Jurassic Park III Air Heli-Sabre Marine Copter

[HueyCobra AH-1]

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/319765_10150771951994653_805134652_9425791_2115916 309_n.jpg
Here's the Jurassic Park III Air Heli-Sabre Maring Copter from 2001. This is my first "actual" review, so here goes...

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/552840_10150771952099653_2099763831_n.jpg
I wanted a light scout/recon chopper....and this is, well, LIGHT.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/535594_10150771952204653_805134652_9425793_3346370 56_n.jpg

The paint: what paint? it appears to be solid, molded green plastic except for the missile, the engine and a tab on the underside of the body.
there are some decent details, with textured rivets and angled panels to mimic the RAH-66 Comanche.

The pilot fares a little better. it has True Heroes' articulation, but i like him. i wish i could grab a handful of these figures.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/562522_10150771952254653_805134652_9425794_6691647 90_n.jpg
(i do not know how i got the "gangsta lean" to work, honest.)

Now we have to focus on the negatives as a possible Joe toy.
I took the batteries out of this one, so i can't tell you how well the electronics work. Other than the electronics, the missile gimmick is a generic spring loaded launcher that you have to PULL THE LANDING GEAR. WTH?

{EDIT: the instructions are pretty vague. but the red tab on the underside is a knob to spin the rotors. whoo-hoo. it's not implemented well.}

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/554375_10150772125434653_805134652_9426434_1118175 333_n.jpg
Did i mention the main rotor spins? +1 for it, right? No guns, no other weapons. that's gonna cost this toy in later rounds.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/522702_10150771952339653_805134652_9425795_1880666 763_n.jpg

The cockpit is a bland shell. Not one iota of detil. not even an inkling of a seat or controls. Add to it the cockpit flips forward to open and the blades make it tricky to bail in or out of the cockpit. Also, it's kinda hard to open the cockpit without pretty much taking the canopy off the toy entirely.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/551891_10150771952394653_805134652_9425796_1677849 116_n.jpg

But, in a minor plus, the pilot and ME Joes have plenty of room to fit inside.

Now for size comparisons.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/399089_10150771952534653_805134652_9425798_2010694 389_n.jpg

Posed with a vintage FANG, i was okay with this toy- since i wanted a light, one man chopper in the same vein as the FANG- and it is an decent forward scout for the RoC Dragonhawk (obligatory, "If the D-Hawk was a bit bigger...")

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/578050_10150771952459653_805134652_9425797_3597636 08_n.jpg

Then, when up against the smaller of the 1:18 Helos, the PTE Little Bird, that's when it's size is painfully obvious.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/579102_10150771952599653_805134652_9425799_1244957 867_n.jpg

i'll keep this, even as a novelty. but if you get one on the cheap, i suggest you display it away from your serious Joe-scale toys.

[blackbarn]

Interesting review. I remember seeing this at stores and wondering if it would be worth it to buy as a Joe vehicle.

[blackrazor1]

Copter is based on the RAH-66. It looks bare; because, the weapons are carried internally. The fold out weapons bays would be too expensive for that price point.

Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Sikorsky_RAH-66_Comanche)

http://www.scale-rotors.com/files/gallery/33/RAH-66_MD1982_Revell_2.jpg

[HueyCobra AH-1]

there are some decent details, with textured rivets and angled panels to mimic the RAH-66 Comanche.
i know about the hidden missiles. Just thjnk for an extra $5, this could have just panels that flipped down exposing mini-missiles.