The Conquest was always a sore spot for me as a kid. I got one for Christmas the same year I got my Terror Drome (what a great Christmas THAT was!) but by New Years, I had lost most of the parts. The two front wings, one of the rear stabilizers, most missiles...they just vanished. Since then, I've just never wanted to drop the cash for a new '86 Conquest. It's a VERY cool plane, I just always had vehicles I wanted more.

Then in 1998, I got my wish...a NEW Conquest! A BETTER Conquest! This one done in all camouflage, and the parts just seemed to fit better than they did back in '86. The Ace figure wasn't great, but I loved the plane and all was good.

Then I saw the pictures from Norfolk at last year's G.I. Joe Convention. WOW. Another new Conquest! This one in gray camouflage...I mind was made up then, I'd never need an 86 Conquest again!

I've always been a figure completist...I needed to have every different figure that Hasbro offered. There were no ifs ands or buts. Even when I was a kid I had to have them all. The vehicles never had that draw. They still don't. I'm not sure why, since there are many, many cool vehicles out there, but at any rate, I just didn't have the need to own every one, especially ones that had different versions. And so, with the purchase of the Toys R Us Exclusive Conquest, I will never have that nagging feeling...

And what a great purchase it was! This plane ROCKS. Hasbro has taken a well known Joe aircraft and made some really, REALLY bold color choices, but still has an excellent aircraft and something I'm proud to have in my G.I. Joe Air Force. It has a gray base like the original version, but it now has some terrific, swirling camouflage patterns of several different colors, from dark green to white to TEAL BLUE of all colors. Yet they all mesh together perfectly and match excellently. The plane has a very unrealistic paint job, yet maintains that feel of realism all the way through. It seems to be the anti-thesis of what Hasbro did with the Rattler...it's a bold new paint job that WORKS. Even the addition of the sound attack doesn't seem too bad. It's tucked under a wing like it is on the Rattler, and uses up one of the fuel tank spaces. Still both the gun and the battery compartment are stored well and not easy to spot. Even if you do spot them, they fit right in and really do not look out of place.

While I will eagerly join the Hasbro-bashers when it comes to Sound Attack, I think these larger vehicles incorporate it fairly well. The Snow Cat, Rattler and Conquest all have spots out of the way for it, and all work with or without it...and it is easily removed if you so desire.

So that much is known...the plane rocks. But what about the figure? Heh heh...this figure is amazing.

For some reason, I really am not sure why, I have recently been more enamored of the new sculpt figures than the classic figures. That's not to say I don't still love my old school Joes...I do. But this new stuff is well...new. It's different. It's GREAT. As such, I haven't had much inspiration from the repaints and re-releases of the classics. As display figures, they seem great, but they just don't mesh...this figure works on all levels. He has the body style of the 90's Ace, which has been used quite a bit, but never in this paint scheme. Even with the white and green, this figure just looks...real. It looks like it should. The paint apps are all in the right place, and there are TONS of paint apps on this figure. The paint and the mold mixes effortlessly, and the new sculpt head is PERFECT. When you look at the Cobra counterpart, Wild Weasel, it is obvious that this new Slipstream is just a terrific figure! Something that Hasbro should really be proud of. He mixes perfectly with the classic stuff, but also meshes with the new as well, and will, without a doubt, be my definitive Slipstream from now on. The original was cool...heck, the original was GREAT, but that odd head didn't really work...this one works on all levels.

Hasbro really hit a home run with this vehicle as well as the recent Snow Cat...I only wish they'd take a hint from these and attribute some of these skills to the new sculpt vehicles...I'd love to see what could be done. If you see this one, buy it. It's a great addition to any G.I. Joe Air Force.