Tunnel Rat (1990)
The Sonic Fighters repaints are an interesting lot. Straddling the years of 1990 and 1991, they seem to be of two worlds. Based on older molds, the figures bring back memories of what came before. Equipped with enormous noise-making backpacks and a few strange color choices, they serve as a kind of herald of what was to come. Gimmicks, sub-teams and bold colors were about to explode on the scene. Tunnel Rat isn’t a garish figure, and within his accessory complement are some sensible black weapons including his original machine gun. His sound featured backpack is huge, but its theme of an ammo pack is interesting.
I suppose one could use this as a desert version of the character (though the shirt is questionable), and having another mold of him without face and arm camo streaks is nice. I think that color-wise the Sonic Fighters Tunnel Rat, Law and Dodger figures make a pretty cohesive looking unit when placed together. If the original o-ring Tunnel Rat is your thing, it’s worth checking out his 2000s releases, although I still question his choice of choco-chip desert camo slacks.
When I was buying up Sonic and Super Sonic Fighters as a kid, I never got Tunnel Rat or Law. I can’t remember why, but maybe I just couldn’t find them at the store. Maybe they could’ve went with a better choice for shirt color, but this does look like a nice figure.
This is a nice looking Tunnel Rat, all things considered. I do enjoy a good repaint of a solid soldier.
Such a solid figure and cool character. I have not had this version or the first night force version.
When it came to me picking from the other repaints of the mold that I did have, the original 1987 was simply hard to beat in my view.
Between the 1987, Night Force 1, and this Sonic Fighters paint jobs, I can only judge off pictures, but each one has certain details that I like a lot more.
The Sonic Fighter here is interesting because I see more flexible uses for these colors used. It could be in the desert, it could still work in the jungle or woodland, but it’s almost plain enough where Tunnel Rat could be a vehicle driver in this form. Or in the headquarters, or on special mission assignment such as some kind of spook-ops deal.
Doesn’t this Tunnelrat have a different rank to the others? Didn’t Larry Hamma demote him to private for some reason?
Nice figure!
You got me thinking about a desert Tunnel Rat LBC: this lower half & head, and the v1 torso & arms. The ’04 Desert Patrol version isn’t terrible, but the camo is a little busy & he’s very tan.
This figure would be a good match for the 1993 International Action Team mail away set.
Had I seen this guy, I would have bought him for the gun alone as I trashed at least 2 vintage TR rifles and I really missed that weapon.
As figures, the sonic fighters are pretty strong. Dial Tone is almost Night Force. Law is a great MP that’s a diversion from the more civilian police look of the ’87. Falcon is probably the best use of the mold. There’s just a lot to like. The abundance of weapons are nice, too.
”1987 version from ”G.I.Joe The Movie”/Sonic Fighter ,You can’t go wrong with either version of Tunnel Rat”.
The downside to the Sonic Fighters was they were twice the price of a normal figure, and they were repaints with recolored weapons, too. Buy two all-new figures or one of these guys? They weren’t bad repaints, though. Viper’s gold was a bit much, but the real beef there is that gold paint rubs off easily.