Altitude (1990)
Rounding out the wonderful Sky Patrol sub-group is Altitude, the team’s recon scout. There are other GI Joes with a focus on recon, but Altitude must be the most unique. Possessing a photographic memory and excellent artistic abilities, he combines the two to create detailed drawings of his reconnaissance targets.
Like other Sky Patrol members, Altitude possesses a very unique weapon. A combination pistol and missile launcher, it wouldn’t make another appearance after this. The same goes for the helmet, which is similar to the others with a solid colored visor. Altitude’s card art is also somewhat unique, depicting other characters, presumably other Sly Patrol teammates, in the background.
Though repaints can become tiresome, the Sky Patrol set makes some of the best reuse of old parts. The repainted driver bodies, with additional new heads, helmets and weapons added up to my favorite GI Joe sub-team.
He is also the third Native American character they added to the Joes, even if below the neck he’s all Slip-Stream.
I’m currently trying to get a figure of one member whose backpack and helmet I already have–Airwave.
Is he any relation to Major Altitude?
Nah, he was released a year after Altitude. Hasbro has a tendency to use the same codenames for different characters. Best examples:
-Airborne (used for both Franklin Talltree from 1983 and Robert Six from 1990, a fellow member of Sky Patrol)
-Long Range (Karl Fritz from 1989 and Alejandro Garcia from 2005)
-Rampage (“Sherman Guderian” from 1989 and Walter McDaniel from 2003)
What a great looking figure. I’m convinced Sky Patrol will be in the 2014 or 2015 Con sets.
The Joes dont seem to suffer the same name problems as
Transformers. In Transformers, the name ‘Jetstorm’ gets thrown around like Hasbro needs to meet a quata with it. And i used to think Major Altitude was a promoted version of this guy [until i read the file cards]
@Dan. Oh please, enough with the freaking exclusives. I straight out am not dropping 400 bucks for that Night Force set. I’m getting new tires for my Jeep. That’s a better way to spend my money, sorry. I’m not spending that kinda coin for about 8 dollars worth of plastic. lol
Easily one of the coolest figures in the set.
Sky Patrol will always be my favorite sub-team. Altitude is SP’s resident Leonardo (the Renaissance Master, not the Turtle) due to his artistic talent and photographic memory. The best DIC episodes are few and far in between but Sky Patrol are sure to be in them.
How I love SKY PATROL!? A great sub team!
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