Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 2, 2008 16:42:44 GMT
Attempt 2
(Can you tell Liz and Jonathan are out ?)
Silverbolt
Universe Silverbolt takes the original Silverbolt and rebirths him in an Ultra sized mold. He's still a jet, but this one's more a stealth plane than Concorde - big triangular wings - with triangular slits in the back - and a short stubby nose. The underside is very like G1 Silverbolt - lots of robot hanging there folded up in a box ! There's a missile launcher under the nose. He has three landing wheels - two at the back, one at the front. A red button between both of the fold down tail fins activates the sounds & light - gunfire with a green light in the gunports behind the cockpit, a screeching noise and a warning alarm that makes the engines light up orange. The cockpit, gunports and engines are all cast in blue plastic.
TF: Fold the nose cone back till it locks back between the tail fins. Pull the arms away from the side of the under carriage, fold the hands out and turn so the wrists face forward. Pull the legs out to the sides, fold down and the twist bellow the hip so the front of the lower leg faces forward. (some additional fiddling might be necessary to get the hips without the screw facing forward) Fold out the feet and heel spurs. Push the legs up into the waist activating the TF noise and lighting up the gun ports, engines and eyes (you get the reverse noise when TFing back and this is the step that alters what the sounds do) Remove the missile launcher and place in the robot's hand.
Why do the eyes cast in blue light up green ? Well some years ago I wondered why Star Wars Force-FX Obi Wan Kenobi came with a green lightsabre. Apparently it's more expensive to produce blue LEDs then green ones. What I don't get is why they don't use a clear LED with blue plastic ?
Robot is physically very like Silverbolt even down to having a plane folded in two on his back. The colour choices are basicaly Silverbolt but there's two reds used - a darker one for the chest and a lighter one for the upper arms and landing gear flaps as well as some grey inexplicably appearing on the shoulders and upper legs. A button on his back activates just the gunfire sound (and concealed gunport lights) in this mode. His head turns, his shoulders move back & forth and swing to the sides, there's a bicep swivel and bending elbow. No waist, but the hips are articulated the same as the shoulders and the legs follow the arms - a swivel then the bend at the knee. There's some foot movement as part of the TF.
Overall: Decent plane & robot modes - the later with some odd colouring. But simple TF and lack of any special features (bar electronics) bring the toy down.
Repaints: I'd be surprised to see a G2 version that isn't a convention exclusive, but wouldn't be at all surprised to see a black Decepticon version with a Micromaster's name on it !
USA Edition Silverbolt
The Takara version of the toy - not part of their Henkei line - recolours Silverbolt. The off white and grey become white and both reds become a cherry red. This makes the toy look dead on for the G1 version.
(Can you tell Liz and Jonathan are out ?)
Silverbolt
Universe Silverbolt takes the original Silverbolt and rebirths him in an Ultra sized mold. He's still a jet, but this one's more a stealth plane than Concorde - big triangular wings - with triangular slits in the back - and a short stubby nose. The underside is very like G1 Silverbolt - lots of robot hanging there folded up in a box ! There's a missile launcher under the nose. He has three landing wheels - two at the back, one at the front. A red button between both of the fold down tail fins activates the sounds & light - gunfire with a green light in the gunports behind the cockpit, a screeching noise and a warning alarm that makes the engines light up orange. The cockpit, gunports and engines are all cast in blue plastic.
TF: Fold the nose cone back till it locks back between the tail fins. Pull the arms away from the side of the under carriage, fold the hands out and turn so the wrists face forward. Pull the legs out to the sides, fold down and the twist bellow the hip so the front of the lower leg faces forward. (some additional fiddling might be necessary to get the hips without the screw facing forward) Fold out the feet and heel spurs. Push the legs up into the waist activating the TF noise and lighting up the gun ports, engines and eyes (you get the reverse noise when TFing back and this is the step that alters what the sounds do) Remove the missile launcher and place in the robot's hand.
Why do the eyes cast in blue light up green ? Well some years ago I wondered why Star Wars Force-FX Obi Wan Kenobi came with a green lightsabre. Apparently it's more expensive to produce blue LEDs then green ones. What I don't get is why they don't use a clear LED with blue plastic ?
Robot is physically very like Silverbolt even down to having a plane folded in two on his back. The colour choices are basicaly Silverbolt but there's two reds used - a darker one for the chest and a lighter one for the upper arms and landing gear flaps as well as some grey inexplicably appearing on the shoulders and upper legs. A button on his back activates just the gunfire sound (and concealed gunport lights) in this mode. His head turns, his shoulders move back & forth and swing to the sides, there's a bicep swivel and bending elbow. No waist, but the hips are articulated the same as the shoulders and the legs follow the arms - a swivel then the bend at the knee. There's some foot movement as part of the TF.
Overall: Decent plane & robot modes - the later with some odd colouring. But simple TF and lack of any special features (bar electronics) bring the toy down.
Repaints: I'd be surprised to see a G2 version that isn't a convention exclusive, but wouldn't be at all surprised to see a black Decepticon version with a Micromaster's name on it !
USA Edition Silverbolt
The Takara version of the toy - not part of their Henkei line - recolours Silverbolt. The off white and grey become white and both reds become a cherry red. This makes the toy look dead on for the G1 version.
