Though the early years of 3 ¾” GI Joe vehicles were pretty much all based on real and/or very realistic vehicles, the mid-80s started to see a departure from this. There were several vehicles released in these years that were perhaps based in reality but were mostly fantasy. The HAVOC (Heavy Articulated Vehicle Ordnance Carrier) falls into this category. Though based in reality, this vehicle has far too many military flaws to be practical…but Joe vehicles aren’t perfect, and that’s part of the fun! The HAVOC was also heavily featured in the Joe cartoon and in GI Joe: The Movie, as well as a particular issue in the comics (#51, where it took on the Thunder Machine carrying none other than Sgt. Slaughter!) Anyways, on to the review.
The HAVOC is one of the larger mid-sized Joe vehicles, about twice as long as a VAMP. The main colors at work are the familiar Joe green, a few shades of gray, and…bright orange/red? It has two sets of tracks, a small set up front and a larger set under the rear. The front tracks can rotate a full 360 degrees, while the rear tracks can rotate about 30 degrees. This means that the HAVOC would be quite maneuverable for a vehicle its size, if it were real. The tracks have green covers on them that can be removed, revealing the machinery and detail underneath.
A large glass canopy dominates the front of the vehicle, and there is a cannon underneath each headlight that can pivot in about a 45-degree arc independently. The canopy is raised by tilting back the gunner’s seat (behind the canopy) and raising the glass from the front. One would think that all the glass would offer excellent visibility to the two occupants, but a closer look at the controls reveals that the glass is not really necessary. The occupants control the HAVOC laying on their stomachs and looking into a box that contains both various instruments and a viewscreen. There are control levers on either side of the instrument boxes. There are a few nice details molded into the cockpit, including the aforementioned instrument boxes and a few other canisters and other unidentifiable objects.
Behind the canopy sits a single gunner’s seat, right smack dab in the top middle of the vehicle. This seat pretty much dominates the whole HAVOC. There is a joystick for control on the seat’s left side, and there are two very large cannons attached to the seat. When the seat is in “locked in” position, its bottom sits flush with the top of the canopy, and the cannons flank either side. There are two arms that attach to the HAVOC’s body low and just behind the canopy. These arms allow the gunner’s seat to tilt backwards. Also, tilting the seat gives the arms more travel room, and can allow the gunner’s seat to sit directly above the canopy.
Moving the gunner’s seat forward reveals an angular box beneath it. The cover on the box can be removed, revealing a pretty nice-sized V-type engine. Moving to the rear, there is a rear-facing seat just aft of the engine. Also facing to the rear are two small guns that can rotate a full 360, as well as four large missiles, two on each side. Small running boards on either side of the rear have pegs for three figures each. The HAVOC’s rear contains two small steps on either side of a wedge shaped protrusion, as well as the standard Joe hitch for towing other vehicles and weapons like the HAL and Mountain Howitzer.
But wait…there’s more! The HAVOC has a surprise in store! Flip that gunner’s seat all the way forward above the canopy, and both sides of the HAVOC’s body open up, clamshell-style. This reveals none other than a small, one-man hovercraft. The hovercraft is armed with two machine guns, one on each side. An engine and exhaust system take up the rear of the hovercraft, just behind the seat. The underside of the hovercraft features two large fans for propulsion. The fans can tilt in tandem to the left and right side of the vehicle for better control, and they have two circular pads in the HAVOC’s rear to land on. The hovercraft isn’t large or very heavily armed, but it LOOKS like a quick little bugger that would be perfect for recon duty (in fact, a sticker just in front of the cockpit says “recon lift instr”). It would be the perfect thing to lure Cobras back to the HAVOC’s heavy firepower.
Ok, so we’ve established that the HAVOC is a big, heavily armed Joe vehicle with weapons front and rear and its own recon hovercraft. So what holds it back from being perfect? Well, I for one question the choice of bright red on all the weapons. Yes, I know the weapons would be dangerous…and that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? But I can see the HAVOC sitting in a swamp while unsuspecting Cobras walk by…until the notice the bright red cannons on the front and missiles on the side. Eeek. Also, the bright red has a tendency to fade badly, leaving you with orangey-pink weapons (as you can see in my photos). Plus, that glass canopy had better be bulletproof glass if the drivers want any protection. Even if it was bulletproof, that much glass would still offer minimal protection from heavy weapons and explosives. I’m not too fond of the “lying on the belly” position of the drivers, either. Also, the Joe sitting in the gunner’s seat had better have his life insurance paid up, because he’s sitting on top of a large, heavily armed vehicle, controlling the vehicle’s heaviest weapons…and he’s completely exposed! No cockpit or bulletproof glass here…it’s just open to the elements, leaving the occupant susceptible from everything from small arms and sniper fire to shrapnel from near misses to even jetwash from the hovercraft if its pilot is careless during takeoff and landing.
The HAVOC isn’t perfect, but it is unique, as well as heavily armed. It’s a nicely sized vehicle, too, especially for the money. Figure on paying $20-40 for a complete one, and repro stickers and parts are readily available and easy to find. Despite its flaws, I really like the HAVOC, and it was one of my first pickups when I started collecting Joes again (I had the Sky Patrol HAVOC back in the day, so I was familiar with it, but I never had the original). Considering all the vehicle you get for the price, I advise looking into one if you are interested.
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