Back when they made toys big enough that you needed an extra room in the house to store them. As an 80s child, GI Joe wasn't the only brand doing this 😂
I had that play set when I was younger. I remember countless hours playing with it. To this day no other play set can match it. My only regret is not having it today. I'm 51 years old and if I still had it, I would still play with it
It’s possible to get it again... and I’m stoked you’d still play like 1987. We are always in favour with that! But the memories you have of this thing must be priceless. It boggles my mind the games my friends and I would have had if I’d had this thing in my childhood room!
You won't ever see anyone do anything like this ever again. If Hasbro did anything close to it, it would only be a Hasbro Pulse Exclusive and they would charge an arm and a leg for it.
The one thing I never saw in person as a kid or anytime until recently. I bought a Shuttle to restore, same with you, thinking that would be as far as it goes. Then I found a good deal on a Booster, so I bought that. Then I found a good deal on some crawler parts and bought those. And yesterday I found an incredible deal for the gantry with both blue doors and having only one small crack at one of the gun locations. The gantry assemble has all the inner parts. $350. So I am well on my way to owning and restoring a complete Defiant. So cool.
Do you remember the questionnaire that came with it. It had specific questions about GI joe and certain answers fit a certain way. It was awesome for sure.
All I want is a G.I. Joe Defiant Shuttle Complex with Hardtop and Payload all brought to life in a proper live action G.I. Joe TV series set in the 80s since Terror Drome debut as a playset in 1987. This is the 80s nostalgic thing we see.
5:20 the delayed reaction to the shuttle almost toppling backward and then the casual "well ok, all good." I love the channel, your fun attitudes, the great/clever writing and your enthusiasm. Your accents also help give a sense of respectability to anything you say. The David Attenborough effect (it sounds british enough) :)
Haha! Never thought of the South African accent as authoritative. But I guess we don't have the "typical" SA accent anyway. Glad you liked my mime performance!
The was the Holy Grail toy for me. Never got one so I really appreciate your review. WOW! If Hasbro ever re-released this thing I would be on board even if they sold it piece by piece. I agree, it was so sad that Hasbro did not do more in space. Such as missed opportunity. Thanks for the video. Subscribed!
Thank you, for that wonderful review! I had that beautiful Beast of a playset / vehicles. It took me a solid day to put it all together. Roughly 12 hours to put the plastic together and another 12 hours to put the decals on. I absolutely enjoyed putting this together. It was the biggest GI Joe toy I ever owned.
The content and commentary on this video makes this the best Defiant toy review out of all the other Defiant toy reviews on TH-cam. There was not one single dull moment in this video and I watched all 23 minutes of it while glued to my seat! Thanks for producing this. (I'm currently restoring my Defiant as I write this.)
I begged and pleaded for that when I was kid...maybe now if the Mrs says yes though =/ Great review, and I believe this is the most epic of the Joe's play-sets. I could imagine dozens and dozens of play time scenarios. Hope you guys work it into a story video! Thanks guys! YO! JOE-BURG!!!!
Thanks so much! We wanted to shoot it in the same way we would play with it, in the dark, with only a few sources of light. But not to worry, it still maintains some amateur charm (bad focus, furniture in the shot). Har har har.
Very nice and detailed review. And seeing a Defiant in such pristine conditions isn't obvious at all. Congrats. We're trying to complete ours: we're still missing a couple of pieces but we didn't expect to add this playset to our collection.
The Defiant Shuttle Complex was so insanely expensive to produce and to purchase back then, but it was just a highly detailed, wildly fun play-set to have! Unfortunately, due to cost, I never had one as a kid, but I bought a sealed one about 15 years ago for my kids and we have it to this day. Thanks for the review - your vids are epic!
Oh wow! I take it you unsealed it with your kids? What an ultimate gift. I think not having it for your own childhood was made worth it by being able to experience opening one side by side with your own kin! Great story.
Wow! I remember that toy but never realized it was that cool. It's a lot better than I thought it was. Fantastic review and unique way of showing inside and all the details.
awesome i totally 4 got about this piece!! My younger brother had it and the Cobra Comanding center??? Our mother always made sure we had the best and gnarly toys on the block!!! Our mother always loved toys and my sister always collected her dolls that today their vintage!!! I'm totally upset that all the toys that I had and recieved thru out my young life are gone!! And i had completed sets too!!! I also had the Lone Ranger Collection!! One of the best cowboy toys on the market at that time also based on the T.V. show!! Sweet ,💯👌🏼😍I ALSO HAD THE 12 INCHES STAR WARS FIGURES?? I WAS IN LOVE WITH THAT SET FROM KENNER OR HASBRO?? IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME I HAVE NOT SEEN OR READ, FOLLOWED THESE TOY COMPANIES IN A LONG TIME!!!!
Well the good news Pablo is that a lot of this stuff has survived (and commands crazy prices too). But if you are in the market to buy back some of the cool stuff from your youth, every once in every while, good deals crop up. I’d say we got this Defiant for a VERY good deal and a friendly rate. So good luck my man! And thanks for the awesome comment!
Amazing video my man love the defiant I probably won't get one probably just a gi joe crusader though because I love the repainted night Raven drone definitely gonna recreate this in my action figure line I'm making soon but anyways great video hope you and your family are doing great and I'm gonna try to recreate the defiant to the best of my ability.
Ahhh... I wish I can own one some day soon.I always enjoy watching your reviews! also, you did a bang up job in restoring the damage parts from the Crawler.. I can't see any signs it was damage, sweet! And nice new hairdo BTW, Stephen!
The why is: I’m terrified of moving it about on its plastic wheels! And I need to be able to move it a fair bit. The how is: a rectangular board that fits in the under-cavity well enough. A bit of foam to pad it out a bit. But I’ve seen far better fitting boards online.
Another excellent review. The best on YT. Reviewers are barely as excited as you guys are and I appreciate that. The thing I want to say the most, is this might be the FIRST Joe vehicle that isn't just made for good looks. Have you ever noticed most vehicles the figures rode ON TOP of so many and not inside? The APC (still on my list of ones to get) you can pile in the joes. Same thing with cobra vehicles. Even as a kid that frustrated me. If I have a large SUV humvee style, I don't want just a driver and passenger with a Cannon on top, I want like 6 joes to go in it. So when I saw the bridge I was astonished!! All the seating! And the seating in the back was just too Cool!!
Couldn’t agree more. Spacious cabin areas were real food for our childhood imaginations. So much better than a small hollow to hide a single figure. Internal spaces were such a strong selling point.
I've always wondered how much detail it had. I've never seen its inside detail like this. I had the Mobile Command Centre, but this was REALLY thought out. Maximum possible playability! I love that they even put foot pegs on the " ceiling". Thanks so much for posting guys! 🤘😁🖖🇨🇦
I know this comment is years after you released this, but my god. What a presentation! I never knew this existed. I just thought it was just the shuttle. Wow. Impressive and great presentation. Thank you very much for sharing. Now I need to explore your channel
I was excited for you guys when I seen the unboxing and if anyone deserves to have a Defiant it's GIjoburg!! Thanks Steve for letting me know about the podcast i've been listening to so many episodes you guys are awesome Gi joe brothers!
All i can say, it's a fantastic toy!! Good job guys for this video upload and i salute for the hasbro toy designers who conceptualize and build it for kids.
