Video Vipers

What Cobra Vipers do during their downtime:

 

Viper 1: Hey guys, what’s up?

Viper 2: Sshhhh…!

 

Viper 1: PIGGERY!!!

Viper 2: Piggery? Bakit?

Viper 1: E kasi binababoy niya si Katrina!

Viper 3:  Ssshhh! Quiet! Di ko marinig iyong lyrics ng “Careless Whisper”!

Stranded

With the Defender out of commission, the only chance for Hawk, Breaker and Rock and Roll to get back to base is to call for a ride.  Breaker reports getting only static. Looks like it’s going to be a long march ahead for the three of them.

On the ground

Some studies of a Cobra Paraviper who just landed.

 

I had just finished shooting the snipers when my son Paulo started egging me to take picture of his Paraviper (he got it for Christmas). So we looked for an open spot in the park, someplace ideal for a DZ. It would’ve been better if I had a parachute and paracords for the paraviper, but well, we have to make do with what we have. So in this scene, the paraviper is assumed to have already shucked off his para gear and is getting ready to move out. I like how it turned out. I love the paraviper’s details: the balaclava, the MP5, the wrist altimeter, the oxygen tubes. Hhmm…I’m thinking of army-building this unit!

Viper Raid

A stack of Vipers, with a Crimson Guard Immortal, prepare to storm a room.

 

These photos were taken almost a year ago. I had just watched a DVD copy of the film, “The Kingdom” and I was inspired by the cover jacket depicting Jamie Foxx and his team as they prepare to chase terrorists in an apartment complex.

Sniper Team

Cross Hair and Chief Torpedo team up for a sniping mission.

 

Rendition

“Rendition” is a another term for snatching enemy personnel. Here, a G.I.Joe team raids a suspected Siegie safehouse, and lifts a Crimson Guard–in full dress uniform, no less! 

 Tunnel Rat pulls up the barely conscious Siegie into the Humvee while his team mates provide cover.

 

 OK, target secured.

 

 Flint and Roadblock cover the front.

 

 As Tunnel Rat and Ripcord make sure the trussed up Siegie is on his best behavior.

 

 Securing the flexi-cuffs, just to be sure.

 

 Right. One dressed up Siegie ready for delivery!

 

 Flint is the leader of the snatch team.

 

 With Beach Head as second-in-command

 

 The rest of the team are: Ripcord;

 

 Leatherneck;

 

 Roadblock;

 

 Dialtone;

 

and Tunnel Rat, of course.

Stand-offish

Here’s a desktop mini-dio I set up spontaneously. I was able to buy a CP Mainframe and Beach Head from Kidzone in Shangri-La Plaza during our vacation in the Philippines last month (John acted as my tour guide, by the way. Thanks, bro!).

A few days later, my family and I went to Festival Mall, where I picked up a Fred VII figure (no helmets, rifle, stand and revolver, sheesh!) and a PP Crimson Guard (with a sub-machinegun!) at Black Dragon). When I got home, I played around with the stuff and here they are:

‘Noks in Bangkok

Guess who dropped by Bangkok recently? Who else but the Dreadnoks! Zartan’s dreaded biker gang apparently wanted to take a break from wreaking havoc in the US and decided to take a hop to Thailand.

 

Nod, Wynken and Blynken take a look at the city’s ubiquitious mass transport system — the three-wheeled “tuk-tuk”.

 

“Is this gig cool or what, mate?”

 

But wait, the Dreadnoks realize this tuk-tuk is not 1:18 scale. “It’s way too big, m’lads!”

 

“Let’s cut this baby down to size then!”

 

“Nyahahaha!”

MyFireteam: Snipers

My fireteam’s primary sniper team is that of Cross Hair and Recondo.

 

I like this version of Recondo. For one thing, Hasbro did away with the version 1 mold which looked more like a big-game safari hunter rather than a jungle fighter as he is labelled in his card. OK, he still retains the khaki color of his uniform (which somehow makes it look more like a desert outfit) but at least it has a more modern design. The G36 rifle from Marauder looks good on him. He’d make a good spotter for Cross Hair.

 

Cross Hair is a relatively new character in the Joe-verse. Nevertheless, I’m impressed with his realistic-looking outfit, complete with removable bush hat and webgear. I use Recondo’s ghillie suit on him to complete his sniper gear. Now if only I can position his arms to properly hold a sniper rifle…

The HISS

The HISS tank, the quintessential armored vehicle of Cobra.

 

It carries twin 90mm cannons in a rear turret and has a platform at the back for two more Cobra Vipers to stand on.

 

Can a Cobra force be complete without it?

 

A HISS attacking uphill.

The HISS used in these photos is the 25th Anniversary version. I replaced the driver, Rip-it, with a Viper Pit trooper. One of my favorite Cobra vehicles, I’m now looking for other versions, specially the HISS 2 which is an infantry fighting vehicle (with a troop compartment) and the DTC HISS, which features missiles as its main armament, instead of the cannons.

These photos were taken at Sanam Luang Park 2 near my apartment. My son, Paulo, as always, had helped me in setting up. My older daughter, Isabelle also lent a hand.