Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 5, 2010 12:37:41 GMT
Kup
Kup is one of three new Autobot car toys issued in 1986 to tie in with the release of Transformers the Movie. Kup's tech spec makes him out to be an old grizzled warrior:
So not entirely unlike Ironhide then....
The name KUP comes for picKUP truck, which is what I think Kup's vehicle is meant to be. He's got a diagonally sloped sea blue front with moulded windows - the first of this scale of Autobot car not to have clear windows. Twin pale blue structures, containing his rear wheels, stretch out from the back of the cab between which is a very short platform for part of the distance. This isn't a lot to space to store something on and besides it's open at the back so anything would just fall off! What Kup really reminds me of in this mode is Ironhide's vehicle mode when you remove his defence bay. It's almost as if there's something missing here for Kup, maybe a similar defence bay or a part that converts to a second robot (Have we discovered where the previously unknown Transformer character Pic should go ?)
(well I thought it was good joke)
Transformation: Turn the car over with the front of the car pointing up. Slide the rear wheels down exposing the feet. Fold both arms out from under the front of the car and straighten them. Fold each arm out to the side, folding the wheels in. Fold the front of the car forward 90 degrees bringing the small flatbed with it. Push both parts of the rear of the car towards each other to form the legs. Fold the front of the car forward a further 90 degrees onto the robot's waist. Fold the flatbed onto the back of the cab. Fold the rear half of the cab backwards exposing the head. Turn the hands round so the 4mm holes face up and place a gun into the hand.
Kup's robot mode has pretty decent proportions if transformed correctly, I've seen lots of photos where the legs haven't been pushed towards each other at the hips. He's got a sloped chest formed from the windscreen with the head on top...... so quite like Ironhide's animation model then! The more I look at this toy the more I see an attempt to redo Ironhide, the similarities just keep coming. Articulation: Shoulders turn and swing to the sides both inside the body and at the start of the arm. Elbow bends but only inwards and outwards: Kup needs a bicep swivel. The wrist turns. The head, waist & legs are stationary. His fists have 4mm peg holes which allows him to hold the aquamarine coloured gun he's supplied with.
Kup isn't my favourite G1 toy by a long stretch. The vehicle mode is extremely lacking and feels like it's missing something.The robot isn't too bad though.
Kup was sold in the USA & UK in 1986 but stock was still available into 1987 by which time his modified Targetmaster version was on the shelf. In Japan he was released in 1986 as Transformers toy C-82 Char. The original version of Kup has never been reissued, but the Targetmaster version was in 2003 as part of the Transformers Collection, details of which are bellow.
Kup hasn't had the sort of love that Hot Rod has over the years. There was a repainted version for Botcon 2009 using a modified Cybertron Red Alert and at the time of writing that's it, although a new Earth mode Generations Sergeant Kup is due in early 2011.
Targetmaster Kup with Recoil
Kup was re-released in 1987, the year following his initial release. He looses his original gun instead gaining a new Targetmaster weapon, Recoil. His flatbed gain a raised 5mm hole for you to mount the Targetmaster weapon on which in a flash transforms the toy, giving the odd rear half a function as a weapons platform. In robot mode Kup's hands are altered to accommodate the larger 5mm pegs on the Targetmaster guns.
Recoil is a three part Targetmaster - most only use two pieces of plastic - of an almost identical design to Crosshair's Targetmaster Pinpointer. The other three part Targetmaster - Slugslinger's Caliburst - is of a different design which requires you to remove parts and replace them in a different position. Recoil has grey legs with a black body and silver painted face. This colour palate is shared between all of the exclusive Targetmasters sold in either the West or Japan. The six that were sold in both markets use Red & Black for the Autobots and Grey & Pale Blue for the Decepticons. Recoil's peg is found on his back.
To transform Recoil, fold his legs up over his chest and then fold out the black gun barrels that were behind his legs.
Recoil's gun mode is longer than most of the Targetmasters with dual barrels sticking out the front. A more compact version can be formed by folding the gun barrels back and reversing which way the weapon faces.
Decent addition to the initial Kup release which improves it no end.
Targetmaster Kup was sold in the USA & UK in 1987. He was not carried over into 1988, like the other four 1986 toys which were augmented as Targetmasters ( Blurr, Hot Rod, Scourge & Cyclonus). Likewise Kup and the other four 1986 toys were not sold as Targetmasters in Japan.
