Behind The Scenes: The USS Flagg Sets Sail

Want to put your Flagg Aircraft Carrier to sea? Or just want to find out how GI Joburg did? Well this video is for you!
As always, if you would like to support the channel and score some cool merch, check out our Teespring account!
teespring.com/stores/gi-jobur...

[@Zombiekilltrocity]

Who else hopes he adds a motor to it later?

[@gijoburg]

That would be very easily done! I know guys who specialize in custom R/C boats. BUUUUUT I’m not sure I’m brave enough to be more than a meter away from her at all times... one swell and bye bye antennae mast!

[@Zombiekilltrocity]

@@gijoburg You could do it in your pool, and say its the clear waters of the Pacific or the Caribean.

[@gijoburg]

Hehe it would have to be a big pool!

[@Zombiekilltrocity]

@@gijoburg I wonder if you could get the antenna motorized.

[@gijoburg]

Hadn’t thought of that, but it would be a very nice touch! I guess I’m reluctant to make permanent changes to the toy itself. Slapping it on a custom base is non intrusive. Putting gears and power to the plastic parts kinda is. But as I say, it would be soooo pretty to see it turn on its own!

[@Sklabah]

This makes me VERY happy. You guys put the FUN back in "functional".

[@mattdawg83686]

South Africa is beautiful! Genius work in making the Flagg seaworthy!

[@scottkelly248]

Awesome. Affordable for anyone to do. And a nice way to expand the playability of the Flagg. And brave to sail her in the Atlantic ocean. High fives guys great job.

[@Bobainthome]

I just noticed that your apt. is an renovated dance studio... its BEAUTIFUL.

[@Taffer-bx7uc]

Imagine being a kid during the 80s and going to visit your friend that has this playset BUT it floats! And he has a pool! And it's the summer too!

[@jasonmurrell4428]

A and I loved this behind the scenes! A's favorite part was Rob flying the bird 😆

[@gijoburg]

My favourite part too! That Rob, such a joker.

[@edwardjacobs4042]

So beautiful to see the Flagg in the water . Love it

[@PlasticonStudios]

Every kid in the 80's would love this!!! My GF suggested adding a remote controlled system to it time to R/C this bad boy!!!!!

[@gijoburg]

…and deny myself the delightful chore of trying to maneuver this behemoth in the water?! 🤣

[@woofan25]

I have a big smile on my face from this.

[@nielsmichiels1939]

0:52 (heart beats nervously)

[@milesmayhem5440]

Your webisodes are far and away better than the actual GI Joe live action films and honor the old school GI Joe animated shows. Who knew that GI Joe was loved the world over and as far away as South Africa. You have a fan here in Northern California!

[@gijoburg]

Nor Cal? I spent four of the best months of my life living in a cabin in South Lake Tahoe! Worked on the slopes of Sierra at Tahoe... and I’d love to go back. Joe was successful enough to cross the pond to Europe and as a consequence of that, found its way down to us. With the odd side effect that we got all the toys a little later and without the cartoon support! The 1985/1986 series was released here in 1989; the 1987/88 series in 1990 and the 1989 series later that year! But it was enough to totally captivate the members of GI Joburg.

[@magnuslauglo5356]

Oh, man!

[@stp2281]

Thank you for making the dream of all GI Joe fans come true.

[@micpal5619]

Def the best gi joe series on youtube. Thank you all for yalls hard work and imagination

[@-C.S.R]

🫡What a beautiful launch! 🍾 🇺🇸 USS FLAGG

[@stevejohnson174]

That was just as much fun as Blazing Sands itself. You did some crafty engineering, GI Joburg! What next? a Defiant in actual space???

[@gijoburg]

It’s been joked about before...

[@ShivonYoTu]

The level of passion is astounding! I wish i had a chance to play with you guys when i was a kid, it'd have been a blast! Love you guys! Yo Joe!

[@gijoburg]

No doubt man. We could have done with more friends who “got it”.

[@ShivonYoTu]

@@gijoburg For now, i have no idea to move out of India. But, if i ever travel to South Africa, would definitely meet you all. I feel like a kid again when i watch your videos! Thank you so much for what you are doing! Keep 'em coming!

[@ValkyrieMagnus]

That is awesome! My dreams of a USS Flagg in the water floating as a real aircraft carrier is seen! You guys are amazing!

[@JohnSmith-un9fy]

Foam is the best way. One could easily install RC components in the foam hull. Have a floating radio control flag. Awesome build.

[@gijoburg]

Yessss! I know the guys who make custom R/C boat motors... I just don’t know if I’m comfortable letting the Flagg out of arms-reach!