By that you mean the fragility? Whoo boy! I think I heard somewhere that the prototypes were tougher. But that meant more plastic and tougher materials and moldings which in turn made it heavier and pricier. Imagine a pricier grail item?! Oh man, if only we could have a 1980's economy again...
It's probably been said, but the Millennium Falcon can dock with its topside hatch as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. At the end of ESB it is docked with the Redemption.
I got this when I was around 12 and it was my most beloved Christmas presents of all time. I do disagree with this being the most detailed and amazing sets. I would give that honor to the aircraft carrier. One of the few gi Joe sets my parents just wouldn't budge on. Too much space taken up lol
I still have my V.2 repaint of payload from the Crusader shuttle from my childhood. Only had to replace the "T" hook on it recently but the O Ring is still good after 30 years. And the figure still has over 90% of the paint on it.
Awesome review! Thinking of starting a Defiant Project... getting it piece by piece and slowly over time! Quick question concerning the springs! I understand you have removed them completely?
The springs had been removed by the seller; but included for the sake of completeness. I think the attachment points would need repairs as they had snapped. A new “eye” would have to either be drilled or created. Good luck with yours!
This is an awesome video of an awesome playset! Can you imagine if our eighties selves had both the Defiant and USS Flagg at the same time?! That would be non-stop play time on so many levels.
My folk’s place was where the kids on my street would congregate because I had the best collection... but with those playsets in the mix I’m sure all the kids in the neighborhood would want in. Man, the mind boggles with all the possibilities for adventure those two sets present. But we did okay with the motley crew we had assembled! Furniture made perfectly good suggested spaceships.
While I was never a fan of the GI Joe in space concept, this does seem like an absolutely incredible toy, and thanks for the very comprehensive video. Just curious, was the ARAH line very popular in South Africa when you guys were kids? And where do you source stuff for your collections? The line was very popular here in Australia when I was a kid, but sourcing pieces locally isn't overly productive. Still have to rely mostly on getting things shipped from the US, unfortunately.
Thanks for the comment! I agree that space wasn’t easily incorporated into the GI Joe mythology for me BUT as a Star Wars/Trek fan growing up, GI Joe figures were essential in playing out those types of storylines with figures that could actually be posed properly. Any Joe or Cobra with a helmet was recast as an alien or hero or villain starfighter pilot. Joe toys were very popular when I was growing up in SA. Every kid had at least a few. But having spent a good deal of time in Aus I can safely say you guys had a whole lot more here! Everything is relative I guess. But it’s all a drop in the bucket compared to the big ol USA. It’s unavoidable if you’re looking for something specific. You’re guaranteed to always find it there.
While the specimen featured in this vid is from The Netherlands, I do believe they were sold in the US. I'm sure not all toystores could carry such a monster tho. Just the really big boys like TRU and Sears.
I also have been whatching other people reviewing the gijoe line but I think you make the videos look interesting not boring thanks again a big yo Joe to you guys from me in the UK 👍👍👍👍👍👍😁😁
Yeah, we tried to carve a style that was unique to Joburg. Glad you appreciate it man! Now we just need to work on getting up to our contemporaries' release schedules!
WHAAAAT? Now I know about reuse molding from other Joe vehicles but the Falcon is new to me! Maybe Joe was trying to make her "the fastest ship in the galaxy"!
These toys were so cool and such high quality. GI JOe was so rad. I wish they would re make all of the toys again and maybe make a new cartoon series that is more series like Exo Squad was where people can die and talk about civil unrest with the rise of Cobra. Coud you imagine if ninja vipers and storm shadow and snake eyes came up on the Defiant to space? SPACE NINJAS!!
Aw man, that is wild. I really ought to track down some Exo Squad. I’m not familiar with it but Toy Galaxy’s feature on it certainly piqued my interest.
I was the only kid I knew who even knew Exosquad existed. I was homeschooled so I did not have to go to school on the bus and I could watch TV in the morning. That show was intense and more adult than small kids could understand. I was a teenager so it was cool. Very serious and people died. Lots of amazing battles. If a new GI Joe cartoon could be like that where people can die, serious terrorists doing really brutal things, amazing big battles wit lasers like the old cartoons on the land see and air and battle tactics. ALso ninja espionage has to be there and Dreadnoks and bikers and just tons of civil unrest. They could go about the ride of Cobra being from militant extremists protesting and recruiting in schools and through media and then changing the dynamic over time to get rid of the weak protesters to an established seirous Army much like how Stalin killed off many bolshevics. Cobra Commander was inspired by Stalin and other dictators a I remember him quoting Stalin on the cartoon before and shouting about a new social order. Like who funds Cobra, how do they acquire property with bases and weapons. The Crimson Guard would be extreme fanatics and ideologues who really love and believe in Cobra Commander's mission for the world. The Officers and Troopers would also believe but not be as intense much like the SS and regular German soldiers. Cobra could be a combination of far left militants and islamic extremists mixing together.
21:23 SPACE FORCE!!! Also, I think its really funny that the number designation for the space station is "8008", i'd love to know the story behind that one. =)
love your vids! I myself have this set and would like to know if you, during your exploration of this set, noticed there is a rat sculpted into the cockpit of the shuttle? I can't for the life of me understand why Hasbro did that, it is so weird? Does Payload have a pet rat that runs freely around the shuttle? It is to my knowledge never mentioned anywhere what the purpose of this is, maybe it is just an Easter Egg, but what a strange one. Also on the gantry/crawler there is more than the back of the S.N.A.K.E. There's also a Mauler engine, a Snow Cat engine cover and Tripwire's 3 mines sculpted into the plastic. Truly an awesome and awe inspiring set!
I've been aware of the rat for some time but never located it with my own eyes just yet. The sculptors had a sense of humour! Thanks for watching and commenting bro!
Fun facts: Everyone on the Joe line worked on this, even Kirk Bozigan did one of the bays, 4 I think. The wheels and cranking system had a more robust design but they were priced down. And just the tooling alone cost $2 million that's ' 86 Fantastic review guys. Heck even learn about the extra EVA attachment point on the booster
Awesome factoids there Dave, thanks. The more I learn about this playset, the more in awe I am that it exists at all. What a treasure trove. It goes unmentioned in the review but we put together a "skateboard" to move it about without putting weight on the wheels. It's like the Flagg all over again, only this time the playset has wheels "for show"! $2 mil. Outrageous. Only G.I. Joe at the height of it's popularity could attract such investment I'm sure. Wow.
I spent hours playing with the defiant launch system as a kid I had to choose between the carrier flag or shuttle for Christmas My neighbor got the flag and we had many happy days
@GI Joburg it's sad how children's toys have gone down so low in quality it's a direct correlation to the dollar losing purchasing power. Hopefully we once again have quality toys for children
GI Joburg I have a Defiant on lay away at a local comic shop. And yours is the only review that shows the gantry so close and detailed. I’m watching your review on the Flagg now. Keep them coming
the GI Joe space space toys in the 90s wood go very well very well with the defiant and the giant GI Joe robot versus cobras Spaceteam and bats I agree with you guys should have kept that around this really cool looking toy
GI Joburg once again delivers a brilliant and compelling review. I haven't sen this beast in person as of yet, but I can already say based on the review that my favorite part of this set is the space station--ships as large yet cramped as this one is have been perfect settings for if you wanted to throw in a Xenomorph or two in with the Space Joes. Also, Steve's quote on 'how we haven't seen this level of detail on a toy since' is quite an understatement, especially with Hasbro's present state.
