The Tyco Twin Turbo Aero Hopper is a radio controlled car manufactured by Taiyo (Japan) and released into the US, UK, and other markets worldwide in 1990.
How to identify 1988 vs 1990 model
It can be difficult to differentiate between the original 1988 Tyco Twin Turbo Hopper and this 1990 Tyco Twin Turbo Aero Hopper, as they both have the same body and chassis, with just slightly different decals. In fact we even had the incorrect model displayed here for some time, doh!
The easiest way to tell the difference is the 1990 version has a large '9.6V' on the side, as you can see in both 27Mhz and 49Mhz variants below.
Features and Performance
One of the most well equipped cars Tyco ever made.
- Large 1/12 scale with aerodynamic body
- 9.6v Turbo Battery Pack
- Dual Mabuchi 280 motors
- Rear Differential
- 2WD with a top speed of 31km/h
- Pistol grip controller with hand guard
- Front and rear shock absorbers
- Adjustable front wing and super-sized rear wing
- Extra wide front wheels
- Silver (49Mhz) and Black (27Mhz)
one of Taiyo / Tyco's all time best radio control toys
1/12 or 1/14 Scale?
The original vehicle this is based on, the Aero Jet Fighter, quotes a 1/14 scale car on the box - already quite large for Taiyo. Yet on this Tyco (US) edition it says 1/12 scale. So what is it? Well, as there's no real life Aero Jet Fighter to base the scale of this model on, it's tough to say, however this is one large model, and personally I think it's somewhere between 1/12 and 1/14, so either is fine.
Availability and Collectability
Personally I believe this model is in the running for the best Taiyo/Tyco ever made (from a technical and performance perspective), the Twin Turbo Aero Hopper is a huge car compared to its siblings, a 'toy grade' with serious power, and an excellent example of what Taiyo/Tyco were capable of - a true high performance RC for a reasonable price.
What's more, these are often easier to pickup than a Turbo Hopper MK1 or MK2, or Wild Thing, despite being twice as large, fast, and sophisticated. In my opinion the market for these just hasn't caught up yet, but when people realize how incredibly awesome these cars are (wildly better than a Turbo Hopper), they'll suddenly get very scarce. So, if you're thinking of grabbing a Twin Turbo Aero Hopper, do it at the first available opportunity, as it won't be long until they're near impossible to find.
Update 2024: These are now quite hard to find, with only 2 sales in the past 4 months online. One was for a good price (car only), and the other a much higher offer.