[@JohnSmith-un9fy]

@@gijoburg Never let your flag wonder for sure. Keep it in shallow water. But oh what fun.

[@humblefam6462]

Just how the Flagg should’ve been - a FLOATING fortress! So cool how you made her seaworthy! I even heard Admiral Ledger yelling, “Put your backs into it laddies!”

[@gijoburg]

Whew! Bad enough you needed a room big enough to accommodate this huge playset; imagine if you needed a big enough body of water for it too! Fortunately for us, the ocean provides. Thanks for commenting!

[@patrickmckown5996]

Converting from playset to actual vehicle. Very cool. I could almost hear the Top Gun theme music. Thanks for the bts video.

[@gijoburg]

Thanks Patrick! We’d have used the theme song too... but then Columbia Music would own this video!

[@patrickmckown5996]

@@gijoburg just think. Bigger budget. Lol!

[@OLAF704]

Very cool. Thumbs up for all of the hard work!

[@nigelwatson504]

That looks awesome with the sun set in back ground guys loving it 😁😁😁😁😁😁yo Joe 👍👍👍👍👍

[@mscorrealinux]

Great job! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@gavinagain4631]

This is awesome. You are awesome people.

[@terrellgrisom596]

I love your commitment to making to making this work! Had my inner kid jumping up and down and my girlfriend shaking her head!

[@gijoburg]

Thanks bud! Honestly it was something I’ve always had in the back of my mind, so simple and yet no one had conclusively done it. Glad I had the opportunity to give it a bash. Thanks for the comment, and thanks for subjecting your GF to our channel! She’s a keeper!

[@renegadebiker24]

Awesome video. I had wondered how you did it. When I get myself a USS Flagg, I hope to do it the same, but to add a few more things on it, like a hydraulic ramps that come down and up to launch G I Joe water vehicles, and to do some more stuff to it, like if I can, add a steam generator to the catapults, and remote control the aircraft and helicopters from the deck. Thank you G I Joburg for your inspiration to me for the USS Flagg. :-)

[@gijoburg]

That sounds INCREDIBLE! You’ll break the internet bud! All of the best and let us know if there’s anything we can do to help!

[@simonpaquet7161]

Don't wait for a Flagg. Build your own. Better, bigger, with all the awesome things you mentioned. Plywood would do. You may just buy the island (tower) if you want. Yout ideas seem cool: don't wait for a 700$ yellowed incomplete flagg And happy new year!

[@jamesandrewjohnstone1931]

Job well done guys..still cant believe you pulled it off.

[@MCDJACDC]

Just too cool mates! Very creative and imaginative. 🚢🚀👍🍻

[@MCDJACDC]

My favorite line...and now a beer lol 🍺🍻

[@benjaminkitaura498]

If you use a hot knife to cut the styrofoam it’s less messy and easier……..it also helps with cutting plastic.

[@walterwright8454]

All I can say dude, is WOW!!

[@gijoburg]

Thanks!

[@Mundane05]

So that's how they did it... I was convinced one of the other two guys was holding it up from beneath with scuba gear.

[@Mundane05]

Either that OR they built it on his back and he was on all fours for shooting. That would've been cool.

[@mrdonigan]

Again, who are the three people that "thumbs down"? lol. Why are there so many sad people on the internet that just hate all things fun? I'm so glad you did a behind the scenes. This was so epic!

[@gijoburg]

👎’s don’t bother me. Especially not when I’m buoyed by an overwhelming number of positive comments like yours 👴🏻🐻!

[@robertolson9517]

Thats was so cool. I was wondering how you counter act the weight from one side (tower side) This is how the Flagg should have come to us in 1985. Enjoy your channel, keep up the good work!!

[@peek10]

Too Awesome!

[@a-station-]

Even engineering this video was awesome sauce!! Well done. And thx.

[@jakezzfunk8876]

You guys are a inspiration!! Yo Joe!! BURG!

[@chrismayer3919]

WOW!!! OMG!!! FTW!!! YOU DUDES RAWK!!! *APPLAUDS* (makes me wish I also had a FLAGG carrier, oh well...)

[@Sturmdude]

What a wonderful location for that!

[@gijoburg]

Would you believe this wasn’t my first choice? Not even my second or third choice! Check the podcast for the full story!

[@gilberth.kinchlll216]

Cool very good

[@kmfdmfan7316]

So awesome! Excellent work!

[@impossiblepie]

Brilliant, just Brilliant!!!

[@gijoburg]

Thank you. So simply done! But yeah, I’m not above admitting it’s gutsy to take a 35+ year old holy grail toy down to beach!

