Head: 50th Duke
Torso: Retaliation Kwinn
Arms: 50th Flint
Legs: 50th Gung Ho
Bandolier: 25th Duke modified with added pouch and 25th Viper grenade
Helmet: Vintage Battle Pack

After acquiring a few of the 1983 figures, I was hooked on GI Joe. When the 1984 catalog showed up, I spotted the figures that I wanted to add to my ranks. At the top of the list were Duke and Storm Shadow. I remember finding Duke at a local pharmacy/drug store. Back then, Joes were sold everywhere. Storm Shadow proved elusive, but I found Duke quickly. He got a lot of play. He had fun accessories and a realistic military uniform so he remained one of my favorites for a long time.

Of course, we have gotten a lot of official Duke figures over the years. Unfortunately, none of those versions qualify as an ultimate Duke in my opinion. With GI Joe on hiatus, I thought that now would be a good time to fix that, so I made my own. I based my custom on the original toy and tried to remain as faithful to it as possible. I borrowed some cues from Pugsley's excellent custom as well like the bandolier modifications and the legs.