The Tyco Mini Typhoon is a radio control toy hovercraft manufactured by Taiyo (Japan), and released into the US, UK, and other markets worldwide in 1990.
A smaller version of the Tyco Typhoon released the same year, the Mini Typhoon is a real working hovercraft.
Dirt, Water, Snow
The key selling point of the Typhoon was its ability to travel over any smooth surface, whether solid or liquid.
It would work just as well in a swimming pool as it would on the lounge room floor, though due to its delicate Teflon coated rubber 'skirt' which created the curtain of air it floated on, you'd need to be very careful not to get caught on a jagged edge of some rock, tree, or anything else that could penetrate the rubber or get caught in a vent hole ripping it open.
Difference to full size Typhoon
There are a couple of small differences with the Mini versions that you may not notice immediately.
- Controller does not have a switch for the main fan, so as soon as you turn the vehicle on, it will start blowing its skirt and hovering. Personally I don't find this to be a big deal, though others may.
- There is some difference with how the rear fans work, which can make them less effective in smaller areas. What the exact differences are seems to depend on who you ask, however the general consensus is always that they're slightly less effective than the full size versions. Thanks to @casethecorvetteman for pointing this out.
- Smaller lift motor. As a smaller model, the lift motor is also smaller which can be an issue in some conditions. Indoors? Maybe not so much. On water? Definitely.
Does this make a big difference? If you're a casual driver like myself you may not notice, but others may find it important.
Features and Performance
Once moving, all Typhoons were notoriously had to control as they had such weight and momentum that they'd slide across the floor like a block of ice, and smack into whatever was on the other direction.
Once you became familiar with the controls you could typically avoid the first smack into the opposite wall, and guide it away, though you'd then be struggling to prevent it from smacking into something in this new direction.
Ultimately you'd end up bouncing or smacking off various things in the room until you drained the battery, and threw it back in the box.
Despite this, the Typhoon is simply a great toy. If you have a large enough area, for example taking it to an indoor sports hall, you can have some real fun flying around without fear of wiping out onto a wall. A chlorine pool is also not bad, though remember to turn it on first! Thankfully it does have Styrofoam inside to keep it mostly afloat, but it's still going to get wet.
Better value
By all accounts, the full size 9.6V Typhoon wasn't a cheap model, with three motors, a special non-stick rubber skirt, and 8xAA 9.6v pack. I remember getting one for Christmas myself and was surprised how big it was.
And so a smaller, cheaper version that provides most of the same power and functionality was always going to sell well, and in this case I find it just as good, and in some cases I actually prefer to use the Mini Typhoon instead of the larger model.
Recommendation
Whether I can recommend the Mini Typhoon or not depends on whether you want the original, or the most functionally best. I think most would agree that the Mini Typhoon 2 is the better model simply as it's lightened and the design is tweaked and more modern perhaps, however sometimes it's better to have the original - you'll know which one you want. Maybe... both?
