SUMMARY:
The Taiwan Stratos is one of the first 8 figures released by Mattel in 1982 and came only on an 8-Back card.
You can identify the figure by its mid-gray skin tones, a soft head that can either have vibrant blue googles or in the case of the rare blue beard, gray googles. The accessories are translucent, red, and/or opaque blue. The shorts are red, with light blue shorts. All versions of Taiwan Stratos came in either blue harness/red wings, or red harness/blue wings.
The first version of this figure is the test market Stratos. It has a blue beard, with gray goggles. This Stratos variant is marked © Mattel, Inc. 1981 TAIWAN on both the figure and the harness. The harness has short straps and only 3 notches. The wings are marked TAIWAN on both the wrist cuffs and the arm cuffs. In addition, the arm cuffs have a 3 or a 4 batch number.
The following version of the Taiwan Stratos has the standard gray beard, with vibrant blue googles. Typically this version comes with a short strap, 4-notch harness, but has been found on occasion with the rare 3-notch harness variant. This figure is marked the same as the previous issue.
Shortly after, Taiwan Stratos was released with a longer strap, 4-notch harness. The rest of the figure is the same as the previous version. This figure is also marked 1981 on the figure and accessories.
Lastly, Taiwan Stratos was released marked © Mattel, Inc. 1982 TAIWAN on the figure, while retaining the 1981 date on the accessories.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
1. Mid-gray skin tones
2. Soft head, with vibrant blue goggles (or gray goggles on blue beard)
3. Translucent red accessories and opaque blue accessories
4. Bright red belt, light blue shorts
MAIN VARIANTS:
(All accessories are marked the same. The difference is the length of the straps and # of notches)
1. Stratos - 8-Back - 1st Release (Red wings/blue harness) Blue Beard, 3-notch armor
2. Stratos - 8-Back - 1st Release (Blue wings/red harness) Blue Beard, 3-notch armor
3. Stratos - 8-Back - 2nd Release (Red + Blue Wings) 4 notch armor short straps
4. Stratos - 8-Back - 2nd Release (Blue wings/red harness) 4 notch armor short straps
5. Stratos - 8-Back - 3rd Release (Red + Blue Wings) 1981, 4-notch armor, long straps
6. Stratos - 8-Back - 3rd Release (Blue wings/red harness) 1981, 4 notch armor, long straps
7. Stratos - 8-Back - 4th Release (Red + Blue Wings) 1982, 4-notch armor, long straps
8. Stratos - 8-Back - 4th Release (Blue wings/red harness) 1982, 4 notch armor, long straps
MARKED (1981 version): © Mattel, Inc. 1981 TAIWAN
MARKED (1982 version): © Mattel, Inc. 1982 TAIWAN
ACCESSORIES MARKED: TAIWAN
