Little Arnies can hit the road in toy Humvee

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Arnold Schwarzenegger liked the original military Humvee so much that General Motors made the Hummer civilian version for him.

That was back in the early 1990s, after the Humvee had made a name for itself in the Gulf War.

The then Hollywood actor was the big screen's Terminator and liked the style of the rough-and-tumble vehicle.

Since then, Schwarzenegger has gone into politics, the Humvee has gone back to war, and an American toy company has come up with a children's version of the most recent Hummer, the H2.

The Little Tikes Toy Company will next month distribute the battery-operated ride-on Hummer H2 for children aged 3 and up. It will be sold exclusively through Wal-Mart stores in the US.

Little Tikes reckons the toy vehicle will get kids "revved up for adventure".

"The ride-ons replicate many features of the original, including a forward tilt hood, aircraft style gearshift, chrome grill and a radio with a five-song play list," it says.

The toy comes as the US Army in Iraq is putting steel doors on many of its Humvee gun trucks to help protect soldiers from small-arms fire.

Humvees are the main security escorts for convoys that help to feed and supply US troops in Kuwait and Iraq. Most Humvees on escort missions have canvas doors, making them easy prey for snipers.