What more can we say? The mid to late eighties were a never again to be repeated juncture in toy history! We should be grateful this time existed at all. And I fear a xenomorph or two would make quick work of the Joes. Acid blood would seal their doom!
While I don't think it beats the USS Flagg, I have to admit this is easily one of the top 10 playsets of the 1980s, hands down. Like you mentioned in the video, it would have been nice if Hasbro had thought about a group of space Joes and Cobras to go along with such a well designed and crafted playset like this.
Yup. But I guess the focus of Joe could only be split so far... I think if it evolved into a full scale space war, the military purists would have stopped buying. But a piece like this really deserves more complimentary toys. The Defiant will always remain an island...
Such an excellent review! You lucky guys being a defiant owner!! My missis gives me the raised eyebrow for owning a Flagg. Does this behemoth of a space tank have its own garage?
It parks on the floor beneath my desk! More compact than the Flagg, I assure you. Still, it's not gonna easily store out of sight. I don't know what I'm going to do when my nieces and nephews visit at the end of the year!
Oh yes! And what a fun mission that was. Thanks Ronald, that truly was the cherry on top. Takes me back to the heyday of Joe. I reckon it's moments like building and stickering a vintage toy that keep us chasing this awesome hobby!
Quick question. I only recently started watching GI Joe toy reviews. Are there people who paint their vehicles? I'm looking at 21:04 for example and that whole section looks like it would look amazing with just a little panel lining. Other molded details like instruments and stuff look like they would look great painted. Ever considered doing that?
Hey there, Its Paul here. If you are keen, a wash would look great there but i fear it wouldn't stop at a wash :D. Id suggest the Citedel stuff because its water based, id be waaaay too scared to use Mig, Ak or tamiya's panel washes on a defiant. another cool thing to do would be to use Tamiyas weathering sets (those makeup looking things )Between the 3 of us Stephen is the most likely to paint his toys. Where as I would only really bring some paint to my modern era vehicles with an exception being my Terrordrome and Thunder machine.
Yeah, that hit me right after I posted that comment. It's one thing to paint a 10$ model kit and quite another a god-knows-how-expensive Defiant or MCC. I'd be too scared to paint it with anything. I think I'd only have it in me to panel line all the white bits with a gray gundam marker and then use some wash.
grey would be a great idea, but get one if those tamiya makup sets and mess with it on a transformer toy or something. You will quickly see why i suggest it plus if you spray a vallejo or migg matt coat down first you you wont need to seal it.
I am enjoying again your great review guys. How did you manage to fix the broken door you got with the delivery? Did you fix it, or you bought a new one. Your Defiant looks very clean specially in the white areas. Did you clean it or the restorer you mentioned in the other video did? Thank you.
That's correct, I believe the previous owner took meticulous care to soap it and wash it and even chemically treat areas of yellowing. That guy is a resto legend. You should see his collection! Immaculate; you'd swear the toys had been freshly minted this year. As for the door, can you believe it, I reassembled it with superglue piece by piece. Some of the plastic shards were minute! But I treated it like a puzzle and by the end, and with the help of some reinforcement, she was strong enough to be fully functional.
Hey buddy! I did not make any plans I’m afraid, just cut it up and placed a similarly sized piece of foam as a buffer between the wood and the defiant! But I think you might find some more helpful stuff online after a bit of a google search. Good luck!
They need to but as a Canadian I do also very much prefer pounds to kg but kms to miles big fan of SA I wish you guys all the best and always stay safe, thx for the great vids btw you've stoked my love for Joe's again keep up the good work I'd love to find a transformers version of GI JOBURG
Now this is what they should do for the next HasLab. Reissue this with upgraded quality plastic and retooling the parts that are prone to breakage. Add some new features including storage for the parts. Include the FSS versions of the figures, plus Countdown and any other astronauts.
Only if the figures are that important to you. Star Brigade figures are waaaay cheaper and just as fun. But yep, Payload is pretty darn magnificent. And someone has to drive this monster. It might as well be HT.
It was a rough job I’m afraid, custom fit to the underside, which is not a regular shape. But even if you’re not able to turn her over and make a template from the underside of the crawler, you can get away with guessing it and then sandwiching a layer of foam that the various ridges of the underside can sink into so she stays level.
The internet leads me to believe you would have to modify the Crusader with parts from the Defiant (the metal piece) to get it to attach. I don’t have a Crusader, so I can’t say I have first-hand knowledge on how to do it!
Is the Crusader compatible with the launch complex? Edit: Oh, I guess that's the Crusader at the end of the video. Nevermind. 05:16 You think you'll ever make a chalk/wedge to hold the launcher in the upright position to reduce stress on the launcher plastic? 10:26 Perfect for storing Ayy Lmaos you're trying to get to Earth for interrogations and/or autopsies. 15:26 Can the booster return to Earth? :(
That’s not the stress I’m worried about! It’s those damn blue door hinges that give ME stress. And I can’t say I’ve played with my Defiant nearly enough to have that worked out; but perhaps the booster is meant to stay in space as a space station and is resupplied by the shuttle after it gets launched using more conventional booster rockets.
I would love a GI Joe story set in the Cold War era this means no iPhones, internet and other electronic things we see in the 21st century which would make a great GI Joe story.
I’m with you there. A late Cold War era Joe setting is the sweet spot. Where the F-14 ruled the sky and portable computers were the size of an accordion.
An amazing toy I have never seen in person and fun review I truly felt like I was watching some vintage NASA history programme (Yes I spelled it for you guys like that!) but one small detail overlooked. How did you miss the molded in rats on the launch complex panels? Its so superb I am downright dizzy from the amount of intricate detail put into a single toy! Yes this is beyond anything ever attempted before or since!
Rats, Tripwire mines, parts of the Snowcat... Too much to squeeze into one review really! Our esteemed colleague FORMBX257 picked up that slack with his I suppose. That and the fact that every time I've set out to find the rats I've gotten distracted and started playing with the toy instead! Sneaky vermin! Thank you for the comment. "Programme" indeed! Next, repeat after me: "coloUr", "honoUr", "armoUr"... 😀
Great review guys.. how did you get a new door? Or was it expertly glued!?? If so damn!! Otherwise super awesome playset.. even if vintage and owned by the joes.... cobbbraaa... umm where did that come from.. anywho. Nice piece! Awesome showmanship! Gratz on this mammoth of plastic and fun! Cheers guys. 👍
Well thank you very much! So the gantry door was meticulously glued using Tamiya CA glue, it's pretty amazing stuff. I reinforced the main fracture line with styrene "L" -shaped beams, painted them blue and she functions as she should. I can play with this incredible toy without (much) heartbreak. So all in all, a happy end to the story! Thanks for asking!
Would you guys be for or against painting in some of the detail on these vehicles. I'm a miniature painter with long experance with Warhammer 40K models and I would would love to do a major paint over over the controls and weapons. But would that decrease the value of the toys?
Customs have their niche, definitely. But I don't think it would necessarily top the value of a restored original. But hey, what do I know? In certain cases, where a playset is badly discoloured, a spiffy custom paintjob can really save it. I'd like to think that's how Python Patrol inspired Flagg and Defiant playsets come into being. I don't know if I could condone a mint original getting sprayed up, no matter how cool the custom paintjob is! I guess I'm a prude.
