The 1997 Technic lineup for the North American market features several new sets of particular interest. The smallest set is an innovative one, the 8205 Bungee Blaster. This is a small yellow dragster built around just one 16-peg Technic beam, but it features an elastic cord power source. To have a race you need a second vehicle so there is a companion red dragster, the 2129 promotional set.
There are a couple of other racing vehicles in the new lineup. The 8216 race car is a small white car with blue flexible tubing for trim. The 8229 all terrain car introduces rubber treads. The treads are made up of one continuous piece of rubber and fit on to a new style of Technic wheel. The red car can be disassembled into two separate modules and comes with a Technic action figure.
There are flying craft as well. The 8215 Gyro-Copter is a small one man helicopter in black with red and yellow trim. The 8222 VTOL airplane is a small black airplane with two propellers that rotate with the wings upwards for take off or forward for flight. The 8222 comes with a Technic action figure. The 8232 ST-232 helicopter features "Press & Play" action. The rotor blades rotate as a lever is pushed inward. The medium sized helicopter comes with a Technic action figure.
The 8250 U97 pneumatic submarine features a pneumatic claw in the front. This medium sized yellow submarine has a blue air reservoir tank and blue pneumatic tubing. It comes with a Technic action figure. The final new set in the 8200 series is a the 8277 Giant Model set. Under the old number scheme this set would have been a universal set. The featured models include a large yellow robot, a helicopter and a rather fierce looking cat.
Two 8400 series sets previously released in Europe are now part of the North American Technic line. The smallest, the 8408 V2 Sports Car, is a medium size car in yellow with a two cylinder engine. More exciting is the 8456 Multi Racer set, which is large set in black with green trim, another first. The set features a multitude of models including a helicopter, a dragster, and a swamp boat. The fiber optics is used to simulate the engine firing. Alternate models are said to include a Giant Misquito and a robot.
Joe Lauher lauher@sbchem.sunysb.edu