Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 3, 2007 14:40:32 GMT
In the course of my recent HUGE Cyberjet review it became apparent I'd not reviewed the RM version of Ligier - one of my favourite versions of the Mirage Flipchanger. Several other of the Flipchangers had never been reviewed either so here we are again.....
Flipchanger is a word used to apply to early Beast Wars basics and to some exclusive Machine Wars toys that sold at a similar time. The name comes from the toy's ability to mostly transform themselves - something is moved on the toy which triggers a spring which causes bits of it to flip over. Although I can't confirm it I recall hearing that these toys are unused G2 designs that effectively bridge the gap between Cyberjets and BW Basics. There are 4 distinct Flipchanger vehicle molds and I'll cover them below.
MACHINE WARS
Machine Wars was a line done on the cheap - using 4 recycled late G1 toys that never came out in the US and the 4 Flipchanger Vehicles. There's 2 differently coloured uses of each toy in this set. as such you can forget which is which so there's a guide bellow. Although these toys are designed for lightpipe eyes none of the toys in this release have clear plastic to use them. Then we have the odd matter of the heads - most of them are a distinctly odd colour for the toy they're on with no other part on that toy using the same plastic colour. If you extend this to the bodywork and the limbs you notice a pattern. As a quick guide:
Megatron's upper limbs and robot body are the colour of Mirage.
Mirage has a head the colour of Skywarp's vehicle.
Skywarp has a head the colour of Hubcap's vehicle.
Hubcap tow hook, robot body and upper arms are the colour of Skywarp's body and arms
Megatron's limbs and jet mode colour appear nowhere else.
Grey is shared between the toys substituting for clear plastic.
(similarly substituting Megaplex, Prowl, Thundercraker and Hoist above)
6 colours of plastic used on 4 toys. You'd think they were doing these on the cheap or something !
Both versions of the jet mold have a fault: The nose cone doesn't fold flush against the robot's chest leaving you with the nose cone slightly raised up at the front. It's like this on all 4 of the MW versions, and both the BWII versions before being corrected on the RID and subsequent versions
Overall there's something a bit lifeless about these, they all look dull and like they're missing something. So looking at how they're repainted should be an object lesson in what you can do.
Megatron www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm
Megaplex www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Megaplex/megaplex.htm
Megatron is the blue and white one, Megaplex is grey and blue
My lack of jet knowledge once again shows as I fail to know what sort of jet this ! We have wings and tail fins to the side, and some diagonally upright tail fins mounted a little way forward of the tail. Fold down landing gear at the front and the back.
TF: Pull down on the nose. Basically that's it, there may need to be some straightening of limbs but little else. This moves the tail find further forward, pop's the legs out the back of the jet and exposes the head in the gap where the nose has been folded down. Remove the gun halves from the back of the legs and put together.
Robot has ball joints at the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and neck. Head is obviously meant to be lightpiped - as a clue look for a differently coloured panel in the back of the head. All the early BW basics are the same. Head is Megatron, dead on, but maybe in a simplified comic style. Of the 2 Megaplex looks better due to having a painted head, and his silver body looks more like Megatron but there isn't much in it between him and Megatron.
Incidentally this is the first version of Megatron as a jet released - one close miss with the ATB bomber repaint in G2, but this is the first time the leader of the planes is a plane.
Skywarp www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm
Thundercracker www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm
Skywarp is the white version with black limbs and a yellow head,
Thundercracker is olive camouflaged with brown limbs and a black head.
The jet in question here doesn't look like the old G1 jet, and neither of them are coloured like Thundercracker or Skywarp. Small forward find at the side and then large wings form a triangle to the back, with a single fin in the middle.
TF: As Megatron.
Robot has same articulation as Megatron. Head has a single visor all the way across, and a ridge running along his eyebrows. As expressionless as you could get.
No character at all in these 2 I'm afraid. Useful as background troops in a Decepticon army.
Mirage www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Mirage/mirage.htm
Prowl www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Prowl/prowl.htm
Easier one this: Mirage is green/blue and labelled 7, Prowl is white and labelled 8. They have name tag stickers on the spoilers though !
The car mode here is a formula 1 race car. Pretty solid and roles along well.
TF: Pull up on the spoiler, the nose folds down popping the head through the gap. Gun halves in the legs again.
