The Taiyo Half Traxx is a radio controlled half-track vehicle by Taiyo (Japan), released into the Japanese market in 1991. It was based on the original Fast Traxx, and later sold in the USA and across the world as the 1992 Tyco Half Traxx.
See a video of me unboxing an as-new Fast Traxx here.
While some may think the Half Traxx is just another gimmick designed to attract a child's interest, the idea of a half-tracked car began decades earlier, during the dawn of World War 2 in 1938. When the US cavalry found that its regular armored scout cars were getting stuck in the wet and mud thanks to the high ground pressure caused by the weight of their armor, a new design was called for which combined the carrying capability of heavy tracked vehicles, with the maneuverability of wheeled vehicles.
And from this the M2 Half-Track was born, which soon became the go-to vehicle for the US and it's allies via lend lease during World War 2 for the towing of howitzers, the carrying of tank shells, and scouting in rough muddy terrain.
And so the Half Traxx, a combination of a Mini Blaster front and a Fast Traxx rear comes as a known worthwhile design - if you are seeking to carry heavy munitions around the European hillside during a particularly wet winter, while under attack from 'Ze Germans'. But as children's toy?
We cannot help but think that a regular Mini Blaster or a Fast Traxx, one or the other, would have done a better job of play time, but we love that Taiyo gave it a shot, and we wouldn't have it any other way!
Features and Performance
It should be acknowledged that the Half Traxx is possibly the only "Traxx" variant that does not actually use a Fast Traxx chassis. So what is it then?
Those very familar with Taiyo / Tyco may look at the front end and think... Mini Blaster. With its jet fighter inspired cockpit design, the Mini Blaster (and larger 9.6V Turbo Blaster) was always going to be the perfect match.
This being the case, the Half Traxx does not have 2 x Mabuchi 280 motors like its namesake, and instead would have a single motor driving the rear, probably a single 280 however we're not able to confirm that yet. Due to this we'd expect reduced speeds, though the Fast Traxx (despite its name) was never just about speed, it was about going fast while going over anything, and we're confident that the Half Traxx can fulfill much of that obligation still, though maybe not as good as the original.
Availability and Collectability
Is the Half Traxx worth collecting? While it's not one of the Tier 1 "Must Have" models generally agreed between Taiyo / Tyco Collectors, the Half Traxx has a following amongst collectors, perhaps simply because nothing else like it has been made.
For anyone like myself who collects Fast Traxx in general, the Taiyo Half Traxx is one of the last models I'm trying to locate as it's not very common.
2024 Update: I finally found the white Half Traxx shown above, that one is part of my collection.