Trabsformers Collection Kup with Recoil & Wheelie
Kup's one and only reissue occurred in 2005 as the penultimate release in Takara's Transformers Collection where he was numbered 20. He was packed with Transformers Collection Wheelie, a reissue & slight repaint of Wheelie, which provides an interesting contrast between the oldest and youngest transformers in the Movie.
As per previous Transformers Collection releases, this set tries to be the definitive version of Kup. As a base this toy is the Targetmaster version, which was never previously released in Japan, but also includes his original aquamarine gun modified with a 5mm ring around the top of the handle so that the Targetmaster version of Kup, and many other Transformers toys, can hold it.
Fabulous release, the only version of Kup you'll need and you get Wheelie in the bargain. *and* if you look on eBay this can still be obtained quite cheaply.
Orion Pax with Barrelroller & Dion
Orion Pax with Barrelroller & Dion is an E-Hobby repaint set released alongside Transformers Collection #20 Kup with Recoil & Wheelie and directly repaints all elements of that set. Orion Pax is the earlier version of Optimus Prime seen in the cartoon episode The Key To Vector Sigma, and as such the Prime colours are imported to this toy. As you'd expect the front cab becomes red and the grey becomes dark blue but the aquamarine becomes grey - would that have been better as blue too? A few touches of paint - grey upper legs and a red waist - complete the look.
Barrelroller meanwhile is an inverse version of Recoil: The chest & guns are grey with black lower legs.
As detailed in the Wheelie Review, Dion is a car crash of yellow & blue plastic for the orange of Wheelie with a liberal amount of white paint and a clear blue windscreen.
Yeah maybe Dion's not the world's greatest repaint, but Orion Pax is super. Dion
Future Repaints
Break out the red and make Kup into Ironhide! Paint the Targetmaster gun all black and you've got a cracking repaint set.
Kup is one of three new Autobot car toys issued in 1986 to tie in with the release of Transformers the Movie. Kup's tech spec makes him out to be an old grizzled warrior:
Kup is an old veteran warhorse with a thousand tall tales from his ten thousand adventures. He has a motto or word of advice for any situation and he's as brave and loyal as they come. In robot mode, he carries an old-style musket laser that shoots short bursts of metal corrosive hydrochloric acid. Range: 5 miles. Speed: 100mph. Kup sees himself as a seasoned campaigner with more knowledge and experience to share. Other Autobots aren't always receptive to his advice.
So not entirely unlike Ironhide then....
"Go chew on a microchip!" is Ironhide's slogan. Prefers action to words. Oldest, toughest, most battle-tested Autobot. Bodyguard to Optimus Prime. In charge of guarding anything of importance. Gruff, but kind. Trithyllium-steel skin makes him nearly invulnerable to attack. Shoots variety of liquids from supercooled nitrogen to superheated lead. Has sonar, radar, radiowave detector. Slowest and most fragile of the group.
The name KUP comes for picKUP truck, which is what I think Kup's vehicle is meant to be. He's got a diagonally sloped sea blue front with moulded windows - the first of this scale of Autobot car not to have clear windows. Twin pale blue structures, containing his rear wheels, stretch out from the back of the cab between which is a very short platform for part of the distance. This isn't a lot to space to store something on and besides it's open at the back so anything would just fall off! What Kup really reminds me of in this mode is Ironhide's vehicle mode when you remove his defence bay. It's almost as if there's something missing here for Kup, maybe a similar defence bay or a part that converts to a second robot (Have we discovered where the previously unknown Transformer character Pic should go ?)
(well I thought it was good joke)
Transformation: Turn the car over with the front of the car pointing up. Slide the rear wheels down exposing the feet. Fold both arms out from under the front of the car and straighten them. Fold each arm out to the side, folding the wheels in. Fold the front of the car forward 90 degrees bringing the small flatbed with it. Push both parts of the rear of the car towards each other to form the legs. Fold the front of the car forward a further 90 degrees onto the robot's waist. Fold the flatbed onto the back of the cab. Fold the rear half of the cab backwards exposing the head. Turn the hands round so the 4mm holes face up and place a gun into the hand.