Articulation as per the jets, bar the knees which just bend . This is as close as you can get as the jets having been done as a car ! Head is a good sculpt, nice face though once again obviously should be lightpipped. Arms are somewhat limited by the wheels at the front of the car stretching out from the chest.
You do get the feeling that (similar to Hooligan and G1 Jetfire) that this should have the G1 Mirage colours.
Hoist www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Hoist/hoist.htm
Hubcap www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Hubcap/hubcap.htm
Hoist is black, Hubcap is yellow (think G1 Hubcap)
I never got this vehicle mode, why put a tow hook on the back of a truck with sides like you'd carry something in ? Surely a flatbed would be better ? But there we go, odd design choice IMO.
TF: Pull up on the hook, front folds down, legs extend from the back, sides of the truck fold out to reveal the arms contained within. I say reveal but you can see them in vehicle mode anyway. Most complicated of the 4 Flipchanging gimmicks. Radiator grill pulls off and it's attached to the gun which pegs in the fist holes.
Ball joints at the hips and the elbows, bending knee, fore and aft at the inner shoulder joint, and up to the side at the outer one using 3 bits of plastic where 2 would have done with a ball joint. I think this mold is meant to be Optimus Prime in robot mode - windows on chest, ridge on head, face plate - and it's meant to be Megatron's Opposite. No one has painted it like that yet. Hoist is OK in black but it swallows all details, as does Hubcap's bright yellow. Could do better.
That was that - a store exclusive that was forgotten about
Japan - Beast Wars II and Car Robots
The Japanese resurrected these molds - they'd never appeared there - in the Beast Wars II line (for the jets) and Car Robots (for the cars). The lightpipes are reinstated here - pink on the BWII versions and orange on the CR versions. Incidentally the names for the BWII versions - Thrust and Dirge. There's Thundercracker and Skywarp in the MW set. Put them together with the large G2 jets - Starscream and Ramjet and you've a complete set of G1 jet names !
BWII
Thrust www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Thrust/thrust.htm (Megatron Repaint)
Yellow lower limbs, head and jet body here with black upper limbs. A silver face paint. These are the 2 colours used on the tow truck in machine wars that were bad there. Here they work well together - though why Thrust isn't red I don't know ! Lightpiped eyes add a lot here, the pink is quite vivid. Miles better than the MW version
Dirge www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Dirge/dirge.htm (Thundercracker Repaint)
Again miles better - blue for the bodywork, grey for the upper limbs, silver on the head. Looks very good. Place in front of the previous versions on the shelf.
CR
Indy Heat www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Skid-Z/skid-z.htm
"Indy Heat: also a MW repaint Nice car - even though the purple's a little funny. Personally I'd love one of the limited edition redecos www1.sphere.ne.jp/nekotom/bw271.html"
See Indy Heat in the Japanese Limited Repaints section bellow for the limited edition mentioned there - the url in the quote is dead but the site's worth looking at in the wayback machine.
Indy Heat is a F1 car where the bulk of the body is white. There's some redish purple and some lilac detailing on the bodywork. Looks good, like Hooligan's repaints, there's some imagination gone in here and something good has been produced while we're waiting for something else.
TFing the car reveals some metallic green on the upper legs, hands and helmet. That's a lot of colours going on but it does work. Nice robot. Recommended.
Wrecker Hook www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Towline/towline.htm
"Wrecker Hook: Wrecker Hook is the weird looking tow truck type thing from Machine Wars repainted. Quite a nice toy - better than many of the BW mini toys of the same age."
Wrecker Hook looks like his designer has been on the G2 juice ! A mostly green colour scheme, with some lurid day glo green on the robot legs, lower arms, front mud guards and head details. Upper arms, tow hook and body are purple plastic, and there's some painted detailing too. Possibly the most lurid TF toy ever !
CAR ROBOTS EXCLUSIVE REPAINTS
The Japanese love an exclusive repaint, and clear ones are popular.
Clear Indy Heat www.tfu.info/2000/Cybertron/ClearIndyHeat/indyheat.htm
You *HAVE* to love this. Closest paint scheme released to Mirage at the time it came out ! Beautiful. One day I will own one. One day.
