Skystriker

Alexander Russo was born to fly.  His father flew fighter jets for the Air Force and helped design them in his later years.  Alexander's grandfather was a member of the famed Flying Tigers during World War II and filled Alexander's head with his heroic tales.  With his father being away from home alot, Alexander listened to his grandfather's stories and hoped someday to be just as great and fly with the Flying Tigers.  His grandfather gave him his old bomber jacket striped with yellow paint that he wore during the war.  The jacket was Alexander's prize possession and he treasured it as such.

He went to the Officer's Flight Training School to become a pilot upon completion of the United States Air Force Academy.  Unfortunatly his grandfather passed away before Alexander's graduation.  Alexander was heart broken at the funeral and laid his grandfather's striped jacket in the casket to be buried with it's rightful owner. 

 He continued through Officer's school although he had lost some of his spirit when he lost his grandfather.  His family tried to brighten him up by giving him his very own tiger striped bomber jacket.  He accepted the gift but swore he wouldn't wear it until he desrerved it.  He became a pilot in the Air Force and was very good at it.  He did everything just right but there just wasn't much of an opportunity to perform heroic feats anymore.  Technology had made highspeed dogfights nearly obsolete.  Little did he know he was going to get his chance real soon.

When G.I. Joe came calling he had no idea they were preparing to get involved with the civil war on Cobra Island.  But as an able bodied and very adept pilot he was invited to join the team and he jumped at the chance, hoping for some excitement.  As he got aquainted with the Conquest X-30 controls he seemed to be a natural.  He was given the name of the now obsolete fighter jet, Skystriker.  He fit right in with the rest of the Joe pilots and quickly made friends.  He learned of the civil war and prepared himself for battle.

When G.I. Joe made their initial air attacks, Skystriker was the third man in right behind Ace and Slipstream, all three in the new X-30s.  Cobra quickly scrambled their pilots and it was an all out battle in the sky.  Skystriker saw some of his fellow Joe pilots get hit and head back out to sea to bail out and wait for rescue.  Rattlers and Night Ravens were falling all around.  He saw both Joe and Cobra jets limping back to their respective landing strips.  More choppers and fighters came from G.I. Joe as Mambas rose from the island.  Skystriker was in his element and took out six Rattlers, three Night Ravens, one Mamba and numerous Fangs.  Ace and Slipstream radioed that they were heading back to refuel so he eyed his gauge and turned to follow them.  And then he felt the missile slam into his Conquest.  It was a powerful hit and he immediatly knew he had to bail out over enemy territory.

When word reached the G.I. Joe base that they had a man down behind enemy lines, plans were started to rescue him.  Ace and Slipstream had their X-30s fueled and volunteered to go in for the retrieval.  Suddenly the alarms sounded and everyone looked to the skies where a Rattler was headed straight for them being followed by two more Rattlers.  Ace and Slipstream quickly got in the air and headed straight for the invaders.  As they prepared for the head on fight they noticed the lead Rattler was performing evasive manuevers and then they saw bright yellow helmet their teammate insisted on wearing.  The Joes quickly took out Skystriker's pursuers and followed him to the landing field.  On the ground he told his story about how he parachuted out safely and stole the Cobra jet.

When he told his story at home his father left the room as soon as it was over.  He returned holding his son's striped jacket and told him to put it on.  He was definitly a hero now.  When he returned to Joe headquarters he was honored by Hawk and General Flagg.  They made the suggestion that maybe the Joes needed training in "vehicle aquisition".  They assigned Skystriker with the job as trainer as well as combat pilot.  When they asked about his jacket he told them the story of his grandfather and the Flying Tigers.  After he was done Flagg and Hawk spoke privately and came back to say that the "vehicle aquisition" program needed an official name and that they had decided on Project: Tiger Force.

Now years later, the vehicle aquistion program has evolved into vehicle warfare.  Skystriker no longer flys into battle, but he still trains the Joes, newbies and veterans, in the art of commandeering enemy vehicles.  He has a fellow teacher in Wreckage who trains them to do just the opposite by sabotaging enemy vehicles.  Now with his own heroic stories to tell he always begins by telling them how that Rattler in the hangar came to be yellow and black.