Generations Blitzwing

Discussion in 'Transformers Feedback & Reviews' started by archieboy, Apr 17, 2013.

  1. archieboy

    archieboy Well-Known Member

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    Hasbro, Y U SO INCONSISTENT???

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    There's no way for these shoulders to remain securely tabbed! What fucking poor design/engineering. I'm surprised this got greenlit for production. And people are wondering why more and more collectors are switching to 3Ps???

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    Faces rotate vertically. Head articulation got sacrificed. Faces are made of rubber.

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    Regular face can be fixed to get rid of the forehead.

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    Yep.

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    The nosecone, which is entirely made of rubber, is impossible to fit/peg on top of the head.

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    Best I can could up with..

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    Tank mode is the weakest link.

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    Yeah, the turret swivels. Derp...

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    4th mode?

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    Somehow I managed to fix he nosecone WHILE IN TANK MODE :|

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    Yeah, this happens whenever you rotate his shoulders

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    Blitzwing is bulkier, but his design/engineering flaws make him a much poorer figure than Springer.

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    Okay now let me try this...

    Robot mode: 7. Bot mode actually looks fine, but those shoulders leave much to be desired. They could've used a more secure clip or something, but for some reason did not (there's space for it, as far as I can tell). And I don't care for the faces.

    Alt modes: 6. The tank is so ugly. The turret has gaps/holes. The jet mode is okay if you can get the nosecone to peg. *sigh*

    Transformation: 7. Just okay. I love how the tank treads work, and how the wings are hidden, but the rest of him is just held together by pegs that are far from secure.

    Build quality: 7. Plastic is the same solid one as Springer's. Blitzwing has more paint flaws, though. He has ZERO ratchets. His hip joints are loose enough to make him do the splits often. I HATE FIGURES THAT DO THE SPLITS!

    Articulation: 8. No head tilt, just rotation. No waist swivel. Has ankle tilts, so yipee.

    OVERALL: 7. Again, my biggest complaints are the shoulders and nosecone. They take away a lot in terms of playability, making the figure fiddly and not-fun. But then, he does look good on the shelf. Would I recommend him? Honestly, I don't know.

    EDIT

    First, let me clarify: the nosecone and face are made of "rubbery plastic" than actual rubber, so if I have misled anyone, I apologize. These feel the same as the bits on BH Voyager Predaking. Soft, but firm.

    Second, I've had more time playing with/transforming the figure, and I've grown fond of it. The shoulder issue is still there, but it only becomes bothersome when you pose the arms, and stops being an issue when you leave it alone. Bot mode looks REALLLY bad ass, jet mode is pretty good, and the tank is still meh. PLUS if you're imaginative you can get a bunch of fan modes out of this guy, so in that sense he's more fun than Springer.

    So yeah, after spending more time with him, I am changing my recommendation from "HOLD" to "BUY."

    EDIT

    I just realized that I have not posted any pic with the shoulders properly rotated. This can be done by holding the purple panels in place while rotating. Again, I apologize if I have inadvertently misled anyone.

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    EDIT:

    This was inspired by the work of Wewyllenium

    I used two pieces of styrene, around 8 mm x 7 mm x 1 mm each. Any piece of plastic/material of around the same dimensions will do. I used tape to adhere the pieces to this section of Blitzwing's shoulder flaps:

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    Just make sure that the rectangular slots just underneath the white plastic pieces are unobstructed. These slots are used in jet mode.

    That's it! Your Blitzwing's shoulders should now lock in place. And the fix will not affect either alt mode.

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    You can also choose to make the fix permanent by using superglue to attach the plastic pieces, or temporary with double sided tape or blue tac.

    Once you see how this fix works, you'll realize the mistake Hasbro made. I'm sure the design and engineering worked well in theory (i.e., in 3d programs). The problem was that the plastic which makes up the shoulder flaps and the section where the turret is attached is too flexible and not firm enough.
     
  2. Bountyan

    Bountyan Well-Known Member

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    Shoulder issue is disappointing. Looks near perfect to me otherwise. Probably going to be one of my favorite toys of the year just because I've been waiting for a classics Blitzwing toy for so damn long.
     
  3. LeoPrime

    LeoPrime Get bad with Cyber-bee!

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    Welp, time to break out the ol' nail polish for this guy...
     
  4. ZEGR

    ZEGR Well-Known Member

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    a bit disappointed after reading the review,was hoping he would be better.....i'll still probably get him
     
  5. Smashs

    Smashs Internet: Pure Truth Moderator

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    This was not a triumph.
     
  6. Deceptigtar

    Deceptigtar Sworn Decepticon Assassin

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    ugh was really hoping for better on this guy. i still want to get him, i get the whole 3 faces nod to animated. it was cool for animated, not this.
     
  7. opt1musaber

    opt1musaber Victory Saber's Recruit

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    I think I'll skip both...Disappointing as this was the one I was interested in more.
     
  8. Megatron31

    Megatron31 I Belong to Nobody!

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    he looks great but the rubber plastic is dissapointing to hear

    still going to get him though

    but from these pics my only gripe is that the shoulder wings should point up not down

    too bad they arent on a ball joint or something
     
  9. Mechafire

    Mechafire Shadow Broker Moderator News Staff

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    Wow, those issues are pretty disappointing... :/
     
  10. puma

    puma Well-Known Member

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    I'll still get him.
     
  11. Dinodigger97

    Dinodigger97 germinates within you.

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    Heh, the selling point for me is that he looks great with Lugnut.


    That's all I need.
     
  12. Sideways77

    Sideways77 #1 flareup simp

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    Hasbro is really stepping up their game. Both these Voyagers are instant buys for me.

    Shoulders don't look that bad.
     
  13. MECHADOOM

    MECHADOOM I'm Doombot and I know it

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    The wings are designed such that if you want them pointing up, you can, they'll just be on the front of the arm instead of the back. Also, it looks like having them configured that way *may* hamper the bicep swivel.
     
  14. LeoPrime

    LeoPrime Get bad with Cyber-bee!

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    What is it that's keeping his shoulders from locking in? Is it a lack of a tab entirely or that they just don't fit properly?
     
  15. kaotika

    kaotika Well-Known Member

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    Storin' mah nutz in mah cheekz fur teh wintur.
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    Something really bothers me about that face. It looks like a chubby human guy with red wraparound sunglasses, not a robot.
    And I don't get how chubby-human-face means G1 Blitzwing.
     
  16. TCracker

    TCracker R.I.P., 5/2019 Veteran

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    Still getting him anyways. My Octane and Astrotrain are rather lonely.
     
  17. Noideaforaname

    Noideaforaname Pico, let's go up to Zuma

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    Why on Earth would they make the faces rubber?

    It's strange and disappointing how with Springer it's "OMG sell off the 3rd parties, this guy it IT", but with Blitzwing it's "well, it's Blitzwing. Finally." And both of them come from the very same wave.

    I kinda wish he was done last year so he'd have been at a better size compared to Lugnut. Oh well.
     
  18. archieboy

    archieboy Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, the pegs and tabs are too short and shallow. They don't bite at all. So sad...
     
  19. General Tekno

    General Tekno Lugnut Supremor & Arkivist

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    Rubbery faces aren't that surprising, IMO.

    Reduces the chance of anything breaking when you're turning the face while allowing for less clearance. And half the Voyager-sized heads Hasbro does nowadays are rubbery.
     
  20. Robogeek28

    Robogeek28 Proud grandpa

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    WTF is up with Hasbro using so much rubber lately?