Clear Wrecker Hook www.tfu.info/2000/Cybertron/ClearWreckerHook/wreckerhook.htm
And this ! Pure love. Works well, far better than any mass released version. A solid orange/green version might be worth a try !
RID
Car Robots comes to the US ! We get Indy Heat and Wrecker Hook back - though Indy Heat gets a make over - in vs packs with new colours of the 2 jets. The jet shave the same orange clear plastic as the road vehicles, and are the first versions with the fixed chests. I'd recommend tracking the RID versions down but they can be quite expensive ..... RANT Approaching !
RID UK Cases:
1) 3 each of 2 of the cars, 2 each of the other
2) 1 each of each of the combiner limbs + 1 of Mega Octane + 3 random ones from the case. Exclusive to Woolies (The limbs for Ruination weren't exclusive and sold later one)
3) 3 each of 2 of the super versions of the cars, 2 each of the other
What the RID UK Cases *SHOULD* have been:
1) 2 each of all 3 cars, 1 Skid-Z vs Windsheer, 1 TowLine vs Skyfire
2) 2 each of each of the combiner limbs
3) 2 each of all 3 super versions of the cars, 2 of Mega Octane (this wave shipped concurrent with the limbs for Ruination)
Did you know to this date there's been no official release of the Flipchangers in the UK ?
Skid-Z www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Skid-Z/skid-z.htm (Mirage repaint) vs Wind Sheer www.tfu.info/2001/Decepticon/WindSheer/windsheer.htm (Megatron repaint)
"I'm told Skid-Z, the purple and white racing colour has had his paint adjusted for RID but can't get to my Indy-Heat to find out ! Skid-Z is probably the better of the 2 MW car repaints.
The jet he's packaged with was formerly (coincidentally) BWII Thrust and then before that Megatron and Megaplex from MW. He's got the classic Megs head ! Nicely redone in black, with yellow edging, and purple limbs in robot mode. If you have a choice get this one of the VS packs.... "
Skid-Z loose the lilac on Indy Heat, gains a silver paint spray in it's place, and has it's decals altered. It's minor changes but you line the 2 up together and they look different.
Wind Sheer is a thing of beauty. A black repaint is always good and works particularly well on this toy.
Tow Line www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Towline/towline.htm vs Sky Fire www.tfu.info/2001/Decepticon/Skyfire/skyfire.htm
"Tow-Line is a straight re-release of Wrecker Hook. Again little to say. Skyfire is a repaint of one of the machine wars jets - it's the one that doesn't have Megatron's head and was blue in BWII in Japan. Looks nice in grey and resembles one of the Powermasters - don't ask me which ! (checks TM Universe CD Rom) It's Dreadwind. Remember kids you can never have enough Decepticon jets ! "
Where my paper copies of TFU were when I wrote that I don't know as I've zealously hoarded then for years. In fact they're probably my earliest surviving TF item.
What it says for Tow Line. Even the completist need not buy both.
Skyfire is a lovely recolour, this set of colours works well to say Decepticon jets
ROBOTMASTERS
Into 2004, and Robotmasters serves up all 4 Flipchangers in a new colour scheme
Ligier www.tfu.info/2004/Cybertron/Ligier/ligier.htm (Mirage repaint)
Like R-Blade, Ligier is a case of "what the mold should have been painted all along" Blue body with white racing car details it shouts G1 Mirage even though on closer examination it's a different blue ! Yellow light pipe. The name comes from the name of the F1 team (now disused I think) whose colours were on the original G1 Mirage and I believe it's also the toy's Diaclone name. A must have before the release of classics Mirage.
Wrecker Hook www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/Wreckerhook/wreckerhook.htm (Hoist Repaint)
Wrecker Hook switches sides and becomes a Decepticon. Black plastic, with red paint on the mud guards, robot legs and forearms, blue plastic tow hook, upper arms and body, green clear plastic, and yellow flame detailing. Do you get the impression that the designers don't really know what to do with this mold ?
Air Hunter www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/AirHunter/airhunter.htm (Megatron repaint)
Clear black plastic, with orange details, grey body and upper limbs and a yellow lightpipe make this a very nice looking repaint. It's a close run thing, but I think I prefer Windsheer to him though.
