April Fools! Tragic Story of the Star Wars Sandcrawler Toy

[@jediknightjairinaiki560]

My uncle was friends with Russell. This explains why, when we watch "A New Hope", he gets the thousand yard stare whenever the Sandcrawler appears on screen and why he cheers and smiles when Luke, Obi-Wan and the Droids come upon the slaughtered Jawas and the destroyed Sandcrawler.

[@spankynater4242]

Russell was my neighbor, he was a little pitch, nobody liked him anyway.

[@spankynater4242]

To add insult to injury, I heard that when the parents actually tried to redeem the coupon, the store refused it.

[@acrodave9287]

Little Tommy from Des Moines couldn't get the remote to change the TeeVee channels, but it sure got the locked drawer in Mommy and Daddies bedroom to make a funny buzzing noise!

[@Booger414]

I remember hearing about this years ago, before it was scrubbed from the media. My parents said this was because both toys were made with parts left over from when both toy companies were defense contractors. Supposedly, they were never supposed to be sold in the same market because they were both parts of a military time travel experiment.

[@LightofLucifer-m8q]

My step brother's uncle's cousin's best friend died of rectal trauma due to an accident he had with his x-wing toy.

[@tperson8347]

"Stay on target!" :) "Pull out, Wedge, you can't do any more good back there" "I'm getting a problem here .. " "EJECT!" [crashes X-Wing into "swamp"]

[@LightofLucifer-m8q]

@@tperson8347 😂

[@johnbest1978]

Congratulations Junkman on getting the Jawa Sandcrawler now if you could get the Return Of The Jedi Skiff that you've been searching for. Awesome video Junkman I didn't know that about the kid that burned to death from the Sandcrawler. Poor kid, thank you for sharing this video my friend and have a safe and blessed day.

[@ThatJunkman]

I hope I can get it!

[@tomcruisenukedmyaccount5388]

I read it is cool but hard to get.

[@alfredpedneau9598]

The next HASLAB Project !!!

[@dank3151]

as a kid I didnt know there was such an advantage to having a toy go "forward, backward, then forward again" but as an adult I wear the batteries out after I duct tape a xwing to the top so the long skinny part sticks out past the front edge of the sand crawler about 5 or 6 inches

[@jediknightjairinaiki560]

😲

[@NintendoSuperstar93]

That is insane that a toy could do THAT much damage, sure it’d be cool to see the Starsky & Hutch vehicle go very fast, but it’s not worth losing anybody’s life over.

[@tperson8347]

Someone's got to be the sacrifice.

[@spankynater4242]

Little Russell was a jerk.

[@tomcruisenukedmyaccount5388]

They would be more lethal if they launched lawn darts. They were horrifying, even back in the day.

[@tomcruisenukedmyaccount5388]

​@@spankynater4242Like the kid who choked on the Battlestar Galactica missle and ruined Boba Fett.

[@acrodave9287]

Little Tommy from Des Moines couldn't get his remote to change the TeeVee channels but it sure made the locked drawer in Mommy and Daddies bedroom make a funny buzzing noise!

[@francoisregis2155]

🤣

[@WilliamTurk]

The timing of this video is suspicious!

[@petebutler5139]

Junkman done gave me another one of them fancy words, “Frontwards”. I’m fixin to use that’n!

[@Brad772006]

I had heard a rumor that Starsky kept a sand crawler remote in the glove box of the Torino just in case an extra boost was needed to catch the bad guys.

[@mikemonk4375]

Front wards, then backwards, then frontwards again. You know, so you could replicate that scene where the Jawas were trying to get in that tight parking spot in Mos Eisley.

[@shanester1832]

Sandcrawlers, harmless toy or silent killer? News at noon. The phrase 'burned to death' was a step too far. I suddenly remembered what day it was.

[@tperson8347]

Haha :) Stone Phillips: "Trampoline: a dangerous back yard killer, or a child's plaything? You be the judge. Here's Nancy."

[@ciscodeer9094]

Are you pulling my leg junkman ?

[@projektkobra2247]

What day is it?

[@ciscodeer9094]

​@@projektkobra2247I thought it was Arbor Day😂

[@spankynater4242]

The REM song what’s the frequency, Kenneth? Is memorializing this event.

[@Chris23513]

I bought a vintage Sand crawler in the 90s and unfortunately I also had the CB radio car and the same thing happened to me lucky for me I survived.

