6545 - Search N' Rescue

Rating:
Pros: Nice selection of vehicles; very cool helicopter design
Cons: Truck cab design is flawed
Contents: 281 pieces including 3 mini-figs
Price: $23.99 - Discontinued
Reviewed: 11-Feb-1997
Reviewed by: Joseph Gonzalez

It's a routine early morning patrol for the Bay City police copter until a call comes in that there are some suspicious activities at wharf 101. As the helicopter approaches the imposing warehouse structure, two small boats are spotted near the dock with a number of darkly-dressed individuals moving in and out of the warehouse. A nearby rescue dinghy is quickly called as backup because the motley crew seems just about done with their job and a larger police vessel could take twenty minutes to arrive.
That's all pointless now, the patrol copter has been spotted and bad guys scramble! The copter closes in with a loudspeaker warning notifying all suspects to cease and desist, but the warning notice is drowned out by a sudden explosion as half the dock disappears in an enormous fireball!

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Okay, it isn't quite a search and rescue scenario, but it was a lot more exciting than anything else I could come up with!
The Search N' Rescue set is a nice ensemble of a police truck, a dinghy with a trailer and a rescue helicopter. The copter is definitely the star of the show with a two-man cockpit and two equipment bays on either side of the copter's body. Incidentally, these cargo areas hold anything from tools to flashers for traffic stops. The design of the helicopter is very cool and for the most part, it stays together pretty well. The truck also has a spacious area for cargo (street blockade and more tools), while the boat and trailer are simple models.
There are no particularly unique pieces here, (the boat is constructed of parts rather than being a one-piecer like 1997 sets), but you do get the set of tools which is also included in some Race and Launch Command sets. This is a nice assortment of tools if you don't have some already: wrench, hammer, drill, screwdriver, etc.
I do have some complaints, though, which bring the set just short of being a four-star set. The truck cab is the main bummer here. It is so tiny that the driver has to lift his hands up almost to face level in order to fit into the less-than-cozy seat area (test your rookies for claustrophobia before cramming them in here). Furthermore, the windshield piece is mounted very flimsily and is continually coming off whenever I lift the roof to get the driver out. My other complaint is that although I do appreciate having the small motor boat included with the set, it seems too small to be of any real use. I don't see the cops doing anything with this boat except maybe some fishing on the weekend (much less for any rescue efforts).
I do appreciate having a mixture of vehicles with the set (for air, sea, and surface), but if you purchase the set, it will probably be for the helicopter (which is why I picked it up) and you won't be disappointed in that department.