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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
Wow. This GI Joe reconnaissance sled is 30 years old - a genuine tribute to the durability of plastic.
These were supposedly built as vehicles that would literally crawl through high-grass or jungle terrain in order to spy on Cobra. Our problem with that is that if you read the blueprints for the LCV Recon sled, you won't find anything that would silence the engine.
The GI Joe Team used the LCVs in the Rise of Serpentor cartoon series as a light-assault scout, both in the battle of Napoleon's tomb in France and again in Egypt in the battle of Xanoth Amon Toth's tomb.
In both battles they were treated like armored motorcycles.
MORE AFTER THE JUMP
The GI Joe LCV's blister pack reads: "The G.I. Joe Mobile Strike Force Recon Sled Advance deep into Cobra territory in this superior armored Low Crawl Vehicle! It's part of the new modern army G.I. Joe collection of vehicles, weapons, figure and accessories. Use it to help G.I. Joe defend democracy and battle his evil enemy - Cobra!"We should note that the LCV was released in the same era as the militarily improbable HAVOC.
The GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled comes armed with:
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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
- Side-mounted auto load 9MM cannon
- 165/70 HR-18 "Digger" off-road rear tire
- Epoxy sleeved aluminum alloy 96 HP Engine - 4HP lower than the average 600 race bike (Remember this was the 80s).
- Vari-select knee/leg support platform
- Ergo-nomically designed bio-fit saddle
- Self sealing fuel tank
- Forward-looking thermal image display - so the driver can see in the dark
- "Deflector" bullet-proof windscreen
- Adjustable "Flex" Titanium Alloy chassis
- Ultra-Sensitive Target Acquisition scanner
- Sealed bearing traction rollers
- Vari-select nitrogen compression absorbers.
During the 80s people really believed in the idea that there were things that were "bullet-proof."
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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
FIRST: It's actually a pretty cool concept for a motorcycle. We can see the fascination with really getting down low and hugging the ground while going at high speeds. You can tell that it's a biker's dream just by looking at the engine.
Proof of concept came 22 years after the LCV was released: Batman (Bale) drove a similar vehicle in the the Dark Knight - the Batpod. We can certainly see the GI Joe LCV as a safer form of motorcycle if only the engine wasn't exposed and the driver had some form of attachment to the LCV - or body armor.
SECOND: We like the idea that the LCV can drive straight up to a COBRA opponent guns blazing thanks to the fact that it doesn't have tires to blow up up front and has a bullet resistant (Not proof) canopy.
Now in the event that the LCV has to bugger off, it's largest gun is actually facing it's rear and can even elevate to discourage aerial pursuers - to a certain degree.
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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
Therefore the LCV is only truly vulnerable from the side - which should be resolved by it's speed.
THIRD: At the end of the day, the driver of a GI Joe Low Crawl vehicle can just sit in his bike looking pretty. There is room on the LCV to strap on saddlebags and other gear, but there really wasn't any room for heavy arms like Tunnel Rat's 7.62mm Machine gun.
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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
FIRST: Even with that 9mm autocannon, the GI Joe Low Crawl vehicle is very exposed from behind. Chances are the vehicle would end up exploding of failing due to hits to the engine block sitting back there.
The rest of the Low Crawl Vehicle is bullet-resistant, the engine should be as well - though heat becomes the issue we suppose, but there are ways around that. If this was for real, the Joes would probably be wrapping the engine with their back-packs to protect it.
SECOND: The US Military still uses motorcycles in their operations, but they allow for two people to ride at the same time so that the second rider can act as a shooter while the 2nd person drives. The GI Joe Low Crawl vehicle does not allow for a second pilot - neither does the Batpod :)
This particular GI Joe Low Crawl vehicle has been in the Dungeon for a while. Since it's 30 years of age, it is definitely not available on Amazon. You'll have to find one on the black-market where the price fluctuates.
It's pretty cool!
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| GI Joe Low Crawl Vehicle - LCV - Recon Sled |
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