G.i. Joe Classified # 171 A.W.E. Striker with Crankcase
I have no idea why there’s a huge cut out here in the “foot locker”
Crankcase
Elwood G. Indiana is constantly irritated all the time, especially when he’s not on the move. A Joe with a constant need for speed, Crankcase loves the thrill of racing fast while dodging incoming enemy fire. This makes Crankcase the perfect driver for the fast and highly maneuverable G.i. Joe AWE Striker vehicle.
I really like the headsculpt on this guy. I think I would’ve preferred this headsculpt for Footloose.
Crankcase comes with a sidearm that can be holstered on his right thigh, as well as a knife that can be sheathed on his left lower leg.
Getting the strap to lock down with the gun holstered can be a bit tricky.
There’s also a pair of binoculars included for Crankcase.
I love this “Yo Joe” mug. Kudos to whoever thought of this accessory!
The set comes with a lot of optional head pieces for Crankcase, starting with this ATV helmet.
“Off Road” visored hat and neckerchief.
There’s also an alternate “mask up” neckerchief included, plus goggles too! Pretty cool!
A.W.E. (All Weather / Environment) Striker
The G.i. Joe team’s all-terrain combat and transport strike vehicle. While severely lacking in terms of defensive armor, the AWE Striker’s speed and agility make for quick assaults and getaways before Cobra has a chance to mount any last-second countermeasures.
Optional stickers included.
I really wish they included a “clean” sticker for the hood though. The scratched-up look seems so out of place, when nothing else is weathered on the vehicle.
I love the details on this thing! The clear parts of the brake lights really shine through.
Working hook and tow line.
QUARTZ-HALOGEN HEADLAMPS
The vehicle features actual working suspension.
Twin lateral platforms, which can hold a tool box and fuel can, as well as foot-mounting pegs to carry more Joes.
Lol! Too bad there are no tools included with the tool kit. I guess Crankcase is in trouble..
Foot pegs for Joes.
Pivoting front axels.
The sculpting for the bottom of the vehicle leaves much to be desired though.
Front seats and dashboard details.
Like the other vehicles in this amazing line, even the gear shifter works!
For armament the A.W.E. Striker now comes with a .50 cal machinegun mounted up top, along with twin missile launchers. The classic vehicle had a 10-ROUND 70mm AUTOMATIC LAUNCHER mounted up top.
This new design also features a hood-mounted machine gun.
There’s a new gunner’s seat for the .50 cal. Personally, I think that’s one of the things that actually turns me off a bit for this set. I guess I’m more partial to the classic design for the A.W.E. Striker.
Thankfully, the gunner’s seat and roll cage are completely optional, so you can remove it if you’re not one for it. This makes the AWE Striker look more similar to the classic design.
With Crankcase
It’s a shame they didn’t include a proper rifle for Crankcase. You can opt to use the machine gun that’s supposed to attach to the hood, but it looks odd with the pegs sticking out underneath when not mounted on the hood.
Overall, a pretty good piece. I love all the options we get for Crankcase, as well as all the details for the A.W.E. Striker.
But it’s not quite perfect. I would’ve loved the star on the vehicle’s hood not be all scratched up. Then there’s the three-seater design that doesn’t really improve the look of the vehicle for me; it’s a nice bonus, but I feel like it distracts more than actually “jazz up” the overall look of the toy.
I also would’ve loved the classic cannon as opposed to the .50 cal machine gun they included for the vehicle’s roof. The overall aesthetic just looks off without it. But, knowing Hasbro, they’ll probably release the classic vehicle’s cannon in a redeco or something down the road.
I guess I’m more of a purist who would’ve preferred the classic look for this iconic Joe vehicle be done in 6-inch scale with minimal changes. Still, nitpicking aside, it’s a pretty good vehicle to add to the ever-growing Classified series vehicles.
Hasbro’s oddball internal codename for pre-orders for this set is “Goliath Veh”.
Gold
