the FANG, Mark 1

The FANG, or Fully Armed Negator Gyrocopter is a lightweight (2200 lbs.), highly stripped down, open-cockpit helicopter that Cobra began to use in 1983 to augment its ground forces with convenient air support. The FANG helicopter has these vehicular characteristics:

C       S       B       P
Gd 10   Rm 30   Ex 20   Sh 0

85mm Rapid Fire Cannon: the primary armament on the FANG, this rather large firearm is located on a front-mounted 'bubble turret', allowing a 45 degree horizontal/vertical swing. It can be fired to inflict Excellent (20) Shooting damage in a short burst, +1 CS in a sustained stream of fire.

Communications Array: to coordinate their actions between a central control base and Cobra's in the field, pilots of the FANG can communicate back and forth via a powerful radio transceiver. It works at Excellent (20) rank, having a maximum range of 100 miles.

Flight: the primary use for this vehicle, the FANG autogyro is capable of flying at pretty decent speeds - and for quite awhile, too. It can fly at up to Remarkable (30) air speeds (195 mph), and may do so for up to 550 miles before it must land for a refueling.

Heat-Seeking Air to Air Rockets: the secondary armament on the FANG, these four missiles can be used to inflict considerable damage to other airborne vessels in its vicinity. These missiles track a target by its heat signature, and are possessed of these vehicular statistics:

C       S       B       Damage
Ex 20   Am 50   Ex 20   Remarkable (30) Edged Attack

Negator Bomb: supplementing its more advanced, air-to-air rockets, the FANG is equipped with a singular bomb it can drop on Cobra's enemies. This 'dumb' weapon simply falls on whatever is below the FANG, and will detonate to inflict Incredible (40) Edged Attack (fragmentary) damage. 

* 1986 VARIATIONS *

the Dreadnok Air Asault Gyro Copter

While Cobra usually has seasoned helicopter combatants at the joystick of their FANGs, the truth is that this mini-copter is relatively easy to fly, when you get down to it. As such, it was no surprise that the Dreadnoks 'borrowed' a few for the occasional joyride.

The Dreadnoks refer to these as their 'Air Assault' Gyro Copters, though most self-respecting Cobras know better. Aside from their atrocious, multi-hued green paint jobs, these vehicles are unchanged from the bog-standard, Mark 1 FANG model.

* 1989 VARIATIONS *

the FANG, Mark 2

The Mark 2 FANG is an entirely new aircraft, though it serves in the same basic role as the Mark 1. Using a tiltrotor design, the Mark 2 FANG can take off and land vertically, but more more like an airplane once it's in the sky - allowing it to travel at +2 CS velocities.

The Mark 2 FANG is armed with six air-to-air missiles instead of the original's four, but it lacks the Negator bomb which was kind of its namesake. It is similarly armed otherwise, including the presence of a chin-mounted, 20mm chain gun, which inflicts the same damage.

* 2002 VARIATIONS *

the FANG, Mark 3

The Mark 3 FANG reverts back to a more conventional helicopter design, though it has considerably more armaments. Its missiles are fired from a bottom-mounted launcher, it can carry two Negator bombs, one behind each skid, and it has a rotary barrel chin gun.

Lcking the tiltrotor mechanism, the Mark 3 FANG cannot reach the ludicrous speed that its predecessor was capable of. On the other hand, this variety of FANG is built much more durable than its predecessors, and has a +1 CS to its Body rating as a result.

* 2003 VARIATIONS *

the Missile Storm Copter

Built utilizing plans stolen from the US military, the Mark 3 FANG is actually a pretty faithful derivative of the GI Joe team's eventual Missile Storm Copter. Of course, the latter has a bright green camouflage pattern, instead of the Mark 3 FANG's dark blue hue.

Built after more rigorous testing, and lacking the snake-themed flourishes of the model that saw action first, the Missile Storm Copter lacks bombs entirely. However, it benefits a second, side-mounted chain gun instead, which inflicts the same damage as its chin gun.

* 2004 VARIATIONS *

the Tiger Storm Copter

Further field tests and engineering refinement of the Missile Storm Copter have allowed GI Joe to build the Tiger Storm Copter. This is a vehicle that is functionally the same as its predecessor, but many of the kinks have been worked out of its systems.

Additionally, the Tiger Storm Copter is mainly rolled out during operations in more arid climates. This is why it features a primarily tan camouflage pattern instead of its predecessor's bright green, as well as minor alterations to filter dust and sand from its engine intakes.