It's still a great playset, but I still think the Flagg and Terrordome are the two main Holy Grails for GI Joe and Cobra HQ. With the Old Cartoon (84) Base w/ the howitzer sticking out of it a close runner up as it was the default HQ for Joe in the cartoon and for part of the Marvel Comics Era.
I remember seeing this at a Toys R Us and being in complete awe. By that time I had the Crusader and had no idea it was a retool of the Defiant. My Joes had many space adventures so having this would have been epic. Just curious, does the Defiant actually fit on the USS Flagg? Loved this review. The reverence and enthusiasm you guys have is great!
I shot a clip of the Shuttle landing on the Flagg deck, so that can be done. As for putting the whole complex on top; I wouldn’t, not because it wouldn’t fit the dimensions of the Flagg deck, but mainly because of the weight pressing down on the Flagg’s under-structure!
@@gijoburg Yeah I saw it come in but looked like it knocked over the camera lol. Wasn't sure if the shuttle could be supported if just sitting on it. Although yours is much sturdier with the tricked out skateboard! Lol
Oh yeah! I forgot I included that clip in the vid! Knocked the camera for “comedy”! The shuttle does fit; but it would be quite a feat to have a shuttle able to park on a carrier.
@@gijoburg I wanted the GIJOE Defiant space shuttle back in the 80's when I was a kid but I never got the big toy. I live in New Zealand not many Defiant space shuttles got sold in toy shops in New Zealand in the 1980's.
Love all your reviews. I think the only 80s space toy that comes close to the greatness of the Defiant would have to be He-Man's Starship Eternia, which was supposed to be an Intergalactic Castle Grayskull 😉
Wow, Matt! You've got me doing the research now. That sounds really cool. A space vehicle at a larger scale with He Man's fantasy elements? Sounds fascinating.
I wanted one of these so bad back in the day. This would have been the only thing I would have gotten for Christmas if my mom could have found one on island.
Not saying that I would risk it, but those springs do look more robust than many toys, even others from the GI Joe line. . That said, as a kid I had the Crusader reissue of the shuttle and it was a top notch toy.
@@gijoburg these toy makers had a bad habit of using the cheapest, most brittle plastic possible and expect it to have some kind of structural integrity. while a stunning piece, this might be the most egregious example of, 'you thought that would hold?!'
Only time I’ve seen it docked in the OT was on the top hatch! But those rings always did give off a docking vibe, and I’m sure there’s plenty of support for it. Thanks bud!
@@gijoburg th-cam.com/video/O5-WI7XN6uo/w-d-xo.html This one shows the docking port/air lock on the top like you said also the port and starboard docking ports/air locks. But yeah theres a s#$t ton of videos that touch on this issue i just thought this one is clear to the point and not 12 hours long lol
Back when they made toys big enough that you needed an extra room in the house to store them. As an 80s child, GI Joe wasn't the only brand doing this 😂
Castle Greyskull!
This could possibly be the best GI Joe TH-cam review of all time.
Oh wow. "Of all time". We'll try not let it go to our heads!!! Thanks Jason!
@@gijoburg sorry mate. But it's a tossup between this and dan larson's existential review of the uss flagg. th-cam.com/video/icYD54Hjey4/w-d-xo.html
I had that play set when I was younger. I remember countless hours playing with it. To this day no other play set can match it. My only regret is not having it today. I'm 51 years old and if I still had it, I would still play with it
It’s possible to get it again... and I’m stoked you’d still play like 1987. We are always in favour with that! But the memories you have of this thing must be priceless. It boggles my mind the games my friends and I would have had if I’d had this thing in my childhood room!
@@neilzulkowitcz2367 eBay
What a labor of love this toy must have been. Ceiling-mounted foot pegs, functional airlock, and real docking capability? Insane.
If there was ever any doubt as to which toyline broke all the records; I offer this toy into evidence. What a thing.
GI Joe had a space force before the US military did😂
You won't ever see anyone do anything like this ever again. If Hasbro did anything close to it, it would only be a Hasbro Pulse Exclusive and they would charge an arm and a leg for it.
The one thing I never saw in person as a kid or anytime until recently. I bought a Shuttle to restore, same with you, thinking that would be as far as it goes. Then I found a good deal on a Booster, so I bought that. Then I found a good deal on some crawler parts and bought those. And yesterday I found an incredible deal for the gantry with both blue doors and having only one small crack at one of the gun locations. The gantry assemble has all the inner parts. $350. So I am well on my way to owning and restoring a complete Defiant. So cool.
I was lucky enough to have this and the Flagg,, but this got wayyyyy more playtime,, it was amazing,, hell it’s STILL cool!
Do you remember the questionnaire that came with it. It had specific questions about GI joe and certain answers fit a certain way. It was awesome for sure.
Love the close-up camera angles that show all the detail and passageways!
Thanks Ronald! This playset makes me daydream about being three and three-quarter inches tall!
All I want is a G.I. Joe Defiant Shuttle Complex with Hardtop and Payload all brought to life in a proper live action G.I. Joe TV series set in the 80s since Terror Drome debut as a playset in 1987. This is the 80s nostalgic thing we see.
Woah! Can they at least get Duke right first?! 😝
Go on Ebuy they are on Ebuy.
@@dominicliner1609 I'm not looking for one to buy. I just collect pictures of the Defiant as a reference use. I always look at the designs often.
@@Gothiczartan ok I wanted a GIJOE Defiant space shuttle when I was a kid back in the 80's but naver got it.
5:20 the delayed reaction to the shuttle almost toppling backward and then the casual "well ok, all good." I love the channel, your fun attitudes, the great/clever writing and your enthusiasm. Your accents also help give a sense of respectability to anything you say. The David Attenborough effect (it sounds british enough) :)
Haha! Never thought of the South African accent as authoritative. But I guess we don't have the "typical" SA accent anyway. Glad you liked my mime performance!
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The was the Holy Grail toy for me. Never got one so I really appreciate your review. WOW! If Hasbro ever re-released this thing I would be on board even if they sold it piece by piece. I agree, it was so sad that Hasbro did not do more in space. Such as missed opportunity. Thanks for the video. Subscribed!
Thanks for the sub, and thanks for the comment! This most certainly is worthy of Holy Grail status. Magnificent and terrifying all at once!
Thank you, for that wonderful review! I had that beautiful Beast of a playset / vehicles. It took me a solid day to put it all together. Roughly 12 hours to put the plastic together and another 12 hours to put the decals on. I absolutely enjoyed putting this together. It was the biggest GI Joe toy I ever owned.
@@douglasbrownell2704 wow! No kidding! That must have been quite the marathon build. Good to take one’s time tho. These things were complex for kids!
The content and commentary on this video makes this the best Defiant toy review out of all the other Defiant toy reviews on TH-cam. There was not one single dull moment in this video and I watched all 23 minutes of it while glued to my seat! Thanks for producing this. (I'm currently restoring my Defiant as I write this.)
I don’t know what to say other thank a heartfelt thank you! That means a lot to us. All of the best with the restoration!
I begged and pleaded for that when I was kid...maybe now if the Mrs says yes though =/
Great review, and I believe this is the most epic of the Joe's play-sets. I could imagine dozens and dozens of play time scenarios. Hope you guys work it into a story video! Thanks guys! YO! JOE-BURG!!!!
