Falcon Glider (D&J Toys)
As a kid, I had a problem with the old Falcon glider. Mine didn’t really fly all that well, and was fragile as all get out. I think I threw it only three or four times before a rudder broke off. As an adult collector, I would love to have a vintage Falcon glider, mainly for nostalgia’s sake. It wouldn’t display too well, however, due to its size. I guess it could look cool hanging from the ceiling, but beyond that, the wingspan is just too great to display on a shelf alongside other 1983 vehicles.
D&J Toys has stepped in with a custom that answers two of those issues. No, it doesn’t fly, so don’t take it outside and try to throw it across the yard. But it is a great figure-scaled display piece, sturdily constructed and authentically detailed according to the original Falcon Glider blueprints. Being made of plastic rather than foam, there’s a crispness to the paint applications that is amazingly clear. Scaling down the glider closer to the size seen in the Sunbow cartoon and comic books also helps to make the graphics pop. The green is a shade different than the original toy, but I like this color as well. Again, the striped Joe logo along with the camo make for a striking display piece.
A figure attaches to the underside via a peg, which is sized to the modern backpack holes. It wouldn’t be difficult however to adapt it to fit vintage figures as well. The basically flat machine guns of the original have been fully molded this time out, and add an extra depth that wasn’t there before. I don’t know if many folks even remember the machine guns on the front of the ’83 glider, but kudos to D&J Toys for adding a little more dimensionality and picking out this little detail.
The Falcon glider, and both makes of the Cobra Viper glider (prototype and release versions), come highly recommended. They’re well-made and attractive customs made with care by fans, for fans. Check out more shots of both gliders here, and take a look at the other custom gliders based on Night Force, the Red Shadows and even the Adventure Team. Several other variants are also in the works. I look forward to seeing what’s in store.
Amazing stuff. Real attention to detail! Polar battle & skystriker gliders are coming!
I received my set of gliders a couple of weeks ago and really love them. I can’t decide if I want to display them with my vintage or modern Joes.
All I remember about my Falcon Glider was how easily it broke. I don’t believe it lasted long in my collection but I can’t recall where it ended up. Did I give it away to a friend along with most of my Joes? Was it doomed to the dumpster? I’d even clean forgotten about the machine guns.
This new version seems to be a true labor of love. I’ve been hoping for 3rd party companies to start focusing on G.I. Joe since they’ve basically created a whole new industry with the Transformers. We have repro tech specs, so why not repro file cards? These gliders are a step in the right direction and hopefully will help expand the adult collector market.
I remeber the day in 1993 when my Dad came home from the boot factory with a Falcon glider for my brother sister and i. I think Dad got them from one of his work mates who’s kids had grown out of them.
Any they had suvived ten years in a basement only to be destroyed in my backyard by a slight gust of wind
It doesn’t fly? We’ll see about that.
I wonder how they can legally make these, but it’s great they are doing them.
Great work!