Skywarp

Status: Released

Release Date: 1984

Assortment Number: Jets Assortment1 (#5780) , Jets Assortment2 (#5785)

Product Number: 5783E

Per Case: 4 , 1

Re-Issues: Commemorative Series Skywarp , Transformers Encore Skywarp (two pack with Thundercracker)

Recolors/Reuses: Generation 1 Starscream , Generation 1 Thundercracker , E Hobby Sunstorm , Generation 2 Starscream , Generation 1 Ramjet , Generation 1 Thrust , Generation 1 Dirge , Generation 2 Ramjet

Ah, yes, the Seekers. Who doesnt love them? (Except maybe Megatron, and Autobots, and Decepticon haters.)

Skywarp is my personal fave--he has a killer color scheme, a cool ability (teleportation, always a plus) and is dumb as stone. An unbeatable combination!

This review covers the recent Hasbro reissue.

Vehicle Mode

Skywarp, like Starscream and Thundercracker, is a variant on the F14 Tomcat fighter. IMHO he has the best color scheme of the three (with Thundercracker just behind)--I like the severe black and silver color scheme, with just a bit of purple thrown in to keep him from being two-tone, and an orange canopy.

Its also surprising to me how huge the jets are--in vehicle mode, they easily approximate the size of a modern Mega toy (in fact, theyre almost the same size as the Armada jets). This is a reversal of the usual pattern--pick up a G1 toy and find out its a lot smaller than you remembered (e.g. Bluestreak).

Not a lot of functionality going on here--with the missile launchers basically disabled, Skywarps "action features" basically boil down to an opening canopy (for the benefit of a Diaclone pilot) and rolling stock (metal wheels, no less) for his landing gear(s).

Im not wild about the new missiles, although I think the "laser tip" missiles are less ugly than the "short tip" ones now--because those stick way out from the launcher. At least these fit more like the way they used to, and only the tips have really been badly deformed (what, they couldnt at least have cut slots into them, to make them look vaguely weapon-like again?).

Apart from this, slightly different plastic, and a slightly different paint used for the silver on his die-cast parts, Skywarp is pretty much identical to his first release.

Since all six original Seekers have pretty much the same transform, well just move along to robot mode.

Robot Mode

Most of Skywarps robot mode detail comes from decals, and fortunately he has a good set of them--the designs add a little more color (red, yellow, dark blue) and a bit of pizazz to the toy. Ive also always liked the head design these guys have--they just look mean.

Hes also one of the larger original G1 toys, standing at about four inches, or the size of a modern deluxe, so he doesnt look as tiny as other G1 toys (Autobot cars, for example).

Skywarp has a whopping two points of articulation (not counting the moveable "nosecone&quot, which isnt that unusual for G1. As long as you dont expect him to do much more than look cool, youll be fine.

Last Word

I like all the Decepticon jets, but Skywarp is my favorite (apart from Ramjet). Sure, hes not a well-known character, and hes an idiot, but hes a cool-looking idiot, and in the end, isnt that all that matters? (Well, no. But pretend it does.)

Recommended to serious G1 and Decepticon fans.

Voice Actor: Frank Welker

Skywarp MP3 Sounds
01 leader now.mp3 (43.7 KB)
05 its true leader back.mp3 (51 KB)
07 our leader is back.mp3 (29 KB)
14 last hope.mp3 (41.3 KB)
30 look out hes crazed.mp3 (44.1 KB)

Notes
Skywarp is a F-15 Eagle fighter Jet, and has a nice hat.

Contributors: Tony_Bacala, Harold Tietjens, J.E. Alvarez, The Hartmans, ams, Destro, Runamuck, MegaPrime33, holygrail_4

Views: 1,124