From Action Man to MoD action figures

New HM armed forces toy action figures Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

1966: Action Man first introduced in the UK by Palitoy Photograph: Public Domain

1966: Display of Action Man toys made by Palitoy at the British Toy Fair in Brighton Photograph: Leonard Burt/Hulton Archive/Getty

1968: A Red Devils parachute jumper and Action Man Photograph: Fox Photos/Hulton Archive

1992: Action Man doll Photograph: David Beauchamp/Rex Features

1993: 1970's flock-haired Action Man dolls at the International Action Man Convention, Bovington, UK Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex Features

1996: Three early Action Men with moulded hair and Barbies by Mattel at Christie's Photograph: PA Archive

1996: Toy manufacturers Hasbro, who took over Action Man from Palitoy in 1993, celebrate the plastic man's 30th birthday Photograph: Crabtree/PA Archive

1997: Action Man dolls at London Toyfair Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex Features

1999: Action Man Mission 2000 (left) and Millennium Action Man, complete with laptop computer and headset, on display during the Toy 99 exhibition in London Photograph: Matthew Fearn/PA Archive

2009: Flight lieutenant Jonathan Smith poses with his equivalent HM armed forces action figure in a Harrier Jet Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

2003: Elite force aviator action figure of the then US president, George Bush, wearing the naval aviator flight uniform he wore when he landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to declare an end to major combat in Iraq Photograph: Blue Box Toys/Getty Images

2004: A US marine carrying his GI Joe Action Man doll in Fallujah Photograph: Patrick Baz/AFP

2007: An Action Man figure displayed at the auction house Fellows and Sons in Birmingham, UK Photograph: Shaun Fellows/PA

2008: A recent Action Man combat figure Photograph: Jonathan Hordle/Rex Features

2009: A Royal Marine commando HM armed dorces action figure on display at the launch of the new toys at RAF Northolt Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

2009: HM armed forces action figures, (left to right) Royal Marine commando, an army infantryman, and a Royal Air Force pilot Photograph: Character Group/PA

2009: A member of the armed forces poses next to a HM armed forces action figure Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

2009: Children playing with toy action figures at the launch Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

2009: Armed forces uniforms for children Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

2009: Group of HM armed forces action figures on display Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images