You better believe we will! There's another biggie or two we need to give some screentime to first tho...
@@gijoburg oh, which ones?!
Round ones and flat ones...
I really like your film style. I really enjoyed the views of it made like we (the viewers) were floating in space and approaching the spaceship.
Thanks so much! We wanted to shoot it in the same way we would play with it, in the dark, with only a few sources of light. But not to worry, it still maintains some amateur charm (bad focus, furniture in the shot). Har har har.
Very nice and detailed review. And seeing a Defiant in such pristine conditions isn't obvious at all. Congrats. We're trying to complete ours: we're still missing a couple of pieces but we didn't expect to add this playset to our collection.
Thank you! I have to admit, I never expected to own one myself. But a friend made me an offer I couldn’t refuse!
The Defiant Shuttle Complex was so insanely expensive to produce and to purchase back then, but it was just a highly detailed, wildly fun play-set to have! Unfortunately, due to cost, I never had one as a kid, but I bought a sealed one about 15 years ago for my kids and we have it to this day. Thanks for the review - your vids are epic!
Oh wow! I take it you unsealed it with your kids? What an ultimate gift. I think not having it for your own childhood was made worth it by being able to experience opening one side by side with your own kin! Great story.
GI Joburg yes, it truly was worth it! Thank you for your kind words!
Love the inner child that comes out in your videos! Great job
Hard to ignore one's inner child around something like the Defiant. I'm a nine year old again, every time! Thanks for the comment!
6:03 Sci-Fi...that was one of my favorite figures to have because of that beautiful neon green.
He’s certainly in a league of his own, at least until the 1990’s!
Wow! I remember that toy but never realized it was that cool. It's a lot better than I thought it was. Fantastic review and unique way of showing inside and all the details.
awesome i totally 4 got about this piece!! My younger brother had it and the Cobra Comanding center??? Our mother always made sure we had the best and gnarly toys on the block!!! Our mother always loved toys and my sister always collected her dolls that today their vintage!!! I'm totally upset that all the toys that I had and recieved thru out my young life are gone!! And i had completed sets too!!! I also had the Lone Ranger Collection!! One of the best cowboy toys on the market at that time also based on the T.V. show!! Sweet ,💯👌🏼😍I ALSO HAD THE 12 INCHES STAR WARS FIGURES?? I WAS IN LOVE WITH THAT SET FROM KENNER OR HASBRO?? IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME I HAVE NOT SEEN OR READ, FOLLOWED THESE TOY COMPANIES IN A LONG TIME!!!!
Well the good news Pablo is that a lot of this stuff has survived (and commands crazy prices too). But if you are in the market to buy back some of the cool stuff from your youth, every once in every while, good deals crop up. I’d say we got this Defiant for a VERY good deal and a friendly rate. So good luck my man! And thanks for the awesome comment!
You guys have some of the best & most in depth & fun to watch reviews ever!.....you rock!
Amazing video my man love the defiant I probably won't get one probably just a gi joe crusader though because I love the repainted night Raven drone definitely gonna recreate this in my action figure line I'm making soon but anyways great video hope you and your family are doing great and I'm gonna try to recreate the defiant to the best of my ability.
Great review on the Defiant. I just pick up the USS Flagg. Now I’m on the hunt for the next 2 grails. The Defiant and the Cobra Terror Drome.
Thank you! Congrats on getting the Flagg, Admiral!
Ahhh... I wish I can own one some day soon.I always enjoy watching your reviews! also, you did a bang up job in restoring the damage parts from the Crawler.. I can't see any signs it was damage, sweet! And nice new hairdo BTW, Stephen!
Too kind Rob. It's never my intention to be in these kinds of vids. Sometimes I'm groomed. Sometimes I'm jungle.
Any detail on how and why you made a rolling board for your Defiant?
The why is: I’m terrified of moving it about on its plastic wheels! And I need to be able to move it a fair bit.
The how is: a rectangular board that fits in the under-cavity well enough. A bit of foam to pad it out a bit. But I’ve seen far better fitting boards online.
Another excellent review. The best on YT. Reviewers are barely as excited as you guys are and I appreciate that.
The thing I want to say the most, is this might be the FIRST Joe vehicle that isn't just made for good looks. Have you ever noticed most vehicles the figures rode ON TOP of so many and not inside? The APC (still on my list of ones to get) you can pile in the joes. Same thing with cobra vehicles. Even as a kid that frustrated me. If I have a large SUV humvee style, I don't want just a driver and passenger with a Cannon on top, I want like 6 joes to go in it. So when I saw the bridge I was astonished!! All the seating! And the seating in the back was just too Cool!!
Couldn’t agree more. Spacious cabin areas were real food for our childhood imaginations. So much better than a small hollow to hide a single figure. Internal spaces were such a strong selling point.
I've always wondered how much detail it had. I've never seen its inside detail like this. I had the Mobile Command Centre, but this was REALLY thought out. Maximum possible playability! I love that they even put foot pegs on the " ceiling". Thanks so much for posting guys! 🤘😁🖖🇨🇦
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching and commenting! 🇿🇦😘
I know this comment is years after you released this, but my god. What a presentation! I never knew this existed. I just thought it was just the shuttle. Wow. Impressive and great presentation. Thank you very much for sharing. Now I need to explore your channel
I was excited for you guys when I seen the unboxing and if anyone deserves to have a Defiant it's GIjoburg!! Thanks Steve for letting me know about the podcast i've been listening to so many episodes you guys are awesome Gi joe brothers!
Thank you Mike, glad you like our style! Yo Joburg!
What about the joes in the crawler base? When the shuttle takes off they would be burnt to a crisp in real life
Shields Up!!!
All i can say, it's a fantastic toy!! Good job guys for this video upload and i salute for the hasbro toy designers who conceptualize and build it for kids.
I always wanted one and I had the Crusader I do sometimes wish they could reissue the Defiant Complex with the originals shortcomings addressed
By that you mean the fragility? Whoo boy! I think I heard somewhere that the prototypes were tougher. But that meant more plastic and tougher materials and moldings which in turn made it heavier and pricier. Imagine a pricier grail item?! Oh man, if only we could have a 1980's economy again...
Wow! Thank you for showing all the cool details! I never knew all the things you could do with this playset.
It's pretty unbelievable right?! This thing is totally like a box of secrets for you to discover.
This was an awesome review. I don't think I'll get the defiant, but I feel like I know it by heart now. Thanks for the tour.
How compatible is this with the Mobile Command Center? Since the MCC looks a lot like a Airport Air Traffic Control Tower?
Very compatible I’d say. They work well together as a kind of mobile launch base. Fitting. As neither are frontline vehicles at all!
It's probably been said, but the Millennium Falcon can dock with its topside hatch as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. At the end of ESB it is docked with the Redemption.
I got this when I was around 12 and it was my most beloved Christmas presents of all time. I do disagree with this being the most detailed and amazing sets. I would give that honor to the aircraft carrier. One of the few gi Joe sets my parents just wouldn't budge on. Too much space taken up lol
I still have my V.2 repaint of payload from the Crusader shuttle from my childhood. Only had to replace the "T" hook on it recently but the O Ring is still good after 30 years. And the figure still has over 90% of the paint on it.
Awesome review! Thinking of starting a Defiant Project... getting it piece by piece and slowly over time! Quick question concerning the springs! I understand you have removed them completely?
