JoeCanuck

Although I didn't pick any up, I didn't think the ST figures looked that bad (at least on the card).  I definitely would have tried some if they came with build-a-bridge parts like the US releases.  I did manage to pick up the Terminator A-10 Warthog (on sale) and I think the plane is undersized but not total crap.  The female pilot figure, however, is absolutely fantastic!  It's like Playmates used a different factory to do her versus the carded figures...

Excellent review as always!  Robotic arm on Destro?  When did that happen?

Fantastic comparison review!  I'm surprised they painted the track hubcaps on the Wolf Hound, thought for sure they'd remove that extra bit  of detail from the prototypes. 

Absolutely fantastic review!  Somebody needs to ask Hasbro about bringing back the Skystriker at the next JoeCon Q&A.  India (Funskool) was making them in the mid-90's so the molds are out there.

USS Flagg review

While filming my USS Flagg review for Youtube (see account/channel formbx257) I took some pictures as well.  Seeing as olyeller01 stated that he wouldn’t do a review of this, I figured I’d give it a try!



The Flagg comes in a big BIG box (4 feet X 3 feet X 1 foot deep) and is quite flimsy for the weight of the toy inside.  Inside the box are… more boxes.  A big flat box with all the deck pieces and two tray boxes filled with the rest.


 
 

As you can see, some parts I’ve permanently assembled like the radar dishes and cannons but there are still close to 80 pieces for me to put together!



After an hours worth of careful assembly, the greatest action figure playset ever created is before my unworthy hands.  The only part that has any trouble fitting on is the admirals launch davit base.  This piece has both pegs and hooks that snap onto the deck side and needs to be put in by force (not a good thing for 25-year-old plastic).




Besides the enormous size of the aircraft carrier (7 feet 6 inches in length, 3 feet at its widest and 2 feet 5 inches tall), the Flagg came with wide range of features in various sections.
The tower has 6 rooms and 2 outer observation balconies (you could put about 12 figures inside before it starts to look crowded), a swiveling and elevating missile box with 6 missiles, a rotating net radar and a 9-piece nav/comm/radar antenna mast.



The assembled mast should look like this (the picture at Yojoe.com is not assembled correctly – they haven’t pressed the interlacing mast halves together fully).



On the deck there is the aforementioned davit base that lowers the simple looking admirals launch, a knob operated winch with removable engine cover, an arrestor rope for catching the included skyhook, a hydraulic blast shield and a bow ladder that leads to a radar dish nest.


 

I think you can put 3 Skystrikers on the deck comfortably: one landing, one taxiing and one ready for take-off.

The electronic sound system (bane of many collectors since this usually stops working due to various reasons) sounds like this: <!-- m -->http://www.klrtech.com/0gijoeflaggsounds.wav<!-- m -->
The metal fork on the speaker portion is supposed to hook onto a knob at the back of the tower (which I can’t show due to it being the only broken-off piece on my Flagg).



The Low Tow fuel tractor with its removable engine cover has a dual function: it can tow the fuel trailer or it can tow/taxi a Skystriker by putting its tow arm peg under the nose and into the screw hole (thanks to Jaimanstone of Yojoe.com forums and Wheelbreaker41 of Youtube for showing me this).


The fantail deck (that room at the stern of the Flagg) houses a cannon, a radar dish and has barely enough room for a figure to stand.  The fragile fantail rail is small and if you don’t have one, you’re not missing much.



The USS Flagg came with one figure: Keel-Haul, the admiral.  This figure looks more like a World War II destroyer captain than a carrier admiral, but that’s part of his charm.  It’s a shame his character wasn’t in the cartoon.  He came with a pistol (which I refuse to call a Walther PPK, because it’s NOT) that along with the fuel nozzles are the only pieces re-used for other Joe toys.

When people say, “They don’t make toys like THAT anymore”, it is especially true of the USS Flagg.  As an adult, I don’t even have to touch the playset; just looking at it assembled with a single Skystriker on its deck and I’m instantly 30 years younger!



The only bad thing about the USS Flagg? Putting it back into it’s box…

I know some people might be interested in Avatar AMP Suits (as they fit G.I. Joes well).  Winners in southern Ontario has them (and the Grinder ATV) at $16.99 ea.  It's a lot cheaper than even TRU - I think they marked theirs down to $25.