Jetfire - Air Guardian

mib Jetfire, c-8

Released in 1985, a Takatoku Macross VF-1S Super Valkyrie box set was repainted, repackaged, and released as Jetfire. Jetfire features three modes: robot, jet, and an "alternate transformation" that deploys his arms and legs in jet mode. Additionally, Jetfire comes with several red pieces of armor and rocket booster backpack that can snap onto his arms, legs, and back in any mode. Due to his Macross origins, Jetfire has considerably more articulation than the other Transformers in the line at the time.

However, Jetfire was never released in Japan, since the toy was released by one of Takara's rival toy companies, Bandai, which owned Takatoku's Valkyrie Fighter license and had told Hasbro that they could only sell the Jetfire character in the U.S. but not in Japan. Thus, there was never a Takara-issued Jetfire.

Jetfire is one of the TFs I coveted because of his amazing accessories and armor, as well as a gorgeous jet mode. It was thanks to Grimlock bro that I managed to secure this piece from an online ebay seller and at a pretty decent price too. Though it came in a box which has obviously seen much better days, the toy itself is in excellent condition with all the 11 pieces of battle armor complete.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Here's wishing everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Have a smooth sailing year in 2009. :)

Toy Collection Charity Drive on 14th Dec at CSC

This year, TF.SG will be organising a toy donation drive, with the beneficiary being Touch Young Arrows (TYA), under its parent organisation Touch Community Services. Some background information on TYA is as follows.

TYA believes that children can be nurtured and sharpened like arrows to make a positive impact in society, and to be future leaders in the community. TYA aims to realise the potential of children from single-parent or low-income families through a series of activities such as tuition, mentoring and sharing, art and craft lessons, indoor and outdoor games, outings and camps. TYA runs these activities on Saturdays at 10 centres in Bedok, Bendemeer, Clementi, Hougang, Marine Parade, Mountbatten, Queenstown, Serangoon, Tampines and Yishun. Some of the children who were in the pioneer programme some 15 years ago have returned to the club as volunteers to mentor the younger ones.

This coming sunday, 14th Dec, TF.SG will be having a toy collection drive to collect toys for these needy children, estimated to be around 250-300 children and from the age range of 7 - 12 years old. Admin team members from TF.SG, including myself, will gather at Spinelli's Coffee at China Square Central, from 3pm to 4pm to collect all donated toys, so anyone who has playable toys in good used and unused condition that you no longer want, please be generous in coming forward to donate them. We will consolidate all the collected toys and pass them to the person-in-charge on the following saturday, 20th Dec. I would like to make an appeal to everyone to come forward to make this a special christmas for these needy kids. Thanks once again. :)

Constructicons Unite!

The Constructicons and their super-robot mode, Devastator

misb Long Haul, c-10

Long Haul desires to be a front line fighter instead of a transport specialist, but recognizes his important role in the Autobot-Decepticon conflict. As the second strongest Constructicon after Bonecrusher, his ability to carry large loads, coupled with the powerful dual heat seeking missile launcher he wields in his attack vehicle mode, make him a dangerous adversary.

misb Scrapper, c-10

Scrapper is the leader of the formidable Constructicons. As such, Megatron values Scrapper's ability to organize his unit in order to assemble nearly any structure the Decepticons require. Scrapper's viciousness toward the Autobots make him quite popular among his Decepticon cronies. He forms the right leg of Devastator.

misb Hook, c-10

Hook's intelligence and skill are the result of his elitist personality, and he simply cannot tolerate unprofessionalism and lack of perfection-qualities important fot this Decepticon equivalent of a doctor/surgeon. He forms the head and shoulders of Devastator.

misb Mixmaster, c-10

Mixmaster is very skilled at his function; to the extent that his superiors are often surprised by the products he can almost "magically" procure while creating materials for the superstructures that the talented Constructicons made infamous.

misb Scavenger, c-10

Scavenger is a moving shovel on a rotating base. His robot mode looks odd, and he has the most purple colouring of all Constructicons.

misb Bonecrusher, c-10

Bonecrusher is the strongest of the six Constructicons, and his battle prowess and ability to demolish fortifications makes him popular among his Decepticon comrades. His robot and vehicle mode are quite excellent, and in vehicle mode, his extra Devastator parts can be used to create an attack vehicle mode.

mib unused Devastator, c-8.5

Released in 1985, Devastator is the combination of the six constructicons; Team Leader Scrapper, Hook, Bonecrusher, Long Haul, Mixmaster and Scavenger.
Devastator's forearms are also spring-loaded missile launchers, able to fire his fists as well as his drill attachments, though the springs were severely weakened in the US for safety reasons. He also comes armed with a large purple laser rifle. Hook and Scavenger's pistols can also be easily added to him for a little extra firepower. While the others' pistols can be added as well, they're not in very useful positions. Unlike the later Scramble City-style combiners, Devastator's limbs cannot be rearranged into any other configurations. Although the Constructicons were produced in large quantities, and is one of the easiest combiners to find on the secondary market, they are always in demand and readily snatched up by casual and die-hard TFs fans alike as they were the most easily identifiable of all Transformers combiners.

Slag

misb Slag, c-9.5

Released in 1985, Slag was part of the second series of Transformers. The toy transformed into a robotic Triceratops, and came with a missile launcher that could fit in the shoulder socket of both the robot and dinosaur, a red sword, a silver "electro blaster" and three silver rockets. Like many Diaclone-era toys, Slag had a conspicuous driver compartment contained in his chest. I bought Slag from a local collector who is downsizing his collection. I've always had a keen interest in the dinobots, but it's really not easy to find them in their boxes. I'm certainly glad my patience has paid off with the acquisition of one member of the dinobots. Slag comes in excellent condition, sealed in a c-9.5 box.

Darkwings giftset

mib unused Darkwings giftset, c-9

Darkwings is formed by combining the individual toys of Hydra and Buster, both released in 1988. Once their Godmaster engines are plugged in, the two jets can be combined to form a single "superjet". A special multi-pack containing both Hydra and Buster was released in Japan. The two toys are identical to their normal-retail individual releases.

Twincast and Soundblaster

mib unused Twincast, c-9.5

The first Blaster toy was redecoed as Twincast in 1987 and had its tape-door retooled in order to accommodate two cassettes at once. The clear-plastic part of the door was also changed to clear-red, so when certain cassettes were placed inside, the "secret plans" decals on them would reveal the "weak point" of either Fortress Maximus or Scorponok, much like using the tech-specs decoders. He came with Steeljaw, who was given one of these new decals.
In 2006, Twincast was also reissued as an e-Hobby exclusive, this time packaged with the new character Flip Sides.

mib unused Soundblaster, c8.5

As part of the Japanese Headmasters series, Soundwave was redecoed and retooled in 1987 so that he could hold two Cassettes in his chest at once. Soundblaster's tape door was cast in transparent red plastic to allow the information on the "readout" decal, unique to the Headmasters decos of the cassettes, to be seen, functioning in the same manner as the Tech Specs decoders. The readouts of the Decepticon cassettes showed the "weak points" of Fortress Maximus. Soundblaster came packaged with Buzzsaw.
Soundblaster was also reissued in the Transformers Collection series in 2005, packaged together with Buzzsaw and Ravage. This mold was used for all future reissues of Soundwave, since the original Soundwave mold is broken, and they mostly just have a single tape door to let it look more like Soundwave, yet they still feature the more exposed buttons on the bottom of Soundwave's chest door.