The springs had been removed by the seller; but included for the sake of completeness. I think the attachment points would need repairs as they had snapped. A new “eye” would have to either be drilled or created. Good luck with yours!
This is an awesome video of an awesome playset! Can you imagine if our eighties selves had both the Defiant and USS Flagg at the same time?! That would be non-stop play time on so many levels.
My folk’s place was where the kids on my street would congregate because I had the best collection... but with those playsets in the mix I’m sure all the kids in the neighborhood would want in. Man, the mind boggles with all the possibilities for adventure those two sets present. But we did okay with the motley crew we had assembled! Furniture made perfectly good suggested spaceships.
While I was never a fan of the GI Joe in space concept, this does seem like an absolutely incredible toy, and thanks for the very comprehensive video. Just curious, was the ARAH line very popular in South Africa when you guys were kids? And where do you source stuff for your collections? The line was very popular here in Australia when I was a kid, but sourcing pieces locally isn't overly productive. Still have to rely mostly on getting things shipped from the US, unfortunately.
Thanks for the comment! I agree that space wasn’t easily incorporated into the GI Joe mythology for me BUT as a Star Wars/Trek fan growing up, GI Joe figures were essential in playing out those types of storylines with figures that could actually be posed properly. Any Joe or Cobra with a helmet was recast as an alien or hero or villain starfighter pilot.
Joe toys were very popular when I was growing up in SA. Every kid had at least a few. But having spent a good deal of time in Aus I can safely say you guys had a whole lot more here! Everything is relative I guess. But it’s all a drop in the bucket compared to the big ol USA. It’s unavoidable if you’re looking for something specific. You’re guaranteed to always find it there.
Was this only sold outside of the U.S.A?? I dont remember ever seeing any commercial for this toy as a kid.
While the specimen featured in this vid is from The Netherlands, I do believe they were sold in the US. I'm sure not all toystores could carry such a monster tho. Just the really big boys like TRU and Sears.
I also have been whatching other people reviewing the gijoe line but I think you make the videos look interesting not boring thanks again a big yo Joe to you guys from me in the UK 👍👍👍👍👍👍😁😁
Yeah, we tried to carve a style that was unique to Joburg. Glad you appreciate it man! Now we just need to work on getting up to our contemporaries' release schedules!
I appreciate it a lot coz it's helping me find the ones I didn't have when I was a kid but really wanted 😁👍👍👍👍👍
Fun fact: apparently some parts of this play sets molds consist of parts from a Millennium Falcon model kit.
WHAAAAT? Now I know about reuse molding from other Joe vehicles but the Falcon is new to me! Maybe Joe was trying to make her "the fastest ship in the galaxy"!
These toys were so cool and such high quality. GI JOe was so rad. I wish they would re make all of the toys again and maybe make a new cartoon series that is more series like Exo Squad was where people can die and talk about civil unrest with the rise of Cobra. Coud you imagine if ninja vipers and storm shadow and snake eyes came up on the Defiant to space? SPACE NINJAS!!
Aw man, that is wild. I really ought to track down some Exo Squad. I’m not familiar with it but Toy Galaxy’s feature on it certainly piqued my interest.
I was the only kid I knew who even knew Exosquad existed. I was homeschooled so I did not have to go to school on the bus and I could watch TV in the morning. That show was intense and more adult than small kids could understand. I was a teenager so it was cool. Very serious and people died. Lots of amazing battles.
If a new GI Joe cartoon could be like that where people can die, serious terrorists doing really brutal things, amazing big battles wit lasers like the old cartoons on the land see and air and battle tactics. ALso ninja espionage has to be there and Dreadnoks and bikers and just tons of civil unrest. They could go about the ride of Cobra being from militant extremists protesting and recruiting in schools and through media and then changing the dynamic over time to get rid of the weak protesters to an established seirous Army much like how Stalin killed off many bolshevics. Cobra Commander was inspired by Stalin and other dictators a I remember him quoting Stalin on the cartoon before and shouting about a new social order.
Like who funds Cobra, how do they acquire property with bases and weapons. The Crimson Guard would be extreme fanatics and ideologues who really love and believe in Cobra Commander's mission for the world. The Officers and Troopers would also believe but not be as intense much like the SS and regular German soldiers.
Cobra could be a combination of far left militants and islamic extremists mixing together.
21:23 SPACE FORCE!!! Also, I think its really funny that the number designation for the space station is "8008", i'd love to know the story behind that one. =)
Hehe. Like punching “55378008” into a calculator and turning it upside down. As I recall there was some stupid accompanying story...
love your vids!
I myself have this set and would like to know if you, during your exploration of this set, noticed there is a rat sculpted into the cockpit of the shuttle? I can't for the life of me understand why Hasbro did that, it is so weird? Does Payload have a pet rat that runs freely around the shuttle? It is to my knowledge never mentioned anywhere what the purpose of this is, maybe it is just an Easter Egg, but what a strange one. Also on the gantry/crawler there is more than the back of the S.N.A.K.E. There's also a Mauler engine, a Snow Cat engine cover and Tripwire's 3 mines sculpted into the plastic. Truly an awesome and awe inspiring set!
I've been aware of the rat for some time but never located it with my own eyes just yet. The sculptors had a sense of humour! Thanks for watching and commenting bro!
Fun facts:
Everyone on the Joe line worked on this, even Kirk Bozigan did one of the bays, 4 I think.
The wheels and cranking system had a more robust design but they were priced down.
And just the tooling alone cost $2 million that's ' 86
Fantastic review guys. Heck even learn about the extra EVA attachment point on the booster
Awesome factoids there Dave, thanks. The more I learn about this playset, the more in awe I am that it exists at all. What a treasure trove. It goes unmentioned in the review but we put together a "skateboard" to move it about without putting weight on the wheels. It's like the Flagg all over again, only this time the playset has wheels "for show"!
$2 mil. Outrageous. Only G.I. Joe at the height of it's popularity could attract such investment I'm sure. Wow.
I have to say that, wow that's awesome and huge. I would have had so much fun playing with that. Thanks for sharing this.
You are welcome Ed! My wish is to have everybody around to play with this stuff! Curating a collection is boring! Toys are meant to be PLAYED WITH!
I couldn't agree more. Yo Joe!
love how you guys do your reviews, it's like watching National Geographic/Discovery channels. BUT WAAAAAAY BETTER!!!!
Because its GI JOE!!! Man, imagine our hobby was covered by Discovery?!
I spent hours playing with the defiant launch system as a kid
I had to choose between the carrier flag or shuttle for Christmas
My neighbor got the flag and we had many happy days
I want your childhood!!!
@GI Joburg it's sad how children's toys have gone down so low in quality it's a direct correlation to the dollar losing purchasing power. Hopefully we once again have quality toys for children
I would use the teleporter as a stasis prison cell, maybe for Cobra commamder or Destro!
Or Cobra-La or one of the late Gen 1 alien or monster figures?
This is the best review I have seen so far. Great job.
Hey hey! What awesome praise. Thanks Adam. You rock!
GI Joburg I have a Defiant on lay away at a local comic shop. And yours is the only review that shows the gantry so close and detailed. I’m watching your review on the Flagg now.
Keep them coming
Love to see how this looks with the modern era FSS versions of those figures.
the GI Joe space space toys in the 90s wood go very well very well with the defiant and the giant GI Joe robot versus cobras Spaceteam and bats I agree with you guys should have kept that around this really cool looking toy
GI Joburg once again delivers a brilliant and compelling review.