[@impossiblepie]

@@gijoburg i love gi joe and just subscribed to your channel, can't wait for more videos! Enjoying iconicon as well!!!

[@jordel2010]

You guys are amazing, you keep outdoing yourselves when it comes to producing your videos with each release and this perfectly shows that. Personally, I wouldn't have gone this far with a piece such as the Flagg, but it's nice to see how you managed to do it and that the effort paid off in the end.

[@gijoburg]

I can’t imagine too many folks would be keen on putting a Flagg to sea... but I’d been fantasizing about it ever since I got mine. It was only a matter of time... Thanks so much for the awesome comment!

[@jeffreyyoders6366]

This is so awesome, thanks GI Joburg!

[@kaylemathewcomendador7614]

Now that's what I call impressive engineering. I'd be surprised if no other toy related channels don't talk about this. Nice as usual, and fun to watch as usual.

[@gijoburg]

Fortunately Kayle we have been in close contact with a number of channels and viewers about Flagg upgrades. And we’re thrilled to see all the awesome work happening all around the world to make the ultimate Joe playset even more ultimate...er!

[@MegaAppl3]

Great Work .

[@chrishorst1318]

Make it r.c. ie: put in servos/rudder, esc, reciever and brushless motor with shaft and prop.

[@pacoveyro2503]

Great job guys

[@Transfixed]

Brilliant work! Thanks for showing this.

[@cobra-emperor6starwars665]

7:40 looks like a stone face statue of some type of old Iron Ore ruins all around you as well, very interesting, look up stone building megalithic structures

[@gijoburg]

Hah! Or it could be the back of Table Mountain at sunset 😝But I like yours!

[@gijoburg]

That mountain range specifically is called The Twelve Apostles. It’s a precession of twelve peaks of similar size. So you’re not wrong about personifying a mountain range!

[@goldcanyon340.]

Ha! It's about time I've see this!

[@Praxeus7]

Kudos! Job well done. Keep that kid at heart feeling alive.

[@littlewookiee7780]

Absolutely worth it 👍

[@skabcat242]

Wow. You guys did a good job making the Flagg stay afloat.

[@captainsteroid2454]

You guys did a fantastic job! Absolutely amazing! :D

[@bigjoelittlejoe5550]

Amazing to see the U.S.S. Flagg set sail! Big Joe and Little Joe approve!

[@gijoburg]

Thanks Big Joe and Little Joe! We had a lot of fun that day.

[@andrewandrew4568]

So impressive. That is really amazing.

[@matthew1976]

Brilliant!!

[@tequilafilms6725]

You're the best guys!

[@3dartistguy]

vvery good. but having served on an Aircraft carrier myself, you should create a bow by cutting into that foam slanteed on both sides of the forward hull.

[@hofquarters]

Wonderful to see this guys! Quite an achievement 😎

[@douglaswhiddon869]

I'm going to go ahead and say this, USE THE BLUE OR PINK FOAM. and GET A WIRE FOAM CUTTER. the blue and pink stuff is closed cell and does not have those tiny beads pressed together and cheap wire cutter will give you a smooth cut that is so much nicer. Other than that, this is really cool.

[@gijoburg]

Thanks for the tip! I just googled it, looks great. How buoyant is it?

[@douglaswhiddon869]

@@gijoburg I've built lots of blue foam models, but never tried floating it. It should be just as buoyant as the white stuff. But it is much sturdier. The white stuff isn't really one solid piece and will break much easier. a quick google search indicates that the white stuff can allow water to seep inside, but the closed cell stuff won't. So, the blue or pink foams will be better in water.

[@DrDavidReilly]

Truly amazing effort, and looks so much fun

[@Kanovskiy]

Awesome!

[@lloydchristmas4547]

Nice, great job.

[@Firefox13A]

Wow! Awesome guys

[@sil2171]

Amazing job! I thought I would never see this awesome ship float. Great video!

[@matthewsmith2141]

Genius level!

[@drctaylor66]

Just awesome guys!!! I love your videos and diy approach. Thanks for what you guys do for GI Joe!!!

[@gijoburg]

Thank you! The way I see it, we HAVE to! It was never my plan to retire my collection and leave it in a museum. I think Joburg has undertaken the solemn duty to play... forever!

[@rcintro1489]

Wow I wondered how you got it floating I can't believe you did all that work. So worth it for the shots you got! Amazing everything! Well now I know and knowing is half the battle!

[@steveguillama2469]

Truly amazing job. Its a dream come true.. to imagine being able to play with in a pool as a kid.

[@gijoburg]

It would have to be a very big pool! That’s why I choose the Atlantic!

