The Tyco Tiger Tank is a radio controlled toy tank in 1/16 scale, manufactured by Taiyo (Japan), and released into the US, UK, and other markets worldwide in 1986.
History and Concept
Based on the actual World War 2 era King Tiger Tank, it may seem unusual that Tyco USA would release only a German World War II tank, and not a modern M1 Abrams or similar, however it makes more sense knowing that the original was created by Taiyo (Japan) for the Japanese market (Japan being allies of Germany in WW2), and the Tiger itself being one of the most recognizable armored vehicles in history.
Features and Performance
In the original Japanese version, the tank fires BB pellets which are loaded in through the top hatch. In the US, UK, and Australian versions this is replaced by electronic sounds including engine noise, machine guns, and the main gun firing. Pretty cool still!
The tank itself moves as expected, with the turret also rotating left and right, and the up/down of the turret able to be changed manually. Additionally, on the side of the turret is a working 'search light'.
As for speed and torque, the tank has plenty of go and none of the characteristic 'gear crunching' found in many cheaper tanks and large toy R/C vehicles.
Controls and Sound Effects
The controller is a standard Taiyo/Tyco model, with additional buttons for tank specific operations.
Turning the turrent is achieved by pressing the Turret Left, and Turret Right buttons under each stick.
On the tip right are two tactile buttons for cannon firing and machine gun noises.
Switching the vehicle on will start its engine running sound.
Unusual Battery System
The vehicle is powered by 4x C size batteries, plus an onboard 9V battery, making me suspect that perhaps its circuitry is based on the early 1980s Taiyo R/C cars such as the 1984 Taiyo 4WD Toyota Hilux which used similar battery setups.
Recommendation
The Tyco Tiger Tank is a high quality model typical of its manufacturer Taiyo (Japan), and continues to operate well almost 40 years after its release, with no known material defects or degradations.
Since this isn't a model likely to crash at high speed, most items you'll find online are in good condition, and many are available with the original box.
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