[@AnakinStarkiller1974]

Oh Forward and backward! I thought I only went forward lol And that is insane that they had remote control all the way back in 78' but they never really used it again until way later

[@robert5235]

I always wanted that as a kid but it was never at the store

[@robert5235]

Blaming a 12 year old for not reading the instructions is wild

[@3Storms]

"Freak-win-see." I never had one of these. I should price them to see if it's not too bad.

[@tperson8347]

Not to be confused with a freak in a onesie. :)

[@LightofLucifer-m8q]

That looks like it's made out of chocolate.

[@ThatJunkman]

Mmmm i wish

[@johnw8578]

That was... Anyway, i do have the Star Trek Sandcrawler and the remote. The remote sometimes makes my dog walk backwards and then forwards again.

[@scottunes3957]

GD it Junkman. I swear, you had me right up to the part about the $5 coupon

[@LEGENDCITYest1963]

I bought one when I was a kid... The motor burnt out in it within the first 10 minutes of me using it so I traded it for the Millennium Falcon

[@alexnejako777]

my friend who had all the cool toys had the Sandcrawler. We really didn't ever play with it. He had a lot of the newest stuff.

[@JoesBlows]

Jeepers! The quote from Kenner rep,blaming kid for not reading instructions " ...or chose not to read and his death is only to be blamed on him" "However Kenner will send his parents a 5 dollar coupon off any Star Wars toy they pick" 😮😂

[@efrem1226]

Instead of stop drop and roll he could have tried to duck and cover! We all knew better than to bring fire to bed with us!

[@thomasfadden3394]

I have one I’ll have to wrap it in caution tape! I’m a teacher and at school we have walkie talkies. If I push the button on mine and I’m within a few feet of my room the lights will dim. I better not bring my sandcrawler remote to school!

[@mikemonk4375]

Remember when Little Jimmy put his Starsky and Hutch CB radio inside his sandcrawler? Every time he keyed the mike and said “breaker, breaker” his Bumpaw would shit his pants on account of the pacemaker he got after the war.

[@DanielJohn-xr7ly]

My older bro gabe me his, but he had improvised it by screwing set of rollor skates underneath. I guess he lost the remote control or the motor had kickef the bucket. But he did a good job and it rolled awesome and looked normal. I loved it. Had couple Jawas, but i had lot of fun using it as s vehicle for Jabba and his gang...filled in for Jabbas Skiff. Unfortunately I sold it for weed money in my 20s w the rest of my vintage collection.

[@sithcritic8906]

Thanks for the PSA Junkman! Now I need to dispose of my radio controller for my boxed Sandcrawler. It will no longer be complete, but at least I’ll be safe!

[@josephreynoldsii5048]

The Sandcrawler is one thing I'd like to add to my collection - prices are a bit too high, tho. When I was a kid living in Germany, my parents got me the remote controlled R2-D2. Being a little kid, I didn't always turn it off. This was not a good thing because whenever the German truckers used their CB, it activated the R2 unit when on....and sadly, it fell off the dresser one day....but it wasn't damaged.

[@rumblehat4357]

Never had one, always wanted one, never saw it in stores, yet it still looks awesome to this day.

[@jamesclukey7488]

Own it, got it !

[@johnliller]

I almost got one of these when I was a kid. It was marked down in price and my mom tried to talk me into getting this instead of another Tauntaun. Screw that, Empire just came out and I needed to build my rebel army. edit: It wasn't just at Sears. The one I almost got was in a Hills department store.

[@oldschooltommyim]

Gunkle had a near deadly mishap wit dat mote causin a fricshun fire in his anoose

[@GarretGrayCamera]

I can't remember, but I remember some device that would give you an electrical zap every now and then. Maybe it was a video game at the arcade. It was like it made your hand vibrate if you held it a certain way. Come to think of it, I think was the trackball for Missile Command.

[@richhernandez542]

I have one. I actually wanted to buy the boxed "Ewok Village" on a business trip. The clerk insisted I buy the "Sand Crawler." No regrets and such a "rare' toy to have.

[@williamwilkinson6665]

I'm suprised the radio contol worked. I got the Raido controlled R2 for Christmas that year and the darn thing didnt work

[@tomcruisenukedmyaccount5388]

It looks cool, but I don't remember it.

[@Zan_Jayna]

'Star Trek Sand Crawler House' is the most boomer thing I've ever heard

[@mzeroxx69]

Had one without the deadly remote!! my dad rigged a Walkie talkie as the remote!! No Lie!! every time i pushed the talk button it would go forward then backwards then forward again!!

