Just got this guy and Saesee Tiin from HTS. ($8.99 + shipping with the current markdown and CATWEB10 code.) Here's my attempt at a review and pics.
Vehicle Mode
It's a very faithful representation of the Republic Gunship, which debuted in
Episode II. It holds together very solidly, and is painted very cleanly (at least on mine). There are several nice details, mainly consisting of missile racks.
Two removable (and quite powerful) missile launchers adorn the top. Two nose cannons (made of softer plastic) are mounted by ball joints and can be aimed. Freely spinning gun pods are mounted within the wings. And two nifty arm-mounted gun pods are attached at the front of the troop compartment via ball joints (which pop out fairly easily) and a hinge, meaning they can be stowed as seen in the underside pic below.
There's really no visible mech kibble, unless you look inside at the back of the troop compartment, where you can see the feet.
As with all other SWTFs, a mini-figure is included -- this time an
Episode II-era clone pilot, appropriately. He has the usual articulation points: single-block hips and shoulders which are slightly independently posable. He fits very snugly (must be double dipping on the clone rations) in the cockpit seat. In a pretty cool touch, the troop compartment has four little clips with can hold the foot bases of the mini-figures, so they can be posed ready to ride into battle.
Transformation
- Remove the missile launchers.
- Swing wings and rear troop compartment walls up as far as they'll go.
- Open the bottom fuselage panels.
- Unfold legs and waist from the troop compartment.
- Unfold arms from underneath the nose of the ship, and swing shoulders out to the side.
- Extend forearms.
- Fold nose of ship down, revealing head.
- Slide neck panel back, allowing ship nose to click into place on waist.
- Fold top of fuselage and bottom panels up along mech's back.
Mech Mode
Overall, pretty nice looking, if you ask me. Yes, the wings are stuck out to the sides, but it's a good look.
The head is nicely detailed like the clone pilot helmets, with black visor and tubing, silver detailing, yellow stripe along the top, and red Republic emblems.
Articulation is lacking in the arms, but good in the legs:
- Swivel neck (360 degrees).
- Shoulders can swing up to about 100 degrees and rotate out to about 30, but there's no forward/backward rotation.
- Bicep swivels.
- Hinge elbows.
- Wrists swivel up to 90 degrees only -- no rotation.
- No waist articulation.
- Universal hips.
- Mid-thigh swivels.
- Double-hinged knees and ankles.
- Mid-foot hinge for heel spur.
He's well-armed. The armature gun pods end up on his shoulders, nose cannons end up on his forearms, and he can hold the missile launchers.
Overall
Solid in both modes, great and faithful sculpt and deco, well-armed, and decently articulated. Not the very best
SWTF, but up there. I'd definitely recommend it at the current HTS markdown price, and still would've been very happy with it at the usual $15 price.