Something that has bothered me for a while is the fact that Skystriker and Dragonfly have names for the guys in the second seats but we never got figures of them. So I set out to fix that in my Joeverse, first with Ace's RIO... Lt. Wayne Ruthel. I have an idea for Wild Bill's gunner, M. Sgt. W.C. Culbert too but I'm waiting for the 25th Wild Bill figure to come out.

Hound Dog - Call made by supporting fighter or a wingman indicating he has visual, tally, and a clear path to the bandit and is in an advantageous position to engage.

Codename: Hound Dog
Fighter Pilot/RIO

File Name: Ruthel, Wayne
Primary Military Specialty: Radar Intercept Officer (RIO)
Secondary Military Specialty: Fixed Wing Pilot
Birthplace: San Diego, California

Wayne "Hound Dog" Ruthel was born to fly. Raised in the shadow of the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School at NAS Miramar in Southern California, Hound Dog grew up around fighter pilots and admired their mystique. After high school he enlisted in the Navy and quickly became qualified as an aviator, joining an F-14 squadron as a RIO. It was on a temporary deplyoment aboard the U.S.S. Flagg that he came to the attention of the Joe team. His ability to identify enemy targets faster and more accurately than any of the others in his squadron quickly earned him a place on the Joe team. Hound Dog was paired with the Joes lead jet pilot, Ace and the two have been a team ever since.

"Hound Dog didn't get his callsign because of his ability to track enemy planes. No he got it from his tenaciousness when pursuing the opposite sex. He's the perfect wingman in and out of the cockpit. Just ask Clutch."

Head: 25th Roadblock
Body, vest, helmet: 25th Ace

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So simple. So cool. Nicely done.

YES!

Very effective as a new pilot (great filecard), it's even better because you kept the flightsuit looking just like Ace's, no change warranted. I'm okay with a lack of uniformity for 90% of the Joe roster but flight teams, the 2 guys assigned to the same vehicle, shouldn't ever look random.

The endeavor to create a character from the names on the vehicles is inspired. Hasbro should have in the first place but since they fumbled that ball, this is cool to see. **

Nice work!




** This from the guy who created characters of the nameless guys driving the Desert Striker in the box art, yes. I believe names and faces should be granted to the unfortunate nameless and faceless "lost" or "never were" Joes.