Vintage Review – LCV Recon Sled!
The Highs:
1. Great figure integration
2. Interesting design
3. Inexpensive for a classic vehicle
The Lows:
1. Design may be TOO interesting for some
2. Periscope is easy to lose
3. Minimal armament
The Verdict:
A nice piece for the price, if you don’t find it too ridiculous.
There are plenty of Joe vehicles out there that are based in reality, or heavily influenced by real military hardware. The SkyStriker, Rattler, and even the Flagg are obviously based on real designs and real military hardware. Sometimes however the Joe designers go a bit crazy and give us a vehicle that has absolutely NO basis in reality. Stuff like the Mobile Command Center, Buzz Boar, the D.E.M.O.N, and even the new Ice Cutter have next to no basis in reality, yet we have them. Reading the list above can make you raise your eyebrows because obviously some of these oddballs have been much more successful than others. The LCV (Low Crawl Vehicle) Recon Sled is another one of those oddities, but, for me at least, this one works!
The LCV is a small, motorcycle-like vehicle decorated in a military-looking green, tan and dark purple color scheme. (Trust me, the purple works well). It consists of two sections held together by a seat. The front section has an angular canopy with a periscope on it, the actual cockpit, two things that look like guns on the sides (the blueprints say they’re targeting sensors), headlights, and a somewhat odd front wheel section. There are 5 total front wheels: one front and center, and then four more set in two sections behind it. While this is an odd setup for front wheels, it WOULD allow the LCV better traction over rough terrain. The vehicle is jointed in the middle, allowing for some up-and-down movement.
The rear section of the LCV features a traditional tire, the engine, and a small gun. While it would appear that the engine controls only the rear tire (which is a less than ideal setup for off road traction) the thick midsection of the LCV could contain a chain drive to the front wheels for added power and off road ability. The gun, though small, can rotate not quite 180 degrees. While it will face directly to the rear, the gun will only rotate to about a 40 degree angle in the front. So, the LCV can shoot behind it, but not in front unless the threat is above it. Honestly, the gun is so small that I thought it was an exhaust pipe at first, but the blueprints describe it as a 9mm autocannon. 9mm may make an ok handgun (I prefer .45), but I’m not too fond of it as vehicle armament.
One of the reasons I like the LCV is the excellent driver integration, and the fact that Joes can ride this vehicle two ways: either upright like a traditional motorcycle/atv or lying down. Sitting up, the LCV has footpegs for its rider (but not really handlebars). In the lying down position the LCV’s rider would make the whole setup have a lower profile, and would navigate primarily by the vehicle’s sensors and the periscope. Lying down, there’s holes on either side for the rider’s hands, pads for his knees, and holes in the rear panels for the figure’s feet. They really thought out the design here, which impresses me. There are a heck of a lot of Joe vehicles that require you to play GI Joe Twister to get the figures in them. If not designed properly, the LCV could have been a pain to get a figure to stay on…instead, it’s one of the best Joe vehicles out there as far as figure integration goes. Even 25th style figures fit with no problem!
If you want an LCV, you don’t have to spend a lot of dough. They run $10-20 complete, so there’s a minimal investment for the good old vehicle. I can understand why some Joe enthusiasts would not be fans of this particular vehicle, but I’m one. The only glaring negative I can see with it is the lack of forward-facing firepower. Of course because this is a RECON Sled, its primary role would be to stealthily scout out enemy positions…so hopefully, the only time it would need to use that gun is if it was detected, in which case the fact that the gun faces to the rear would probably be an advantage!