Wing Stun www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/WingStun/wingstun.htm (Wing Span ?) (Thundercracker repaint)
Camouflage version of Thundercracker, using a brighter green and more extensive detailing. A black head with orange light pipe. Again, very nice and you aught to have one, but Sky Fire is better.
KNOCK OFFS
Yup, there's KO versions:
Robot Transformers Large Versions: All 4 RM versions received deluxe sized KOs in late 2006. The version of Air Hunter is hard to get. All 4 looks nice though the plastic can be fragile - especially Wrecker Hook's hook. Each incorporates a gimmick which makes their chest light up. When it works it's OK. *WHEN* it works.....
Power Warriors:
Mirage shows up with a simplified paint job and a clear blue head. Not the worst KO I've ever seen.
Hoist - where did they get this colour scheme from ? It's better than all the commercial releases ! Red plastic, blue plastic body, hook and upper arms, clear blue chest and head, yellow fire bird on bonnet. Looks great, like Rodimus Prime as a Tow Truck - which you can accept after Energon. But remove the Firebird and it becomes obvious that it's Optimus Prime. The Entertainer had these, it's worth checking. Be warned the arms a re fixed at the elbow on this release (but see bellow) and I've only ever found them with 2 left arms.
Robot Transformers Small Version Vs Packs
Mirage and Hoist as per the Power Warriors, only Hoist's elbows work this time and he's missing the flame detailing on the sides of the truck. Still got 2 left arms though !
The jets are interesting - Megatron is Black, with a red body and upper limbs, clear blue head and cockpit, and metallic blue decaling matching Air Hunter's. Good as a background trooper, as is Thundercracker - black (as per megs) with off white body and upper limbs, clear blue head and cockpit, and gold camouflage pattern which matches Wing Stun's
FUTURE REPAINTS
As I've indicated above I'd like to see Hoist in Orange with a green body/upper limbs/hook like the clear version. But the reverse of that might be good too - if the green were dark enough - to look like G1 Hoist
A proper Hasbro release of Hoist in Optimus Prime colours might be good
Mirage could do with being done in the orange Diaclone colours. A red version would be nice too.
Jets could be any colour you like really - Cyberjet Windsheer's colour scheme would look nice and there's plenty of other G1 jets to pilfer for colours !
Flipchanger is a word used to apply to early Beast Wars basics and to some exclusive Machine Wars toys that sold at a similar time. The name comes from the toy's ability to mostly transform themselves - something is moved on the toy which triggers a spring which causes bits of it to flip over. Although I can't confirm it I recall hearing that these toys are unused G2 designs that effectively bridge the gap between Cyberjets and BW Basics. There are 4 distinct Flipchanger vehicle molds and I'll cover them below.
MACHINE WARS
Machine Wars was a line done on the cheap - using 4 recycled late G1 toys that never came out in the US and the 4 Flipchanger Vehicles. There's 2 differently coloured uses of each toy in this set. as such you can forget which is which so there's a guide bellow. Although these toys are designed for lightpipe eyes none of the toys in this release have clear plastic to use them. Then we have the odd matter of the heads - most of them are a distinctly odd colour for the toy they're on with no other part on that toy using the same plastic colour. If you extend this to the bodywork and the limbs you notice a pattern. As a quick guide:
Megatron's upper limbs and robot body are the colour of Mirage.
Mirage has a head the colour of Skywarp's vehicle.
Skywarp has a head the colour of Hubcap's vehicle.
Hubcap tow hook, robot body and upper arms are the colour of Skywarp's body and arms
Megatron's limbs and jet mode colour appear nowhere else.
Grey is shared between the toys substituting for clear plastic.
(similarly substituting Megaplex, Prowl, Thundercraker and Hoist above)
6 colours of plastic used on 4 toys. You'd think they were doing these on the cheap or something !
Both versions of the jet mold have a fault: The nose cone doesn't fold flush against the robot's chest leaving you with the nose cone slightly raised up at the front. It's like this on all 4 of the MW versions, and both the BWII versions before being corrected on the RID and subsequent versions
Overall there's something a bit lifeless about these, they all look dull and like they're missing something. So looking at how they're repainted should be an object lesson in what you can do.
Megatron www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Megatron/megatron.htm
Megaplex www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Megaplex/megaplex.htm
Megatron is the blue and white one, Megaplex is grey and blue
My lack of jet knowledge once again shows as I fail to know what sort of jet this ! We have wings and tail fins to the side, and some diagonally upright tail fins mounted a little way forward of the tail. Fold down landing gear at the front and the back.
