At the time it seems that everybody was manufacturing or bootlegging Fang of the Sun Dougram figures in 1985. Revell was releasing Dougram 1/48 and 1/72 scale under the Robotech Defenders monikers and Dougram action figures were available at big chain toy stores even though America didn’t even have the luxury of the cartoon series on TV. That’s just the way it was.

One of the more fun and affordable releases for the average 13 year old were a set of six multicolored one inch tall figures known as “Space Puzzle Fighters”. But if you have a sharp eye you will recognize three of the Puzzlers as Dougram, Roundfacer, & Crabgunner. These were available through local candy shops and mobile ice cream vendors for what I can remember 25¢ each.

Space Puzzle Fighters bagged packages includes: 1x paper header, 1x square one color sheets that shows the six assembled Space Puzzler Fighters, 1x colored sprue and 1x Smarties candy roll to be devoured by the kids. Space puzzle Fighters were manufactured in the five colors of pink, blue, purple, green and orange.

What was so great about these was simply the affordability of Space Puzzle Fighters. With just a few dollars you could assemble a huge army of these toys. Also, the fact that they easily came apart and reassembled, one could assemble custom figures in various colors and configurations.

Although three of the SPF were from Dougram the other three figures, to the best of my knowledge, were generic robots. My favorite release is the Chogokin style faceless pink robot with the footless Astro Boy legs and pirate sword and shield. I would love to have that one in DX garde!

Sure they are bootlegs but to this Chogokin collector the Space Puzzle Fighters still bring back many fond memories of the early days.

Leonardo Flores “Uplandmod”