The Dickie Jet Fighter is a radio control car manufactured by Taiyo of Japan, and distributed in Germany by Dickie Toys in 1987.
This is the German language version of the original Japanese Taiyo Jet Fighter which was Made in Japan. As with most Taiyo models created for outside markets, it is Made in Singapore with the same high quality and attention to detail Taiyo was known for.
As we've said before in other Jet Fighter articles for the Japanese and Western versions, it's easily one of the best designs Taiyo ever created. Well engineered chassis, typical excellent Taiyo Japan quality, with plenty of power, and a suspension system to keep it all working together nicely.
Obviously Taiyo took significant inspiration from many of the popular Tamiya buggies of the era, such as Tamiya's The Fox, with a more acceptable price tag for those not yet willing to commit to a hobby-grade model at the time.
The most popular, and in my opinion the most aesthetically pleasing is the yellow 40Mhz version , especially if you can find one that's clean, mint, with still shiny plastic, it really catches the eye.
Performance
Released just 1 year after the original Taiyo Jet Hopper (Tyco Turbo Hopper), the Jet Fighter is bigger, more aggressive, and with a more sophisticated design with easier access to batteries.
Features include:
- Larger 1/14 scale body
- 9.6v 'Turbo' 8xAA power and Power LED
- Easy access to batteries along bottom of vehicle
- Extra large rear shocks and sophisticated front suspension
- Large air filled tires
- Top speed of 27km/h (17mph) matching the Jet Hopper despite larger size
- Available in White, Yellow, and quite rare Black
- Likely passive steering (turns only when driving) but not confirmed
Rare Black Variant
A kind reader has donated these photos of his lovely Black colored Dickie Jet Fighter, the first I've ever seen myself, and something not many people have seen. Suspected to be only a local Dickie Toys variant.
Recommendation
Overall, the Jet Fighter is a near perfect model, born during their golden years of Taiyo, and could be considered an essential part of any collection. What color you enjoy best is a personal preference. I've always thought the yellow was quite eye catching, others like the more traditional white.