TF: Pull down on the nose. Basically that's it, there may need to be some straightening of limbs but little else. This moves the tail find further forward, pop's the legs out the back of the jet and exposes the head in the gap where the nose has been folded down. Remove the gun halves from the back of the legs and put together.
Robot has ball joints at the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and neck. Head is obviously meant to be lightpiped - as a clue look for a differently coloured panel in the back of the head. All the early BW basics are the same. Head is Megatron, dead on, but maybe in a simplified comic style. Of the 2 Megaplex looks better due to having a painted head, and his silver body looks more like Megatron but there isn't much in it between him and Megatron.
Incidentally this is the first version of Megatron as a jet released - one close miss with the ATB bomber repaint in G2, but this is the first time the leader of the planes is a plane.
Skywarp www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Skywarp/skywarp.htm
Thundercracker www.tfu.info/1997/Decepticon/Thundercracker/thundercracker.htm
Skywarp is the white version with black limbs and a yellow head,
Thundercracker is olive camouflaged with brown limbs and a black head.
The jet in question here doesn't look like the old G1 jet, and neither of them are coloured like Thundercracker or Skywarp. Small forward find at the side and then large wings form a triangle to the back, with a single fin in the middle.
TF: As Megatron.
Robot has same articulation as Megatron. Head has a single visor all the way across, and a ridge running along his eyebrows. As expressionless as you could get.
No character at all in these 2 I'm afraid. Useful as background troops in a Decepticon army.
Mirage www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Mirage/mirage.htm
Prowl www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Prowl/prowl.htm
Easier one this: Mirage is green/blue and labelled 7, Prowl is white and labelled 8. They have name tag stickers on the spoilers though !
The car mode here is a formula 1 race car. Pretty solid and roles along well.
TF: Pull up on the spoiler, the nose folds down popping the head through the gap. Gun halves in the legs again.
Articulation as per the jets, bar the knees which just bend . This is as close as you can get as the jets having been done as a car ! Head is a good sculpt, nice face though once again obviously should be lightpipped. Arms are somewhat limited by the wheels at the front of the car stretching out from the chest.
You do get the feeling that (similar to Hooligan and G1 Jetfire) that this should have the G1 Mirage colours.
Hoist www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Hoist/hoist.htm
Hubcap www.tfu.info/1997/Autobot/Hubcap/hubcap.htm
Hoist is black, Hubcap is yellow (think G1 Hubcap)
I never got this vehicle mode, why put a tow hook on the back of a truck with sides like you'd carry something in ? Surely a flatbed would be better ? But there we go, odd design choice IMO.
TF: Pull up on the hook, front folds down, legs extend from the back, sides of the truck fold out to reveal the arms contained within. I say reveal but you can see them in vehicle mode anyway. Most complicated of the 4 Flipchanging gimmicks. Radiator grill pulls off and it's attached to the gun which pegs in the fist holes.
Ball joints at the hips and the elbows, bending knee, fore and aft at the inner shoulder joint, and up to the side at the outer one using 3 bits of plastic where 2 would have done with a ball joint. I think this mold is meant to be Optimus Prime in robot mode - windows on chest, ridge on head, face plate - and it's meant to be Megatron's Opposite. No one has painted it like that yet. Hoist is OK in black but it swallows all details, as does Hubcap's bright yellow. Could do better.
That was that - a store exclusive that was forgotten about
Japan - Beast Wars II and Car Robots
The Japanese resurrected these molds - they'd never appeared there - in the Beast Wars II line (for the jets) and Car Robots (for the cars). The lightpipes are reinstated here - pink on the BWII versions and orange on the CR versions. Incidentally the names for the BWII versions - Thrust and Dirge. There's Thundercracker and Skywarp in the MW set. Put them together with the large G2 jets - Starscream and Ramjet and you've a complete set of G1 jet names !
