Dirge, Ramjet & Thrust...

I realize that as G1 toys Dirge, Ramjet & Thrust were basically F-15 bodies with funky wings...but...are there any "real world" jet fighters that trans-fans accept as being at least close to the plane modes for these three?

I have no idea, but I picked these off google:


Dirge

Minus the tail fin

Ramjet

and I can't see anything for Thrust

well for Ramjet he does have a similar wing design as the SR-71 Blackbird which actually have Ramjet technology

I remember the old "Cybertronian" toy guide/profile books that came out years back, which made a rough claim that Ramjet, Thrust, and Dirge were based on actual prototype craft that modified the F-15 for delta wing and VTOL configurations. Now I know there have been a few F-15-based mods and technology demonstrators, but I'm pretty sure there's never been a serious attempt at a VTOL F-15, certainly not with turbines/fans in the wings, anyway.

How the Animated toy line REALLY came to an end

not trying to hijack, but was there any rank given to them? like who was higher or was there never really an explanation?

Dirge would definitely match the link given, ramjet would be more along the lines of an sr-71, thrust... nothing comes to mind.

You can't really have a "real world" plane like thrust either for 2 reasons.

1. the turbojets in the wings would obliterate the aerodynamics
2. in a plane, fuel is commonly stored in the wings. thrust would still require standard engines for horizontal flight, and there wouldn't be any place in the fuselage to store the fuel the if the wings have those giant turbofans.

www.moller.com is about the closest thing I can think of, which came out way after transformers, and still has tilting engines(something thrust doesn't have).

Edit: And the conehead seekers were all rank 5 according to their tech specs.

2nd edit: By the way, skywarp was rank 9, starscream and thundercracker were rank 5 according to the original tech specs.

I don't know about what the official bases for these three Seekers were, but I always thought the wing designs were based on, or at least reminiscent of, the Saab Viggen (Dirge) and the Saab Draken (Ramjet). I have no idea what Thrust might have been based on, though.

That's correct. The VTOL etc concept is a Takara thingy, the F15 would was way to heavy even to be considered being fitted with VTOL, the closest was STOL capabilities... other than that many of the designs are takara design with no basis in real life F15 development, neither prototype or experimental. Some time ago I list all the concept, tech demonstrators, prototypes and experimentals of the F15 and none were even closely resembling the cone-head-jets.

Yea they are pretty dead on as closest looking aircraft. Saab JA37 (or AJ37 version) Viggen is closely resembles Dirge.

Ramjet has a wing design that closely resembles the F16XL, although the overwing mounted extra engines is just another Takara thinking.

Thrust is puzzling, and nothing that even remotely looks like a jet in service nor a prototype as such... mouting wingfans would be VTOL friendly because the just add up to the existing high weight of the airframe.

Dirge and Ramjet surely have their real counterparts, but Thrust... no idea.

What ?... you need an A/C encyclopedia