VEHICLE: TimMee/Processed Plastics Co. Military Defender Helicopter toy.
ORDINANCE: Various GI Joe missiles
PAINT: Tamiya olive drab (aircraft) and Tamiya matt black spray paint.
MARKINGS: GI Joe Dragonhawk and Locust decals from Cobrastickers.com
FIGURES: fits any ARAH or Modern style GI Joe figures. 25th Anniversary Wild Bill and Lift Ticket figures used in pictures.

I was never a fan of the Dragonhawk helicopter that came out with the "GI Joe: Rise of Cobra" movie toyline. While it looked neat, the vehicle was way too tiny to be realistic, even by GI Joe standards. I wanted to make something that did the helicopter more justice. This was actually my second attempt at a proper Dragonhawk and came about after I discovered an old TimMee toys large plastic helicopter on eBay. The helicopter is a near spot-on renditioning of an early concept for the Bell/McDonnell-Douglass Light Helicopter Experimental (LHX) project from the early 1990s which looked like something straight from the GI Joe universe. I repainted the TimMee helicopter and applied new markings to give it a classic GI Joe feel.

As far as the story goes, the GI Joe Dragonhawk LHX concept came about as a replacement for the venerable Dragonfly helicopter, which was exceeding 30 years in age and increasingly outclassed on the modern battlefield. The Dragonhawk Mk I was essentially a heavily-modified AH-64 Apache, while the Dragonhawk Mk II was an all-out new vehicle.

The Dragonhawk MK II is faster, quieter, and better armed and armored than any other helicopter in the GI Joe inventory. It makes use of a revolutionary 'No-tail-Rotor' (NOTAR) stabilization system; Bell 680 rotor system; a fly-by-wire Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS); and stealth capabilities to seek out and destroy Cobra armor, infantry, and aircraft. Sporting a winch system, the helicopter can also be used for light towing and rescue duties. The aerodynamically-streamlined fuselage and retractable landing gear help make the Dragonhawk one of the fastest and stealthiest helicopters in the world. A rotating gun turret with two 20mm gatling guns, cheek-mounted forward-firing 20mm cannon, and 4 ordinance hardpoints on the wings ensure the Dragonhawk Mk II LHX can carry the fight to Cobra - and win!