BWII
Thrust www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Thrust/thrust.htm (Megatron Repaint)
Yellow lower limbs, head and jet body here with black upper limbs. A silver face paint. These are the 2 colours used on the tow truck in machine wars that were bad there. Here they work well together - though why Thrust isn't red I don't know ! Lightpiped eyes add a lot here, the pink is quite vivid. Miles better than the MW version
Dirge www.tfu.info/1998/Destron/Dirge/dirge.htm (Thundercracker Repaint)
Again miles better - blue for the bodywork, grey for the upper limbs, silver on the head. Looks very good. Place in front of the previous versions on the shelf.
CR
Indy Heat www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Skid-Z/skid-z.htm
"Indy Heat: also a MW repaint Nice car - even though the purple's a little funny. Personally I'd love one of the limited edition redecos www1.sphere.ne.jp/nekotom/bw271.html"
See Indy Heat in the Japanese Limited Repaints section bellow for the limited edition mentioned there - the url in the quote is dead but the site's worth looking at in the wayback machine.
Indy Heat is a F1 car where the bulk of the body is white. There's some redish purple and some lilac detailing on the bodywork. Looks good, like Hooligan's repaints, there's some imagination gone in here and something good has been produced while we're waiting for something else.
TFing the car reveals some metallic green on the upper legs, hands and helmet. That's a lot of colours going on but it does work. Nice robot. Recommended.
Wrecker Hook www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Towline/towline.htm
"Wrecker Hook: Wrecker Hook is the weird looking tow truck type thing from Machine Wars repainted. Quite a nice toy - better than many of the BW mini toys of the same age."
Wrecker Hook looks like his designer has been on the G2 juice ! A mostly green colour scheme, with some lurid day glo green on the robot legs, lower arms, front mud guards and head details. Upper arms, tow hook and body are purple plastic, and there's some painted detailing too. Possibly the most lurid TF toy ever !
CAR ROBOTS EXCLUSIVE REPAINTS
The Japanese love an exclusive repaint, and clear ones are popular.
Clear Indy Heat www.tfu.info/2000/Cybertron/ClearIndyHeat/indyheat.htm
You *HAVE* to love this. Closest paint scheme released to Mirage at the time it came out ! Beautiful. One day I will own one. One day.
Clear Wrecker Hook www.tfu.info/2000/Cybertron/ClearWreckerHook/wreckerhook.htm
And this ! Pure love. Works well, far better than any mass released version. A solid orange/green version might be worth a try !
RID
Car Robots comes to the US ! We get Indy Heat and Wrecker Hook back - though Indy Heat gets a make over - in vs packs with new colours of the 2 jets. The jet shave the same orange clear plastic as the road vehicles, and are the first versions with the fixed chests. I'd recommend tracking the RID versions down but they can be quite expensive ..... RANT Approaching !
RID UK Cases:
1) 3 each of 2 of the cars, 2 each of the other
2) 1 each of each of the combiner limbs + 1 of Mega Octane + 3 random ones from the case. Exclusive to Woolies (The limbs for Ruination weren't exclusive and sold later one)
3) 3 each of 2 of the super versions of the cars, 2 each of the other
What the RID UK Cases *SHOULD* have been:
1) 2 each of all 3 cars, 1 Skid-Z vs Windsheer, 1 TowLine vs Skyfire
2) 2 each of each of the combiner limbs
3) 2 each of all 3 super versions of the cars, 2 of Mega Octane (this wave shipped concurrent with the limbs for Ruination)
Did you know to this date there's been no official release of the Flipchangers in the UK ?
Skid-Z www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Skid-Z/skid-z.htm (Mirage repaint) vs Wind Sheer www.tfu.info/2001/Decepticon/WindSheer/windsheer.htm (Megatron repaint)
"I'm told Skid-Z, the purple and white racing colour has had his paint adjusted for RID but can't get to my Indy-Heat to find out ! Skid-Z is probably the better of the 2 MW car repaints.
The jet he's packaged with was formerly (coincidentally) BWII Thrust and then before that Megatron and Megaplex from MW. He's got the classic Megs head ! Nicely redone in black, with yellow edging, and purple limbs in robot mode. If you have a choice get this one of the VS packs.... "
Skid-Z loose the lilac on Indy Heat, gains a silver paint spray in it's place, and has it's decals altered. It's minor changes but you line the 2 up together and they look different.
Wind Sheer is a thing of beauty. A black repaint is always good and works particularly well on this toy.
