The Tyco Half Traxx is a radio control car manufactured by Taiyo (Japan), and released into the US, UK, and other markets worldwide in 1992. It is a successor to the original 1991 Tyco Half Traxx (not currently documented, but similar to this)
Practical purpose or just a gimmick?
At first glance, you might consider the Half Traxx as just a Frankenstein model, the result of Taiyo / Tyco's common habit of mixing existing parts to create a "new" vehicle. However the concept of a half-tracked car is a very real and very practical design that played a role decades earlier in 1938 during the dawn of World War 2.
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, and so a new design was called for.
Taking inspiration from imported French Citroën-Kégresse snow vehicles that had canvas half-tracks, the US designed a full size vehicle with tank treads at the rear, and truck wheels at the front, combining the carrying capability of heavy tracked vehicles, with the maneuverability of regular wheeled vehicles.
The M2 Half-Track was born (photo above) and it 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.
Half-Traxx Versions
Tyco (USA) would produce their own color scheme that was separate to the original manufacturer's (Taiyo Japan), providing us with a 27Mhz bright green and 49Mhz silver/chrome version of the Half Traxx, as seen above.
Taiyo were keen on bright pinks and black color schemes (as shown below), something we've seen them apply to various other models around this time period.
Features and Performance
With a Mini Blaster front end and a Fast Traxx rear, the Half Traxx utilises two known good designs... especially useful if you are seeking to carry heavy munitions around the European hillside during a wet winter!
It would also perform well in the back yard on mud, concrete paths, and uneven terrain.
And with the same Fast Traxx power-train of Twin Mabuchi 370 motors powered by a 9.6V battery pack, it retained all the power of the original, while also allowing you to actually steer around corners accurately, and without clumsily stopping and turning like a WWII tank.
Note: Photos of these Tyco Half Traxx suggest metal steering knuckles, as used on some higher grade models. I have a Taiyo variant in my own collection I'll need to check whether this is the case. If you can confirm this, leave a comment below!
Specification at a glance:
- 9.6V Turbo with Twin Mabuchi 370 motors mean plenty of power
- Rear Tracks with Front Steering Column
- Jet Fighter cockpit and twin rear wings!
- Chrome wheels just like the Fast Traxx
- Unlike the Fast Traxx, comes with a proper Front BUmper
- Front and Rear Suspension
- Some seriously wild color schemes
Availability and Collectability
There are literally a dozen different Fast Traxx designs ( check out my Encyclopedia of Fast Traxx!), and while the Half Traxx may not be the most popular of them all, it's still the only one to modify the original design, and it did so in an interesting and exciting way.
These Tyco versions, with their striking Silver/Chrome Flames and Fluorescent Green color schemes are especially attractive, and I think you'll agree that there's something uniquely cool about these cars. They deserve their place in any Taiyo / Tyco collection - especially for those Fast Traxx fanatics just like me who can't get enough of them!
Buyers note: make sure you pick one up with decent rear tracks, because while regular 'long' tracks can be hard to find and replace, these half traxx are near impossible.
Photo Credit: Silver Half Traxx from Facundo Julian Perez via Facebook.
Typo Buster: Thanks to K. Davis for correcting errors.
