1983 Skystriker: Combat Jet (XP-14F)

Wings spread, wheels down.

Wings back, wheels up.

The Skystriker box has excellent product photos and diagrammatic illustrations. NOTE: the prototype featured black vertical stabilizers.

The Skystriker (XP-14F) features several moving parts and removable parts, and the sculpt is incredibly detailed. 
Roll over the images below to find out more, or click the images to enlarge them.

Lever slides forward for wheels up, wings back fun.

Lever slides back for wheels down, wings spread landing.

The Skystriker features six missiles.

Two Sidewinder missiles up front.

Two Phoenix missiles on the outside and two Sparrow missiles in the middle.

Left engine covered.

Left engine uncovered.

Right engine covered.

Right engine uncovered.

The front landing gear cover is often missing.

The rear landing gear feature a tiny spring attached to a t-bar. These t-bars are often broken and the springs go missing.

Cockpit canopy opens up to 90 degrees.

Both seats eject and are attached to blue and white parachutes.

Unfolded parachute.

Nothing says freedom like a Bald Eagle and lightning shaped lettering.

Roll over the images below to find out more, or click the images to enlarge them. Photos courtesy of Chad Hucal.

Front left view.

Left view.

Rear left view.

Rear view.

Rear right view.

Right view.

Front right view.

Front view.

Raised front right view.

Overhead view: wings in, wheels up.

Overhead view: wings out, wheels down.

Bottom view: wings in, wheels up.

Bottom view: wings out, wheels down.

Creator Commentary

Ron Rudat (R&D Designer) discusses designing the Skystriker decals.

Skystriker art restoration project!

All art created by Ron Rudat and restored by 3DJoes. Roll over the images below to find out more, or click the images to enlarge them.

This is a scan of the original Skystriker logo! This image (white bird, black head and claws) was used on the prototype vehicle and is featured on the box art (on the black tail fins) before later being inverted (black eagle, white head) for use on the production release with white tail fins.

Using the original Skystriker logo scan (left), I was able to rebuild this inverted, colored version. I made a couple minor changes (colored in the full beak and used more of a mustard yellow than orange for the beak and claws).

Digitally restoring the Skystriker tail fin logo got me fired up to work on the parachute art as well. I photographed an original parachute and then spent an hour or two cleaning it up to make this image.

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