Many of the sites' visitors grew up in the 80s and 90s and may have been lucky enough to own a Typhoon Hovercraft. Some of you may even have children of your own now, and wish to share your love of the Typhoon Hovercraft or other Taiyo Tyco R/C with them. But which one to buy?
This is a question that's been asked of me more than once... and so it's time to write an article!
What models are there?
There are 16 different hovercraft listed at TycoCollectors.com, all of them with origins in the original Typhoon released in Japan in 1988, and there are no doubt more I've yet to document. But these are all the major versions you will find.
Full Size
Here are some of the more common models...
Whew! That's a lot! So then... which one should you get?
Full Size or Mini?
The most fundamental choice is whether you should get the full size 1/8 scale Typhoon, or the Mini Typhoon. As you can see from the photos below, the "Mini" version isn't actually that much smaller.
Is the Mini less powerful?
It still runs on 9.6V Turbo batteries so it's the same voltage, though does feel a little less powerful when running it (particularly the central fan), due to smaller less expensive motors perhaps.
Still, for most users is this going to be a big deal? Personally I don't think so, unless you're running on water/snow. For most people scooting around indoors it may not matter. This is only my opinion though, others may vary.
What about driving, how are they different?
To be honest, I prefer driving the Mini version. As there's less weight floating around on the floor, there's less momentum, and momentum was always the enemy of this model - usually resulting in you struggling to control it, and smacking sideways into a wall!
The Mini's central fan is always on however, so once you turn the vehicle on, it's on. The larger models have a large red switch on the side of the controller to turn it On/Off. Is this a big deal?
The central fan enables the hovercraft to float, so being able to turn it off mid-flight is like putting on the handbrake and stopping it in its tracks. This can be important if you're worried about slamming into the wall, but eh I personally think this is an edge case. YMMV.
In general I'd recommend the Mini to anyone looking to buy purely as a once-off nostalgic reminder. It drives very similar, is cheaper, smaller and easier to store, and you can smash into walls in an uncontrolled manner just the same. It's the complete experience! But if you're a professional hovercraft enthusiast? Get the bigger one.
Typhoon Original or Typhoon II?
The second release of the Typhoon underwent considerable change in both the body design, and the underlying chassis and skirt / cushion design.
The original's larger, heavier body fully enclosed the air cushion. This was necessary, as the original's cushion was relatively thin and delicate compared to the Typhoon II's thicker rubber bag.
The Typhoon II (also known as the Super Typhoon) extended the air cushion well beyond the body, providing a bumper car style surrounding that would make small impacts softer, and while this does expose it more to potential damage, it is made of a thicker rubber material. This makes it less likely to tear, but like all rubber any repeated folds in the same area will cause wear over time.
Underneath the body there are also significant changes in design.
The original has 25 outlets along the bottom of the air cushion, allowing the bag to expand while focusing the escaping air downwards evenly around the perimeter of the craft. The original Mini has added holes at the rear (perhaps to support the motors) while the original full size has two large downward thrusters directly underneath the battery compartment to support that area of extra weight.
These were "true" hovercraft, floating on a curtain of air. Does that make it better though?
Warning: Opinion zone. Your mileage may vary! Unsure? Ask a friend!
While the original had legitimacy, it also made for a difficult to control RC toy. Driving the original Typhoon can feel like sliding around an ice skating rink with only a fan to push you away from whatever direction you don't want to go. It can be quite frustrating, especially for younger kids.
Clearly reacting to feedback on the first version, the Typhoon 2 and Mini Typhoon 2 removed almost all of the 25 outlets, now with just two small holes at the rear edges, and a line of three small outlets in the center mass of the craft, with no other visible method of creating that necessary 'curtain of air'.
Having not driven a T2 in many years I can't recall it being massively different, however comparing videos of them both in action it's clear that the Typhoon 2 (and T-3) is creating much more friction with the ground, which does a good job of reducing that 'skating on ice' effect and providing more predictable control, at the cost of speed.
Do you have a different opinion on these? Identifying inaccuracies? Comment below or Contact Me. But be polite please, I don't get paid for this gig.
Where should I buy these?
If you have time, and live in a populous country such as USA or UK, you'll find garage sales and estate sales to be the cheapest place (by far) to buy old Tyco RC and Taiyo RC toys. However for many of us, that's not an option, either due to the time involved, or simply the randomness of what you'll find.
And so eBay ends up being the place most people will buy their Vintage Toys and Tyco RC cars.
This will show any Tyco Typhoon in your area:
If you're like me, and live in Australia or another country who doesn't have heaps of these available, then the best place to buy is eBay Global, though postage will obviously be higher. Here's a look what's available there:
What about the Super Typhoon?
The Taiyo Super Typhoon is a monster sized 1/8 model with the same 9.6V battery pack as the original.
Apparently this is just the same as the Tyco Typhoon 2, and it does look very similar, though without having both side-by-side I can't personally verify that.
I've never personally drove it, so can't say much other than it's harder to find, generally more expensive, and probably best for collectors to focus on rather than someone looking for a little fun or nostalgia.
What about the Typhoon T-3?
The T-3 seems like a T-2 re-design with an updated body, typically transparent and more colorful, but other than that there are no obvious differences in design or behavior that I know of.
The benefit of purchasing a Typhoon T-3 is simply that you'll find more of them in better condition, often with the full box (if you're buying the Taiyo version from Japan), and many come in some pretty sweet looking designs
The T-4 is quite rare, and I've only seen a few of them in the wild, so I won't be speaking about that model in any detail.
Availability and Collectability
There are plenty of Mini Typhoons available online, as well as original Typhoon in both Taiyo (Japanese) and Tyco (Global/US) format.
So what should you buy? Ultimately the original full size version will give you the most realistic 'floating on air' hovercraft feel with the most power and a kind-of 'brake' system with turning off the central fan. If you had this craft as a kid it's probably the one you'd want again for the nostalgia.
Still, unless you're really serious about all this, I'd personally recommend the Mini Typhoon and if possible the Mini Typhoon 2 if you just want a quick nostalgia hit, and for all the other reasons explained above.
But remember - just as you might have learned on Christmas morning in the early 1990s, it's still a hovercraft, and there's one thing a hovercraft does not have that you might miss... wheels!
wpDiscuz