[@adryanxhe4484]

Amazing! 😍👏👍

[@rockinchippy]

OMG this is amazing, you guys rock!!!

[@ygeneration2754]

Great job ! That's so cool, bravo !

[@gijoburg]

Thank you! Really basic too, I have zero practical skills really. But I reckon anybody could put their Flagg to sea if they wanted to!

[@yojoe2059]

Very cool!

[@cjroberts7022]

Awesome

[@amcaesar]

You are an evil genius, my friend.

[@gijoburg]

Me and Mindbender 🤞

[@Pegwarmers]

That's awesome! Looks so good on the water. I love all the work you put into this.

[@gijoburg]

Totally. Worth it. It’s been on my to-do list for a LONG time now. So glad I finally could tick it off.

[@thephotoviper]

Been looking forward to this one!!! I love seeing how it's all done... :)

[@new2vero2]

I’ve been waiting for this!!!! Just seeing you guys do your thang

[@Beer-can_full_of_toes]

I’m fighting the urges to do this for my Flagg. I don’t have a pool but my parents still do so I can keep the hull there in the basement and just pack the ship up and put it back together there…putting a motor on it would be super fun too! Ah! I’ve only been thinking about this for 5 minutes and I already have way too much planned out! Lol

[@gijoburg]

Assuming you’ve got a place to stash it when you’re not using it, I’d say you’ve got nothing to lose! No permanent fixtures to the toy makes it fully reversible.

[@Beer-can_full_of_toes]

@@gijoburg my parents basement has plenty of room to store it considering I’ve pulled my childhood Joe collection from there and have it displayed in my basement lol.

[@kevincannion5508]

Amazing great work you having so much fun Kevin GI Joe and stuff

[@MARINJOE87]

Impresionante, un abrazo amigo!!! YOOOO JOE....!!!!!

[@Itchypantz]

I wanna see a guy show up to an R/C event with this and a couple helicopters! :o

[@gijoburg]

Whooo boy! Hopefully a gust of wind doesn’t plow your copter into the Island. Expensive mistake that!

[@tetsuoswrath]

Just a heads up for Paul: Dan on Toy Galaxy just made a history of Dino Riders episode! You've probably already seen it, but I' thought of you when I saw it and thought to let you know. I can't wait to see Blood in the Water. :{J

[@zamoragera13]

Awesome!!!!!-

[@danielstrzel2271]

Dope!!

[@fuse557]

You guys are awsome!

[@gijoburg]

🤗

[@bonecos_do_maninho1971]

Ficou ótimo. Parabéns pela ideia. O vídeo ficou ótimo.

[@mcoractualcustomsreviews5266]

I was really wondering about this. Long term luker of your amazing channel. Excellent work on making this beautiful aircraft carrier come to life.

[@gijoburg]

Long time lurker turned first time commenter! Thanks for stepping out of the shadows bud. Thanks for the comment!

[@jefflehoux9619]

Next, affix a drone to a sky striker and land it in a floating Flagg!

[@gijoburg]

It wouldn’t be the first VTOL Skystriker I’ve ever encountered actually! Neat idea.

[@summonersumnerus4364]

You guys are nuts! I approve :)

[@TerryTurner]

👍😎

[@MattsCreativeProjects]

I love it!! You did that Hasbro should have done.

[@wrp4955]

Very nicely done. I think Ace or someone should work that Skystriker song into the next video. Lol

[@gijoburg]

Heheh. With the weird accent. I dunno what I was doing, I was just thrilled we had some semi decent footage in the can! 😝

[@namolokaman2393]

Whoever said the difference between men and boys was the size of their toys, obviously never owned the USS Flagg!

[@M3reviewsDJD]

thats so cool man !

[@Qui-GonJohn]

Super video. Subscribed

[@gijoburg]

Welcome to GI Joburg, John!

[@magnuslauglo5356]

"Some assembly required!" OK, so here's a question - would it be at all plausible to add motors to this thing? Radio control? ;)

[@gijoburg]

Very plausible. In fact, I know the guys who custom make RC boats! I gave them a scale ship (almost the size of the Flagg!) a few years back in fact!

[@nielsmichiels1939]

Well, there are these things. www.bol.com/nl/p/playmobil-rc-onderwatermotor-5536/9200000023435611/?country=BE&Referrer=ADVNLGOO002027-G-55872943182-S-490366614380-9200000023435611&gclid=CjwKCAjw-4_mBRBuEiwA5xnFILR-E1WULmVSmJaX1grdHsMozpqamiObEI7jnRx_j3GaOt_2uKjc1xoC2i0QAvD_BwE Stick one on the underside of the flag and *tada* , a USS flag that can actualy set sail.