Kup's robot mode has pretty decent proportions if transformed correctly, I've seen lots of photos where the legs haven't been pushed towards each other at the hips. He's got a sloped chest formed from the windscreen with the head on top...... so quite like Ironhide's animation model then! The more I look at this toy the more I see an attempt to redo Ironhide, the similarities just keep coming. Articulation: Shoulders turn and swing to the sides both inside the body and at the start of the arm. Elbow bends but only inwards and outwards: Kup needs a bicep swivel. The wrist turns. The head, waist & legs are stationary. His fists have 4mm peg holes which allows him to hold the aquamarine coloured gun he's supplied with.
Kup isn't my favourite G1 toy by a long stretch. The vehicle mode is extremely lacking and feels like it's missing something.The robot isn't too bad though.
Kup was sold in the USA & UK in 1986 but stock was still available into 1987 by which time his modified Targetmaster version was on the shelf. In Japan he was released in 1986 as Transformers toy C-82 Char. The original version of Kup has never been reissued, but the Targetmaster version was in 2003 as part of the Transformers Collection, details of which are bellow.
Kup hasn't had the sort of love that Hot Rod has over the years. There was a repainted version for Botcon 2009 using a modified Cybertron Red Alert and at the time of writing that's it, although a new Earth mode Generations Sergeant Kup is due in early 2011.
Targetmaster Kup with Recoil
Kup was re-released in 1987, the year following his initial release. He looses his original gun instead gaining a new Targetmaster weapon, Recoil. His flatbed gain a raised 5mm hole for you to mount the Targetmaster weapon on which in a flash transforms the toy, giving the odd rear half a function as a weapons platform. In robot mode Kup's hands are altered to accommodate the larger 5mm pegs on the Targetmaster guns.
Recoil is a three part Targetmaster - most only use two pieces of plastic - of an almost identical design to Crosshair's Targetmaster Pinpointer. The other three part Targetmaster - Slugslinger's Caliburst - is of a different design which requires you to remove parts and replace them in a different position. Recoil has grey legs with a black body and silver painted face. This colour palate is shared between all of the exclusive Targetmasters sold in either the West or Japan. The six that were sold in both markets use Red & Black for the Autobots and Grey & Pale Blue for the Decepticons. Recoil's peg is found on his back.
To transform Recoil, fold his legs up over his chest and then fold out the black gun barrels that were behind his legs.
Recoil's gun mode is longer than most of the Targetmasters with dual barrels sticking out the front. A more compact version can be formed by folding the gun barrels back and reversing which way the weapon faces.
Decent addition to the initial Kup release which improves it no end.
Targetmaster Kup was sold in the USA & UK in 1987. He was not carried over into 1988, like the other four 1986 toys which were augmented as Targetmasters ( Blurr, Hot Rod, Scourge & Cyclonus). Likewise Kup and the other four 1986 toys were not sold as Targetmasters in Japan.
Trabsformers Collection Kup with Recoil & Wheelie
Kup's one and only reissue occurred in 2005 as the penultimate release in Takara's Transformers Collection where he was numbered 20. He was packed with Transformers Collection Wheelie, a reissue & slight repaint of Wheelie, which provides an interesting contrast between the oldest and youngest transformers in the Movie.
As per previous Transformers Collection releases, this set tries to be the definitive version of Kup. As a base this toy is the Targetmaster version, which was never previously released in Japan, but also includes his original aquamarine gun modified with a 5mm ring around the top of the handle so that the Targetmaster version of Kup, and many other Transformers toys, can hold it.
Fabulous release, the only version of Kup you'll need and you get Wheelie in the bargain. *and* if you look on eBay this can still be obtained quite cheaply.
Orion Pax with Barrelroller & Dion
Orion Pax with Barrelroller & Dion is an E-Hobby repaint set released alongside Transformers Collection #20 Kup with Recoil & Wheelie and directly repaints all elements of that set. Orion Pax is the earlier version of Optimus Prime seen in the cartoon episode The Key To Vector Sigma, and as such the Prime colours are imported to this toy. As you'd expect the front cab becomes red and the grey becomes dark blue but the aquamarine becomes grey - would that have been better as blue too? A few touches of paint - grey upper legs and a red waist - complete the look.
Barrelroller meanwhile is an inverse version of Recoil: The chest & guns are grey with black lower legs.
As detailed in the Wheelie Review, Dion is a car crash of yellow & blue plastic for the orange of Wheelie with a liberal amount of white paint and a clear blue windscreen.
Yeah maybe Dion's not the world's greatest repaint, but Orion Pax is super. Dion
Future Repaints
Break out the red and make Kup into Ironhide! Paint the Targetmaster gun all black and you've got a cracking repaint set.