I haven't sen this beast in person as of yet, but I can already say based on the review that my favorite part of this set is the space station--ships as large yet cramped as this one is have been perfect settings for if you wanted to throw in a Xenomorph or two in with the Space Joes.
Also, Steve's quote on 'how we haven't seen this level of detail on a toy since' is quite an understatement, especially with Hasbro's present state.
What more can we say? The mid to late eighties were a never again to be repeated juncture in toy history! We should be grateful this time existed at all.
And I fear a xenomorph or two would make quick work of the Joes. Acid blood would seal their doom!
While I don't think it beats the USS Flagg, I have to admit this is easily one of the top 10 playsets of the 1980s, hands down. Like you mentioned in the video, it would have been nice if Hasbro had thought about a group of space Joes and Cobras to go along with such a well designed and crafted playset like this.
Yup. But I guess the focus of Joe could only be split so far... I think if it evolved into a full scale space war, the military purists would have stopped buying. But a piece like this really deserves more complimentary toys. The Defiant will always remain an island...
And as far as comparisons to the Flagg go - it IS the Flagg. Of outer space!
Such an excellent review! You lucky guys being a defiant owner!! My missis gives me the raised eyebrow for owning a Flagg. Does this behemoth of a space tank have its own garage?
It parks on the floor beneath my desk! More compact than the Flagg, I assure you. Still, it's not gonna easily store out of sight. I don't know what I'm going to do when my nieces and nephews visit at the end of the year!
Guys, rewatching this because it's such fun :-) Did you get around applying the rest of the stickers?
Oh yes! And what a fun mission that was. Thanks Ronald, that truly was the cherry on top. Takes me back to the heyday of Joe. I reckon it's moments like building and stickering a vintage toy that keep us chasing this awesome hobby!
Will you ever get the Collector's Club Hardtop? Since the Club is about to shut down?
Not my thing, got the O-ring, that’s all the Hardtop I’ll ever need! Be nice to track down a pistol for him tho...
Quick question. I only recently started watching GI Joe toy reviews. Are there people who paint their vehicles? I'm looking at 21:04 for example and that whole section looks like it would look amazing with just a little panel lining. Other molded details like instruments and stuff look like they would look great painted. Ever considered doing that?
Hey there, Its Paul here. If you are keen, a wash would look great there but i fear it wouldn't stop at a wash :D. Id suggest the Citedel stuff because its water based, id be waaaay too scared to use Mig, Ak or tamiya's panel washes on a defiant. another cool thing to do would be to use Tamiyas weathering sets (those makeup looking things )Between the 3 of us Stephen is the most likely to paint his toys. Where as I would only really bring some paint to my modern era vehicles with an exception being my Terrordrome and Thunder machine.
Yeah, that hit me right after I posted that comment. It's one thing to paint a 10$ model kit and quite another a god-knows-how-expensive Defiant or MCC. I'd be too scared to paint it with anything. I think I'd only have it in me to panel line all the white bits with a gray gundam marker and then use some wash.
grey would be a great idea, but get one if those tamiya makup sets and mess with it on a transformer toy or something. You will quickly see why i suggest it plus if you spray a vallejo or migg matt coat down first you you wont need to seal it.
I am enjoying again your great review guys.
How did you manage to fix the broken door you got with the delivery? Did you fix it, or you bought a new one.
Your Defiant looks very clean specially in the white areas. Did you clean it or the restorer you mentioned in the other video did?
Thank you.
That's correct, I believe the previous owner took meticulous care to soap it and wash it and even chemically treat areas of yellowing. That guy is a resto legend. You should see his collection! Immaculate; you'd swear the toys had been freshly minted this year. As for the door, can you believe it, I reassembled it with superglue piece by piece. Some of the plastic shards were minute! But I treated it like a puzzle and by the end, and with the help of some reinforcement, she was strong enough to be fully functional.
I have a defiant for sale in Massachusetts needs a little work but mostly there I have plenty of pictures
Hey bro just got mine. What are the dimensions on the custom wood roller mount you made for this? Thinking about doing this too! Great video mate 👍🏼!
Hey buddy! I did not make any plans I’m afraid, just cut it up and placed a similarly sized piece of foam as a buffer between the wood and the defiant! But I think you might find some more helpful stuff online after a bit of a google search. Good luck!
Great review guys!
So glad you liked it! Yep, a grail piece like this deserves any toy fan's adulation. I'm so glad we could add our voice on the subject.
South Africa is so bad ass they have G I Joe nerds that can bench press 265 pounds
Nice conversion. I wonder if the US will ever switch? I guess if it hasn’t happened by now...
They need to but as a Canadian I do also very much prefer pounds to kg but kms to miles big fan of SA I wish you guys all the best and always stay safe, thx for the great vids btw you've stoked my love for Joe's again keep up the good work I'd love to find a transformers version of GI JOBURG
I got the gantry/ crawler at a garage sale without the shuttle and thruster shuttle. It was converted into a cobra base!!
oh man now this is a sweet play set
Yep. It's pretty incredible. I can't believe one found its way all the way to us in Africa. Holy Grail of plastic crack!
Now this is what they should do for the next HasLab. Reissue this with upgraded quality plastic and retooling the parts that are prone to breakage. Add some new features including storage for the parts. Include the FSS versions of the figures, plus Countdown and any other astronauts.
Just got mine today!!
Congratulations James! That is definitely reason to celebrate. May it give you many hours of joy; with no breakages!
GI Joburg thank u very much, now I just got to save up for hardtop and payload. It's was complete but no figures
Only if the figures are that important to you. Star Brigade figures are waaaay cheaper and just as fun.
But yep, Payload is pretty darn magnificent. And someone has to drive this monster. It might as well be HT.
Tq for such an amazing in depth effort in explaining how it works.
You are welcome! We're just trying to do justice to a truly great toy. Thanks for commenting!
GI Joburg - the best GI joe toy reviewer
Human Mechanism - self proclaimed toy reviewer.
Oh god, that's so impressive and massive, great job guys!
It’s a beast. Every time I see it I can’t believe it exists.
Imagine being 8 years old and getting this for Christmas.
I think I’d be talking about it for the rest of my life.
I was one of those kids.
Wow, just wow... what a piece of kit, 👍
Love the wheels set up with the platform, just have a quick question, what are the measurements on the platform?
It was a rough job I’m afraid, custom fit to the underside, which is not a regular shape. But even if you’re not able to turn her over and make a template from the underside of the crawler, you can get away with guessing it and then sandwiching a layer of foam that the various ridges of the underside can sink into so she stays level.
@@gijoburg okay. Thank you! It looks awesome!
Thanks Chris! All of the best with yours. It really does give you the confidence to move this unwieldy and expensive toy around more.
I wonder if the rereleased shuttle could dock with the booster? It would be cool if it could.
The internet leads me to believe you would have to modify the Crusader with parts from the Defiant (the metal piece) to get it to attach. I don’t have a Crusader, so I can’t say I have first-hand knowledge on how to do it!
"The Toys That Made Us" brought me here
Great to know! Welcome to Joburg! We run a modest operation here but we luuuuurve our toys!
Is the Crusader compatible with the launch complex? Edit: Oh, I guess that's the Crusader at the end of the video. Nevermind.
