G.I. Joe Rolling Thunder - Restoration Project 1

Presenting my G.I. Joe Rolling Thunder. This is one of the oldest G.I. Joe vehicles in the Dungeon and it's unfortunately in quite a dreadful state - Hey I got it cheap!!!! Cut  me some slack!!!! A brand new one costs PhP 12, 600 (US$ 293) and you'll have to ship it from Portugal (It's not light).

Instead this will be my first restoration project. I intend to return this wonderfully frightening vehicle -  reminiscent of the paranoia from the US/USSR Cold War when it was important for Armies to invest in mobile platforms of mass destruction - to near pristine condition.

The Rolling Thunder first appeared in Marvel Comic's G.I. Joe A Real American Hero issue number 80 when both the Joes and Cobra scrambled to investigate/own a piece of land that suddenly appeared out of nowhere next to Cobra Island after an earthquake. 

The Rolling Thunder's wiki reads "The Rolling Thunder armored missile launcher was first released in 1988, packaged with the driver Armadillo. It featured two large "Double Team" quad thruster rockets, which were hidden in the housing of the Rolling Thunder itself, and could be moved into launch position. Each rocket contained six "Firefly" free fall cluster bombs. The Rolling Thunder also came with a small ATSV (All Terrain Scout Vehicle), many laser cannons and missiles, and a turret-mounted "Short Throw" 90mm main battle cannon."

Personally I like to think that it carries Nukes and those are ICBMS in it's hold each armed with six free-fall nuclear devices. 

It's huge - longer than the Sigma Six Rolling Operations Command Center. In a pinch, the Rolling Thunder is armed enough to be used as an assault vehicle - though carrying around all that explosive ordinance is scary. It's built to defend itself, but has enough weaponry to take on a Cobra Army, especially a complete one. 

This is what a complete G.I. Joe Rolling Thunder looks like thanks to Yojoe.com:

The Dungeon's Rolling Thunder is missing:

• All decals;
• One seat-belt;
• Six Yellow-Missiles;
• Three Red-Missiles;
• The center mounted rocket-launcher carousel;
• The forward chin mounted machine gun;
• The forward mounted radar guided machine gun - though I have the radar; 
• Both communications antennas;
• The very tip of the 90mm "Short Throw" Cannon;
• The All Terrain Scout Vehicle; 
• The Driver, Armadillo - not that I want him; 
• Both quad thrusters of the Double Team missiles;
• The Missile bay Doors are damaged, and;
• Someone substituted the wrong mounting rails for the "Short Throw". 

But there is hope! The internet is actually filled with a plethora of Rolling Thunder parts. Slowly but surely, the Dungeon's Rolling Thunder will be restored to it's awesome glory.... Assuming it's ever returned to the Joes: