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| GI Joe Warthog AIFV - Ugly and brings bad news, get out of it's way. |
Released in 1988, the Warthog AIFV is one of the oldest vehicles in the Dungeon that was acquired complete a few years back. It took us a while though to capture the right Sgt Slaughter that went with it and we can only dream about affording the modern version of Sgt Slaughter - maybe one day.
It's one of the GI Joe vehicles that are based upon real military vehicles, the Marine Armored Amphibious Vehicle (AAV). Though it has seen several upgrades, the AAV uses a design that has been in service since 1972.
MORE AFTER THE JUMP
The GI Joe Warthog AIFV is a truncated version of the AAV and adds a pair of MGM-59 Lance Surface-to-Surface dual-thrust Liquid Propellant missiles with DME (Distance Measuring Equipment) Data Link/Flight Stabilizing Rings.
Copyright: eddtoro35 / 123RF Stock Photo
The 1988 GI Joe Warthog AIFV's blister card reads: "Big, bad ugly and mean. The Warthog storms the beachead as it leads an all-out invation of Cobra island!" So when we said it was ugly, that wasn't us. That was their marketing.The GI Joe Warthog AIFV comes armed with :
- An MK-29 Power operated 20mm cannon
- 12 "Diversion" multiple launch smoke grenades
- "Night Sight" infrared driving lights
- Welded Aluminium/specially hardened armor hull
- "Bolt on" Steel laminate front/side plates with foam energy inserts
- Specially hardened dual link tracks
- The aforementioned MGM-59 Lance Surface-to-Surface dual-thrust Liquid Propellant missiles with DME (Distance Measuring Equipment) Data Link/Flight Stabilizing Rings
- Security view/Fire battle ports on the sides
- Fold-Away rear entry/exit personnel doors
And it's powered by a BOZ-29 800HP Twin turbo Diesel engine supporting an amphibious water jet propulsion system. The GI Joe Warthog AIFV has a maximum land speed of 55mph (88 Kph).
The GI Joe Warthog AIFV seats four Joes in the back with storage space for two back-packs, plus one Missile-mount/Digital Ballistics Computer and Rangefinder operator, one gunner and one driver. The driver/operator of three is similar to the real life AAV, but the AAV seats twenty-one, the Warthog AIFV fits only four.
What's to like about the GI Joe Warthog Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV)?FIRST: The fact that the GI Joe Warthog AIFV is very similar in appearance to the AAV. Yeah the missiles on top are a bit much and it's truncated but that's probably a production issue.
Because of the design we're really fond of the operating side of the GI Joe Warthog AIFV. The hatches are rimmed with viewports and you can open them to place the figures inside. As mentioned: One driver; One gunner, and; One weapons-operator. For this review we chose to use what few GI Joe Slaughter's Marauders (A GI Joe Subteam under the command of Sgt Slaughter who specialized in fast attack, ground assault) we had. We're not sure why Sgt Slaughter felt the need for a fireman in the team - something about his ability to keep the Joes "cool" both literally and figuratively.
SECOND: The main weapon system. At least, unlike some GI Joe weapon systems, here we have a pair of surface-to-surface missiles that if fired, would not fry the people who fired them (Let's assume they can close the viewports). The missiles are dual stage missiles. Once fired, they are guided by the GI Joe Warthog AIFV's built in Missile-mount/Digital Ballistics Computer and Rangefinder which guides the DME (Distance Measuring Equipment) Data Link/Flight Stabilizing Rings. Once the MGM-59 Lance Surface-to-Surface dual-thrust Liquid Propellant missiles reach their targets, the DMEs detach:
The GI Joe Warthog AIFV's missile launchers can rotate:
THIRD: The detailing. The GI Joe Warthog AIFV's detailing is excellent! We love the radio antenna and how it's bent; the tool-kits on the back; the firing ports on the sides, and; the engine.
FOURTH: Deploying troops! Of course here we had everyone get out. The three operators need not step out, but we did not think that an of the Joes would stay with the Warthog:
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| AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! WHO FARTED!!!!!! |
Unfortunately that's all the Sgt Slaughter Marauders that we have.
Here's Sgt Slaughter by the way. His blister card reads "Sgt. Slaughter's the only GI Joe drill instructor with full authorization to drive the new amphibious assault machine, the Warthog A.I.F.V. Though all GI Joe personnel are capable of driving the vehicle, only the Sarge knows how to beat on it to get the most out of it. That's why he's the head D.I. 'cause he knows exactly how to break-in something new! 
Sgt Slaughter thinks it's his personal mission to kick the butt of every boot in Pendleton. This guy can drill his trainees into the ground for 72 hour straight before he breaks a sweat. His favorite pastime is marching over the boys' backs while they do finger pushups in the mud, and spewing out brutal verbalities. Whenever he gets behind the wheel of the Warthog he's like a raging bull in a china shop, tearing up everything in his path. He runs it through the gauntlet, hammering at it and crushing it into the ground as if it were another 'wet-behind-the ears' recruit. He's gotta be that way, 'cause one is going to cut you a break on the battlefield. If it's not as tough as he is, he doesn't want it."
What's NOT to like about the GI Joe Warthog Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV)?FIRST: The crew compartment - and not just because it's truncated, but because the seats are facing backwards. Of course we have to realize that this was developed at a time when no one thought of seating soldiers back-to-back, but back-to-back seating seems to be a better option should you be deploying from the sides, and if you expect your soldiers to fire from the side ports:
The GI Joe Warthog AIFV is not available on Amazon. A complete but loose GI Joe Warthog AIFV will set you back around US$ 62 (Roughly PhP 2,914, plus shipping) on Ebay.
It really is ugly :)
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