Tow Line www.tfu.info/2001/Autobot/Towline/towline.htm vs Sky Fire www.tfu.info/2001/Decepticon/Skyfire/skyfire.htm
"Tow-Line is a straight re-release of Wrecker Hook. Again little to say. Skyfire is a repaint of one of the machine wars jets - it's the one that doesn't have Megatron's head and was blue in BWII in Japan. Looks nice in grey and resembles one of the Powermasters - don't ask me which ! (checks TM Universe CD Rom) It's Dreadwind. Remember kids you can never have enough Decepticon jets ! "
Where my paper copies of TFU were when I wrote that I don't know as I've zealously hoarded then for years. In fact they're probably my earliest surviving TF item.
What it says for Tow Line. Even the completist need not buy both.
Skyfire is a lovely recolour, this set of colours works well to say Decepticon jets
ROBOTMASTERS
Into 2004, and Robotmasters serves up all 4 Flipchangers in a new colour scheme
Ligier www.tfu.info/2004/Cybertron/Ligier/ligier.htm (Mirage repaint)
Like R-Blade, Ligier is a case of "what the mold should have been painted all along" Blue body with white racing car details it shouts G1 Mirage even though on closer examination it's a different blue ! Yellow light pipe. The name comes from the name of the F1 team (now disused I think) whose colours were on the original G1 Mirage and I believe it's also the toy's Diaclone name. A must have before the release of classics Mirage.
Wrecker Hook www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/Wreckerhook/wreckerhook.htm (Hoist Repaint)
Wrecker Hook switches sides and becomes a Decepticon. Black plastic, with red paint on the mud guards, robot legs and forearms, blue plastic tow hook, upper arms and body, green clear plastic, and yellow flame detailing. Do you get the impression that the designers don't really know what to do with this mold ?
Air Hunter www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/AirHunter/airhunter.htm (Megatron repaint)
Clear black plastic, with orange details, grey body and upper limbs and a yellow lightpipe make this a very nice looking repaint. It's a close run thing, but I think I prefer Windsheer to him though.
Wing Stun www.tfu.info/2004/Destron/WingStun/wingstun.htm (Wing Span ?) (Thundercracker repaint)
Camouflage version of Thundercracker, using a brighter green and more extensive detailing. A black head with orange light pipe. Again, very nice and you aught to have one, but Sky Fire is better.
KNOCK OFFS
Yup, there's KO versions:
Robot Transformers Large Versions: All 4 RM versions received deluxe sized KOs in late 2006. The version of Air Hunter is hard to get. All 4 looks nice though the plastic can be fragile - especially Wrecker Hook's hook. Each incorporates a gimmick which makes their chest light up. When it works it's OK. *WHEN* it works.....
Power Warriors:
Mirage shows up with a simplified paint job and a clear blue head. Not the worst KO I've ever seen.
Hoist - where did they get this colour scheme from ? It's better than all the commercial releases ! Red plastic, blue plastic body, hook and upper arms, clear blue chest and head, yellow fire bird on bonnet. Looks great, like Rodimus Prime as a Tow Truck - which you can accept after Energon. But remove the Firebird and it becomes obvious that it's Optimus Prime. The Entertainer had these, it's worth checking. Be warned the arms a re fixed at the elbow on this release (but see bellow) and I've only ever found them with 2 left arms.
Robot Transformers Small Version Vs Packs
Mirage and Hoist as per the Power Warriors, only Hoist's elbows work this time and he's missing the flame detailing on the sides of the truck. Still got 2 left arms though !
The jets are interesting - Megatron is Black, with a red body and upper limbs, clear blue head and cockpit, and metallic blue decaling matching Air Hunter's. Good as a background trooper, as is Thundercracker - black (as per megs) with off white body and upper limbs, clear blue head and cockpit, and gold camouflage pattern which matches Wing Stun's
FUTURE REPAINTS
As I've indicated above I'd like to see Hoist in Orange with a green body/upper limbs/hook like the clear version. But the reverse of that might be good too - if the green were dark enough - to look like G1 Hoist
A proper Hasbro release of Hoist in Optimus Prime colours might be good
Mirage could do with being done in the orange Diaclone colours. A red version would be nice too.
Jets could be any colour you like really - Cyberjet Windsheer's colour scheme would look nice and there's plenty of other G1 jets to pilfer for colours !