05:16 You think you'll ever make a chalk/wedge to hold the launcher in the upright position to reduce stress on the launcher plastic?
10:26 Perfect for storing Ayy Lmaos you're trying to get to Earth for interrogations and/or autopsies.
15:26 Can the booster return to Earth? :(
That’s not the stress I’m worried about! It’s those damn blue door hinges that give ME stress.
And I can’t say I’ve played with my Defiant nearly enough to have that worked out; but perhaps the booster is meant to stay in space as a space station and is resupplied by the shuttle after it gets launched using more conventional booster rockets.
I would love a GI Joe story set in the Cold War era this means no iPhones, internet and other electronic things we see in the 21st century which would make a great GI Joe story.
I’m with you there. A late Cold War era Joe setting is the sweet spot. Where the F-14 ruled the sky and portable computers were the size of an accordion.
@@gijoburg I would do some Joe art in a 80s designs make them look like they were from the Cold War Era.
An amazing toy I have never seen in person and fun review I truly felt like I was watching some vintage NASA history programme (Yes I spelled it for you guys like that!) but one small detail overlooked. How did you miss the molded in rats on the launch complex panels? Its so superb I am downright dizzy from the amount of intricate detail put into a single toy! Yes this is beyond anything ever attempted before or since!
Rats, Tripwire mines, parts of the Snowcat... Too much to squeeze into one review really! Our esteemed colleague FORMBX257 picked up that slack with his I suppose.
That and the fact that every time I've set out to find the rats I've gotten distracted and started playing with the toy instead! Sneaky vermin!
Thank you for the comment. "Programme" indeed! Next, repeat after me: "coloUr", "honoUr", "armoUr"...
😀
And the Candian inflectional such as "Whats all that Abooooot?"
Great review guys.. how did you get a new door? Or was it expertly glued!?? If so damn!! Otherwise super awesome playset.. even if vintage and owned by the joes.... cobbbraaa... umm where did that come from.. anywho. Nice piece! Awesome showmanship! Gratz on this mammoth of plastic and fun!
Cheers guys. 👍
Well thank you very much! So the gantry door was meticulously glued using Tamiya CA glue, it's pretty amazing stuff. I reinforced the main fracture line with styrene "L" -shaped beams, painted them blue and she functions as she should. I can play with this incredible toy without (much) heartbreak. So all in all, a happy end to the story! Thanks for asking!
Awesomeness
Cobra Pogo and Trouble Buble would be fitting Space Vehicles to combat it,
Would you guys be for or against painting in some of the detail on these vehicles. I'm a miniature painter with long experance with Warhammer 40K models and I would would love to do a major paint over over the controls and weapons. But would that decrease the value of the toys?
Customs have their niche, definitely. But I don't think it would necessarily top the value of a restored original. But hey, what do I know? In certain cases, where a playset is badly discoloured, a spiffy custom paintjob can really save it. I'd like to think that's how Python Patrol inspired Flagg and Defiant playsets come into being. I don't know if I could condone a mint original getting sprayed up, no matter how cool the custom paintjob is! I guess I'm a prude.
It's yours and painting would increase the desirability for me
The Queen's Starship from Phantom Menace makes a good Cobra Starship
It's still a great playset, but I still think the Flagg and Terrordome are the two main Holy Grails for GI Joe and Cobra HQ. With the Old Cartoon (84) Base w/ the howitzer sticking out of it a close runner up as it was the default HQ for Joe in the cartoon and for part of the Marvel Comics Era.
I remember seeing this at a Toys R Us and being in complete awe. By that time I had the Crusader and had no idea it was a retool of the Defiant. My Joes had many space adventures so having this would have been epic. Just curious, does the Defiant actually fit on the USS Flagg? Loved this review. The reverence and enthusiasm you guys have is great!
I shot a clip of the Shuttle landing on the Flagg deck, so that can be done. As for putting the whole complex on top; I wouldn’t, not because it wouldn’t fit the dimensions of the Flagg deck, but mainly because of the weight pressing down on the Flagg’s under-structure!
@@gijoburg Yeah I saw it come in but looked like it knocked over the camera lol. Wasn't sure if the shuttle could be supported if just sitting on it. Although yours is much sturdier with the tricked out skateboard! Lol
Oh yeah! I forgot I included that clip in the vid! Knocked the camera for “comedy”! The shuttle does fit; but it would be quite a feat to have a shuttle able to park on a carrier.
@@gijoburg I wanted the GIJOE Defiant space shuttle back in the 80's when I was a kid but I never got the big toy. I live in New Zealand not many Defiant space shuttles got sold in toy shops in New Zealand in the 1980's.
Nice work man I never even seen this back in the day ...very cool
Thanks bro! And now you know!
GI Joburg and knowing is half the battle... LOL
Love all your reviews. I think the only 80s space toy that comes close to the greatness of the Defiant would have to be He-Man's Starship Eternia, which was supposed to be an Intergalactic Castle Grayskull 😉
Wow, Matt! You've got me doing the research now. That sounds really cool. A space vehicle at a larger scale with He Man's fantasy elements? Sounds fascinating.
WoW!! Fantastic!! Excellent video guys!
Perfect review! Love the guided tour. Permission to embed on 3DJoes?
With the greatest of pleasure! Please do!
I wanted one of these so bad back in the day. This would have been the only thing I would have gotten for Christmas if my mom could have found one on island.
Any closer to getting one Matt? It’s a beast, but it’s attainable…
Not saying that I would risk it, but those springs do look more robust than many toys, even others from the GI Joe line. .
That said, as a kid I had the Crusader reissue of the shuttle and it was a top notch toy.
They don't make em like this anymore! Thanks for commenting!
At points in the narration I couldn't tell if you were reviewing a toy or reading the letters to the editor in an old copy of Playboy.
😅
Great review of an awesome G.I. joe toy
I wanted that but it was like $200 and that was a lot back then.
i had one when i sold used toys, i always thought it was a rickety contraption. but, it looks beautiful.
True. It can be a stressful toy to play with. But daaaamn! The fact that it exists at all is a feat!
@@gijoburg these toy makers had a bad habit of using the cheapest, most brittle plastic possible and expect it to have some kind of structural integrity. while a stunning piece, this might be the most egregious example of, 'you thought that would hold?!'
Bonjour . quel est le prix actuel de cette base de collection complète en excellent état ? merci
@@trucnuche6288 Bonjour ! Les annonces vendues sur eBay ont mis le prix sur les Defiant complets à 1 500 $ US
@@gijoburg ok. Merci beaucoup.
Amazing review, great work!
Thanks David! Glad you liked it sir!
Most excellent! The Defiant , another wish I had, out of reach toy for kids. Definitely a collector's jewel like the Flagg.
Yup. I'm glad I never knew of its existence as a child. Dreaming of owning it would have become an obsession!
Actually that round spot above the ramp on the millennium falcon is the docking port. Theres one on both sides.😉👉
Only time I’ve seen it docked in the OT was on the top hatch! But those rings always did give off a docking vibe, and I’m sure there’s plenty of support for it. Thanks bud!
@@gijoburg
th-cam.com/video/O5-WI7XN6uo/w-d-xo.html
This one shows the docking port/air lock on the top like you said also the port and starboard docking ports/air locks.
But yeah theres a s#$t ton of videos that touch on this issue i just thought this one is clear to the point and not 12 hours long lol