[Novacaine31]

I just made a video about the Mauler's history looking at some of the visual reference that might have influenced its final look. I wasn't planning on making an entire video but once I started researching tanks and the history I just got sucked in. This came out of documenting my mauler repairs. But I've always been a fan of documentaries in general and as a kid half my bookshelf was illustrated history of tanks, or jets or warships etc. So hoping a few of you find this interesting. Thanks.

https://youtu.be/u-0AUIyOmdE

[Joecollection18]

Nice work ! I really appreciate the work put on the mauler by Greg Berndtson.
A few observations. The designer knew his stuff, but the blueprints and other printed materials were probably done without his input.
The marketing heads at Hasbro are not weapon experts nor weapon, vehicle designers. If it looks cool,sounds cool, and kids dig it, it's in.
Hasbro just made these to make money, please the shareholders. nothing else.
The mauler and mobat overall dimensions are of a 1/25 scale mbt. Back in these days, toy designers would not use 3D modelling and 3D printing as readily As we do today. They kitbashed and scratch build mostly.
They used a lot of Tamiya large models. Tamiya 1/32 f14 for the skystriker, testors SR 71 for the night raven... And Tamiya 1/25 centurion, chieftain and tiger 1 tank.
The mobat for example was kitbashed from a Nikko rc tank.look at the mobat prototype on the early catalogue , it still has the Nikko Grey belt tracks with a pin.. That they eventually copied again on the mauler.
If you place a 1\25 scale figure on a mobat it suddenly looks very realistic.
If you take the Tamiya 1\25 scale centurion roadwheels and bogey design, they are obviously the source of the mauler
As far as the mauler gun, I'd say ARES 75mm and it cannot be any larger, scale wise, since a larger caliber would require a thicker barrel. The mauler has that skinny 75mm barrel definitely.
The ARES was a formidable weapon capable of engaging air targets and shooting in burst. By placing multiple shots in succession in the same spot it would rival larger calibers. It got canned because of the Kool aid trend at the time that cannons were going extinct and everything going missiles, missiles... Just like when the air force wanted to phase out the navy, remember?
Hasbro marketing must have felt a lack of confidence in the mauler's manhood and kept on increasing the caliber claimed size. 75mm sounds small and it is understandable. The whole light attack tank was also not perceived favorably as the masses, the consumers, react better to a simpler, bigger is better concept. Mauler became an heavily armored mbt sporting a big gun.
The way the mauler gun elevates so drastically is a definite trait of the Ares gun. Very unlikely to be anything else.

I read somewhere a mauler real tank prototype being air lifted by a chopper. The mauler is missing the rear eyes for placing shackles there and being air lifted by the tomahawk...
If the real mauler tank had been to scale it actually might be closer to the wolverine tank
The designers did a clever thing by placing a Joe figure into those 1/25 scale tanks. If the tanks had been to scale, they would have been gigantic without necessarily having proportional play value.

I still believe the designers wanted a third Joe in the turret, as shown in the cartoons and the depiction of the commander's periscopes on the turret. The mauler was already a deluxe item, it would have cost one more part, the hatch, and the figure would not be able to sit all buttoned up because of the entire hull being occupied by the large gearbox. Since there was a 2 person tank, they went that way.
I found misleading how the artwork and catalogues placed Joes on the turret so it seemed that you could have the conventional crew inside.
Thanks to modern times, we can customize smaller batteries and more compact gearboxes enabling a third crew member if desired.

Toy work like design is full of Compromises. These are not weapons or vehicles with such function, but toys which must have play value and look cool.
The real mauler tank had a smooth rear engine wall and upper
You can bet someone told the designer to add details to it to make it look cool. Diesel or Gas turbine? I spotted WWII tiger cooling fan grilles on the mauler and even a Maybach engine cover with the jagged bolted outline in the middle, and the air filter intake covers!! These are exactly the size of the Bandai tiger kits 1\24 and the Tamiya 1\25.
Yet they added the Abrams rear details. It can be anything you like. Diesel, gas turbine or Maybach petrol.
As for play value... The turret basket in the rear would have been nice for carrying accessories and more joes.. But it blocks the joystick.
See pics below: Tamiya 1/25 fig next to mobat. Mobat next to 1/25 centurion from Tamiya. Mauler bogies next to the Tamiya bogies. Identical width,diameter and spacing.. I believe the Tamiya is from 1975

[Faith Bartlett]

Spam bot

[CavScout2]

The Mauler is back when Joe stuff was believable and based on real stuff. The Mauler is The High Survivability Test Vehicle Lightweight (HSTV-L) in toy form

[733]

Novacaine31’s YouTube videos convinced me that I needed the Mauler tank for my Joe team. They’re getting a little pricey now though.

[BallisticBee]

Know this is an old post but I’m working on a mauler project and was wondering if in your research you came across the actual color of the Mauler? Color code maybe? Thanks!

[CavScout2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BallisticBee

Know this is an old post but I?m working on a mauler project and was wondering if in your research you came across the actual color of the Mauler? Color code maybe? Thanks!

Google: High Survivability Test Vehicle ? Lightweight (HSTV-L)

Youll find a bunch of info and photos