Thunder Machine

The Thunder Machine is a fictional, four wheeled, armored, weaponized vehicle used by the Dreadnoks, a biker gang/mercenary group in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic books and cartoon series. The Dreadnoks work for Cobra, the primary enemy for G.I. Joe.

The vehicle was created and driven by Thrasher, one of the newer members of the Dreadnoks. The fiction describes it as cobbled together from parts salvaged from several different vehicles, including a 1980s model Pontiac Trans-Am, a dune buggy, a pickup truck and various others. The Thunder Machine is propelled by a jet engine similar to jet-propelled dragsters. This made it fast but hard to maneuver. The vehicle was built on a military truck chassis, similar to a Humvee. It had armor plating riveted over most of the exterior surface. The armor is believed to be from old tanks, and according to Thrasher, the Thunder Machine is capable of taking as much, if not, more damage than a Cobra H.I.S.S tank. The front tires were racing tires, adding some maneuverability. Since an engine wasn't required, the front of the truck was replaced with the nose of a 1970s era Pontiac Trans Am on top of which was mounted a roll cage and two huge armor-piercing Gatling guns.

As a toy, it was available for purchase in 1986, complete with the action figure of the Thrasher. It featured belt-fed synchronized "Penetrator" Gatling guns, and had room for a driver, passenger, and eight people standing on the running boards.

In 1993, it was recast, and released as the "Beast Blaster", as part of the Street Fighter II toy line, also produced by Hasbro at the time. It was also released in Venezuela, in slightly different colors.

The vehicle first appears in G.I.Joe #51. A Dreadnok-led escape by Zartan from Joe Headquarters leads to a multi-vehicle chase through the swamps. The Thunder Machine's weapons severely damages Heavy Metal's MAULER tank and easily knocks aside Crankcase's A.W.E. Striker. It comes down to Cross Country and Sgt. Slaughter on the HAVOC vehicle chasing the Thunder Machine. Thrasher's driving skills, weaponry and willingness to take suicidal risks allow the Dreadnoks to temporarily escape the HAVOC. Sgt. Slaughter actually finds them later but the team's disguise skills are sufficient to fool him.

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