I remember actually really loving Skystriker as a kid, mostly because he was actually a new character, unlike the bulk of the Tiger Force crew. Back in the day I was a completist, and I already had all those characters, so felt no drive nor desire to buy them all over again, not to mention I was very attached to how my characters appeared in media, and Tiger Force didn’t appear anywhere, so these new looks were somewhat meaningless.
However, among all that, a new character emerged…a jet pilot who was completely unique to Tiger Force in general. So I did have some attachment to him as a kid.
This new Skystriker hits some of those same buttons. Like the original, this version of the Tiger Force pilot reuses many parts from Wild Weasel (though some originally belonged to Snow Job) including the torso and upper legs, with the maps on the thighs immaculately reproduced.
However, the arms are now Data Viper arms, as well as the legs, and I think the figure is far better for it. The somewhat bulkier, more flexible limbs help bring what could have been a dated figure to the modern age.
But all is not perfect with Skystriker. His head could certainly use some work, but that may have been beyond the Club’s control. In talking with Dave Lane, he mentioned testing out a few alternate heads for Skystriker, but at the end of the day, the helmeted Slipstream/Ace head was a known commodity and one they felt comfortable running with. I can understand that, and swapping a head isn’t a really major issue on our end.
The colors are great here, following the color scheme and design elements of the vintage version as well as the rest of the Convention set. Tagging Skystriker as the Tiger Hawk pilot is a neat idea, and he’s presented pretty well here.
Accessories
Skystriker doesn’t come with much, just a machine gun and pistol, but really, he doesn’t have to. Ultimately he’s a pilot and his real accessory is the Tiger Hawk, so no complaints from me there.
Skystriker is a nice addition to the Tiger Force clan, and I’m glad the Club got him worked into this Convention assortment. He has a clear purpose, a decent build, and a nice color scheme. I would have preferred a new head, but that’s something I can take care of myself fairly easily.
Skystriker
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Character
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Sculpt
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Articulation
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Paint Deco
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Accessories
Summary
The minute folks caught on to the fact that the Club was doing a Tiger Force themed Eaglehawk, I think most considered Skystriker to be a shoe-in. I’m glad they were right. Skystriker was a favorite of mine back in the 80s, mostly because he was actually a new character, unlike the majority of the Tiger Force operatives back then. Like the 80s, the Club borrows from Wild Weasel (who borrowed from Snow Job, etc…) but also added some newer arms and lower legs to bring him a bit more into the modern age. I approve. A good figure all around, even if I wish they’d found a way to do a better head/helmet combination.
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