[@tomperkins4965]

Poor kid and him poor family sue Kenner toys for him dead.I wonder they ever test the box before release.

[@nerdcraftercoley7305]

Ah yes I remember it like it was yesterday. I was born in 1979 and was watching the live coverage of the Titanic sinking on ABC it interrupted the live news coverage because that was bigger news. It was 1975 I believe. I had just gotten home from having pizza at Starbucks with my family. We had also just seen Back to the Future staring Bill Murray as Marty McFly and The Rock as Doc.

[@craigw.scribner6490]

April Fools to you too, Junkman!

[@greyeyed123]

I put my hamsters in there when cleaning their cages. The little rascals chewed the little plastic bars in the windows in the front. Otherwise I would have a mint condition Sand Crawler! Why was I so dumb in 7th grade?

[@peterrenaud9639]

And that's how you do it😜👌 great job Junkman

[@Drew_73]

Why is it always some kid named Russell who screws it up for the rest of us!

[@tperson8347]

That's what I was thinking! Haha :)

[@blazingskull65]

The only time I’ve witness anybody catching fire 🔥 around toys is when they dare to touch mine 😅!!!!

[@svgn1]

My father was the Kenner designer who amped up the frequency. His life spiraled after that and out of guilt he eventually committed suicide. I had no more Star Wars Christmas' after that.

[@GR-pv5jx]

Sorry to hear that. Did you get at least a five dollar off coupon from Kenner?

[@jordil6152]

You would think that LGN wins the blame game for producing a toy that was solid enough to shatter a child's ankle and then explode into flames. I'm surprised that Kenner kept the remote-feature in the toy during the rerelease. Just slap on some push wheels, and throw in a few Jawas and a couple weird new paints/stickers on the R2 to compensate for the loss of the lethal feature. Heck, toss in that big droid that didnt get beyond the prototype phase. Anyway, reprehensible negligence like this is why we didnt get the Star Trek 3 self-destructing Enterprise that uses real shot gun shells.

[@jamiepike6909]

You could have dusted it JM😂

[@ThatJunkman]

Never!!

[@tperson8347]

It's a desert vehicle. :)

[@projektkobra2247]

April Fools.

[@MOTU_CTR]

I heard that Analog Toys and Retroblasting got in their time traveling DeLorean and tried to set it up to blame Spector Creative and Junkman in the future!

[@kdoss4725]

You're right. That toy is deadly. It killed my childhood friend. RIP lil Ricky😥😥

[@tperson8347]

It's always a kid named Russell, too. "But why would parents want to blame Jawas?" This is another reason why living in the 70s is way better, because you've had a whole lot of time since then to make everything safe and boring. Now you can't do anything. I like how you put that Jawa in a "crash position" :) Thanks for the story Thanks for the video

[@dominicrondini5980]

🤯 that story is messed up....... funny though. That's the first time I ever heard that. Thanks Junk, I feel like I definitely need to add the Sandcrawler to my collection! Hope mine won't be possessed like Christine! Lol 😆 Thanks for the great videos! 😊

[@manofaction1807]

I WANT ONE!! FORWARDS, BACKWARDS, THEN FORWARDS AGAIN!!!! If I get one, I'll never leave the house!!!

[@tperson8347]

"Back and to the left. Back and to the left"

[@udovelvet]

too sad. I did a lot of stupid stuff with my toys. they are supposed to fuel the imagination.

[@gooseduck8552]

Damn, never heard about this, crazy story!

[@WoebringerofDoom]

I'm the kind of person that messes around with the big boy remote control toys and if you aren't careful bad things can happen.

[@jjdigitalvideosolutionsllc5343]

Kenner could have released this as a reduced cost vehicle without the remote control & motor. It's a great toy without that feature.

[@Concreteowl]

Free Jack Klugman

[@chriskylo323]

Kid dies Kenner gives away coupon…. film at 11:00 lol poor little guy.

[@bladerunner1b]

I remember this happening because when I got my Sandcrawler for Christmas it stopped working 2 days later. Went to exchange it at Children's Palace and they just took it and ran to the back room with it telling us it had been re-called and they could refund or I could pick something else. I chose to pick something else but when I went to the boys toy isle they had stacks of the Sandcrawler on the top shelf almost reaching the ceiling. So, my parents asked the employee to get the ladder and grab one for me but he refused just saying that "he couldn't do that" before walking off in a daze. I forget what I got in exchange but I will never forget that day for as long as I live.

