Released in 1982, a year before the beloved Sky Striker, this must have been Fisher-Price’s attempt at upping its game with the boys’ toys. Released as a kit, the concept was that the child would assemble the toy. The ARAH Joe vehicles were like this, but Hasbro didn’t stress the “kit” concept at all.
Clearly a military vehicle based on the real word F-15, Fisher Price didn’t promote it that way. There are no removable and/or molded-on missiles or a nose cannon, or any markings designating it as US Air Force. It wasn’t molded in tombstone grey or olive drab. But it is what it is. When you look at it, it’s unmistakably a war machine. The imagination of a 9 year old can make up for the “missing” weaponry and other issues.
Take a minute to appreciate the fact that Fisher Frickin’ Price made a 1:18 scale combat jet before Hasbro. Not to mention a pretty good space shuttle, but that’s another review.
Very under-scaled but moderately well detailed, the main body of the Turbo Hawk was also conveniently molded in a saturated blue instead of more realistic colors. It’s not a dark early 80’s Cobra blue, but obviously GI Joe wouldn’t have a blue jet, right? Hasbro would later use a similar blue on the HISS II or the ARAHC HISS, for what that’s worth. The Turbo Hawk’s dark tinted canopy is also an elegant touch.
I’m sure this vehicle has been customized in both black and Cobra blue, and I’m sure those look spectacular.
The Sky Striker vs Rattler dogfight scenario always felt a bit lopsided in favor of the Joes. With the Turbo Hawk, the playing field was a bit more level (despite its diminutive size and lack of any weapons). Sky Striker vs. Turbo Hawk? There’s a more evenly matched fight card.
Speaking of the Sky Striker and the Rattler, they both fail the “drop test”. Drop either one of them more than a foot and something will either pop off or break on them. Much like the Tonka Hand Command Turbo Prop, the Turbo Hawk is a durable beast. The canopy will likely pop off, but the rest of the vehicle will remain intact. It’s a simple ruggedness that the ’82 wave of Joe vehicles had. After the inaugural wave, most Joe vehicles lacked that sturdiness and it didn’t really return until the New Sculpt era. Fisher-Price and Tonka vehicles, for the most part, were sturdy- and remain so today. Think of how otherwise great items like the Killer Whale or Transportable Tactical Battle Platform turn into piles of parts over time. Simple is better in some regards, and Fisher-Price was the king of simple.
I obviously have a nostalgic soft spot for this vehicle, but it’s far from perfect. It has no proper landing gear/struts, just tiny wheels on the bottom of the fuselage. Like cutesy little shopping cart wheels. The eye line of a figure standing next to the Turbo Hawk is higher than the canopy. When I say the Turbo Hawk is under-scaled, that’s being generous. It is the same length as the Battle Force 2000 Vector, with a nominally wider wingspan. Because the Vector isn’t based on a real thing, it’s easier to accept it as being “realistic”. Like how CGI dinosaurs look better than CGI humans, as you’ve never actually seen a real-life dinosaur with your own eyes (and, yes, I know that dinosaurs were real before becoming petroleum, which in turn became all the toys we adore, except for Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys). The cockpit has no detailing aside from a seat, and it’s a pretty bland seat at that.
The Turbo Hawk included a very generic pilot. The parts used don’t truly make for a convincing flight suit and give the figure a thicker look than you might expect for a fighter pilot. The pilot is decked out in a crazy big helmet and a white jumpsuit. The helmet’s size may have been accurately scaled for a generic safety helmet of the day. I believe it was originally used for a dragster driver, but I’m not sure. It doesn’t appear to be specifically designed as a “pilot” helmet. For anyone toying with the idea of making Airwolf customs, this would actually be a good stand-in for those helmets. As Adventure People go, it’s actually a fairly meh figure. There’s just not much to it, aside from a nice logo on the back. But for a figure designed to sit inside of the cockpit, it’s acceptable.
Almost any newer 1:18 scale jet would be an upgrade over the Turbo Hawk in terms of scale and detailing today. Take your pick from Chap Mei, Solider Force, World Peace Keepers, GI Joe (when Hasbro actually tried), True Heroes, or maybe even Processed Plastics or similar super-cheap lines. But there’s something to be said for the Fisher-Price Turbo Hawk, because it came first.
I had this and yes, it was used as a Cobra fill-in jet in the early days. Aside from lack of weapons, the canopy comes off too easily. We need some repros!
ReplyDeleteThere was a military version in grey camo with US labels, I think it did not include a pilot. The only FPAP site I looked at doesn't mention it, maybe a later release without the Adventure People name?
The pilot mold was released carded with a red helmet, blue clothes with white sleeves as Supersonic Pilot. Artwork shows him piloting the Turbo Hawk. The dragster drivers were different, had different legs and had motorcycle style helmet.
I'm not well versed in the FPAP line, but I've gotta say that's a pretty cool jet. The size and scale of it kind of reminds me of the Storm Eagle from '92.
ReplyDeleteThe scale makes it look a little weird, but for the most part I hate large aircraft as Joe vehicles. They're cumbersome to play with or display, but provide relatively little play-value aside from that. As such I've always strongly preferred things like this to something like the Sky Striker or the Conquest.