on plane". I briefly pleaded my case of this situation, having already gone through US security, Zurich security and again UK security with this nail clipper only to be questioned on my return to Zurich. Now you would think that I would pick my battles as this perceived weapon would be easily replaced at minor cost. And if you have not been to the airport in Zurich the security guards carry (carried at the time) military style machine guns which can be very disconcerting to an American citizen stashing a weapon that could put your eye out! I thought I knew better, but I reached into my pocket and retrieved a ring of keys. I selected my 2 1/2 inch Volkswagen Jetta key, and silently held it out to the inspectors as an example of this absurdity. Upon doing this I immediately put the keys back in my pocket, gestured for the nail clipper and snapped the file blade off. My wife hurried through hoping they did not begin to see my car keys as a weapon of mass eye poking.

post 9/11 i flew to spain and it was only when i was unpacking my carry on bag in the hotel i seen in the bottom of the bag a swiss army knife that i had forgotten to take out of the bag before i flew . go figure

pachwerk wrote:

My wife hurried through hoping they did not begin to see my car keys as a weapon of mass eye poking.

I think I'll travel by canoe in future, because I'm always carrying pointy things

A hassle free form of travel..



It also keeps me fit (I'm at the front)..