[@machineman6498]

My cousin had the CB car. Kinda recall it being a real CB with super low range. The closest I could do was blow up the motor in my Torino too! It was a loud bang and then nothing. Never got over that one.

[@monnierobinson9210]

That's why my mom didn't want any Jawas in the house! I couldn't afford the Sandcrawler on my grass cutting budget... Thanks for making me grateful for not buying this once in a lifetime coincidence of playtime disaster. I got the Micromachines version, much safer.

[@francoisregis2155]

That’s what happen when you don’t read instructions. Instead of throwing it read damn it read 🤣 Cool you have a sandcrawler. Got lucky 2 years ago in a garage sale someone gave me a sandcrawler and dagobah playset Sure im missing the remote control and side door with ramp but I have one. Great video Junkman.

[@McFarlaneDragonClan]

Dang, that's crazy you even got one of em! I like the story but also feel for the victims and each victim's family! I can't believe a freaking $5 dollar coupon, that's adding insult to injury ask me.🙄

[@therealzeel3081]

Surprised RetroBlasting didn't do this video. Ripping on Original Star Wars toys is kind of his thing. Especially when it comes to corporate greed. And clearly Hasbro and Disney is to blame for something Kenner did 40 years ago.....

[@greyeyed123]

Is it just me, or does the text of the newspaper article sound suspiciously like Junkman? "Both toys are fine alone, but it SEEM in rare cases the Star Wars SHIP can cause the police car to overheat and burst in THE flames." (caps mine) Just sayin'.

[@ThatJunkman]

You didn’t catch the “trek” one ;)

[@Straight0uttaCrofton]

i thought you were going to say because it would flip going around turns like a Suzuki Samauri

[@LoganHowlet-rw9bg]

I like the fact it can go FORWARD!!!!!!!!!!and then BACKWARD!!!!!!!!!! But with the awesome variety of movement I think backwards might be the deadly part because jawas don't have rearview mirrors

[@AnakinStarkiller1974]

That is rare where the hell did you find that thing!?!?😮

[@gaopapa65]

Still don’t see why they recalled it.

[@charlesdotterman4580]

Jesus........i want it

[@braniganirby3586]

3:37😮

[@Ohionortheast]

I was a poor kid,took a cardboard box painted it brown put some styrofoam seats in and some roller skate wheels with a coat hanger axel I think mine was better it went front and back and front again without a remote

[@_The_Worst_]

✔️💯👌🏼...yrots das a hcuS

[@charlesdotterman4580]

The word is frrreeequenciy

[@pauljensen5699]

😂April forks!😂

[@MarshalTennerWinter]

Please tell me you're lying about the coupon offer.

[@peterparker6584]

Starsky and Hutch CB radio oh God that just has red flags all over it. I wonder who the genius was that come up with that. At any rate I thought I'd point out this is only the second time I've seen the sandcrawler. Normally I only see it in paper promotional material from back in the day. I think the remote for the R2D2 will operate the sandcrawler pretty sure they were both the same frequency so if you've got the R2D2 remote you might want to try it on your crawler. I know the bulk of this video was an April Fool's joke but I thought I'd point out about they are two remote should run the sandcrawler

[@esotericaetobscura9788]

Free-kwen-see

[@braniganirby3586]

😭😫5:45

[@richcreed4564]

Mmmm... 🤔 Guess the kid was kinda April Foolish?

[@brokencigarette3017]

I love it when you can't speak english lol.

[@warpartyattheoutpost4987]

FREAKuency.

[@mlcash9]

As soon as you said it broke his ankle i started laughing so hard and it kept getting harder to breath the more you tell the story

[@ascensionindustries9631]

Poor kid. Sometimes you gotta sacrifice for fun. And at least you got mega hertz right. 👍

[@kevinmelicant9566]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@AJDRAGON01]

To bad a commenter spoiled the story.

[@ThatJunkman]

Never read the comments first

[@grotgrusson5124]

Free- kwän- syyy 😉

[@woncarlos7494]

Jesus h christ

[@johnbeechy]

i wish these stories were dropped Not on April Fool's day. // lololl // i time, at Band camp, we used Ouija Boards (made out of chocolate) in a local pet graveyard. melting down the O Boards later, we poured the melted down O Boards' chocolate into ice cube trays Boy-oh did them kids have 2nd opinions after eating that chocolate cubes. thanks for another tear drop, even if it bee upon April One.

[@LEGENDCITYest1963]

I bought one when I was a kid... The motor burnt out in it within the first 10 minutes of me using it so I traded it for the Millennium Falcon