*Updated (With Early Progress Below)* Quick link to the most recent post here and details on the Power/Target Master I made to go along with this custom quick-linked here). But here's here's few shots as a teaser of how it all turned out! Just like the Combiner Wars G2 Go-Bot Motormouth I recently did, this is an modern take on another one of my early G2 toys that never got an official update. This one I'm documenting the progress on as I go since I decided to try something a bit different... turning a TR Breakaway into a custom CW-compatible G2 Axelerator Windbreaker. *NOTE: I didn't want to use the CW Dead End mold Breakaway is heavily based off of as I'm not a fan of the legs/body proportions and I had a spare one of these kicking around so thought it would be a fun experiment -- I do have plans for Dead End already in motion for another G2 character too* Initial Posting With Early Progress So here's where I'm at so far (long way to go, of course) shown beside the original G2 Windbreaker, The big gap in the alt-mode hood is on purpose and will eventually be used to house an Axelerator-esque engine block weapon, Vs TR Breakaway to showcase changes, Details on what was done: Torso adapted to fit a combiner peg and head (both donated by CW Quickslinger, G2 version) Achieved by h̶a̶c̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶a̶w̶a̶y̶ carefully cutting out the Titan Master neck adapter and alt-mode "seat" section, then filling in gaps left behind when the flip-down chest was removed Leg-to-windscreen connection removed from back of legs, then flipped the lower legs with the thigh sections being spun 180-degrees too to put the knees in the right place Windscreen left on the back in bot-mode (these will be anchored more permanently later) Removed the hood-to-backpack transformation Split the car hood in half Rigged up a way to have the split hood fold behind each shoulder pad (they were way too tall just to sit above, and avoided any partsforming by reusing the armatures originally used by the cockpit/windscreen-to-calf connection to create a new transformation movement replaced the front of the windshield (along with a flip-up function to let the head pass by when the combiner peg is spun up for arm/leg mode) added in a combiner hand/foot port to the back of the vehicle mode permanently affixed the shoulder/hood connections built a power-/targetmaster from the Titan Master this came with filled out the chest a bit more with triangular styrene plates removed all the decos/paint apps resculpted the hood, legs, hips, head and paint (the orange especially gave me serious grief)
Looks great. Seems we're both fans of obscure G2 characters. I repainted a Zap/Windbreaker from a G1 Pointblank a while back though he needs a few touch ups.
Haha nice to see we're out there and good mold choice for that repaint! I didn't have any of the core cast of the mid-90s reruns I grew up with (the weird 3D spinning cube logo cutscenes are ingrained in my brain), so these bots were the ones I ended up connecting with. Even in the Beast era I had an affinity for the toy-only characters (... mostly because it bugged me the other toys didn't quite live up to their Mainframe CGI counterparts)
I was in college when G2 came out. Felt I was too old for toys but I did like the UK G2 comics after growing up on the UK G1 comics. Over the intervening years, I regretted not entering their competition to win a large selection of the G2 toy range. I did see an episode or two of Beast Wars but didn't really like it. I did like Beast Machines. I got back into collecting in late 2002 with the G1 reissues. Discovered EBay 3 years later and my ex bought me a collection of 33 G2 Transformers. Some great toys in that line. It was a few years before I completed my grail of the 4 Euro exclusive Stormtroopers. You've got a great talent. Hope to see more of your work.
A rough progress alt-mode update The next big change is the windshield, which needs to be replaced (clean up that big gap). Also the Target-/Powermaster sits a little high so some changes might need to be made there.
As some of the first Transformers I ever owned, I have a real soft-spot for the Axelerators, and this just looks awesome! I'll be looking forward to seeing the results whenever you get this guy finished.
Decided to dub the Target-/Powermaster I'm making as the engine block "Zap", the European name Windbreaker was also released under, which seems fairly fitting. Modded from a selection of Titan Masters, epoxy putty, spare bits of plastic to look similar-ish to the full figure (less blue tho). The gun barrel was pulled out of my mod fodder bin but 90% sure it's from one of the Titan Master vehicles originally. It folds to the side in Bot/Powermaster mode but flips up in Targetmaster mode on a tiny screw. Apologies for the roughness of the backpack sculpt, was clearly rushing and didn't really notice until it was all painted up. Might need to sand/repaint again... or might just live with it. Close up Targetmaster mode, side-by-side with Windbreaker's G2 engine block weapon, aaand prepainted before I added the extra bulk at the top to hide the head a bit more when it's sitting on top of the car hood in Powermaster mode. As for the main figure, paint's drying right now so will showcase Zap in Powermaster mode when that's ready (seeing some paint issues -- seems to be due to some bad paint, given the blue, black and chrome parts seems fine -- so might have to go back in for another round of sanding and painting on the hood and legs).
One more quick, final tease before finishing things up in the coming days. Only inside of arms need final paint application, alt-mode needs some clean-up (bit darker than intended, so may try to redo it....), alt-mode blue paint details and simple little bot-mode details.
If I might make a suggestion, I think sanding down your epoxy putty with some fine grit sandpaper would be great for removing fingerprints and getting a better overall look. Also damn, he's got some broad shoulders.
Love where this is going, great stuff. I agree with JomasterII. Also, once you've hit it with the fine grit, wet sand it as well. They make sand paper for that, and gives a real smooth finish.
Thanks! Picked up some finer grit sand paper to prep the alt-mode before the last layer of paint the other day. Scupting rough designs i seem to be fine with while the nuanced/painted details aspects I clearly need work on. Also yes wide-as-hell shoulders are in keeping with the g2 original Appreciate it! Definitely more about the re-engineering and rough conceptual sculpts with the paint aspect being the part i most need to work on. Will check out the wet sand practices as well. Only my second full-paint job so always down to get tips/tricks!
Hey, we love what you're doing and want you to succeed. I avoided wet sanding because my first time was on an already painted model car, and it ruined the finish, making me start the pain process from scratch. Doing it over rough putty, you won't have that worry. Super easy once you get the hang of it.
Final Update (Probably) After a slight delay I have finally fished my PotP/CW G2 Windbreaker! Definitely way more fun for me to do the re-engineering/sculpting part than the painting part but I will say I did learn a lot of what not to do with paint (at the very least to avoid this particular orange paint like the plague haha) Some various angles with comparison's with the original Windbreaker. Colour matching sadly didn't quite work out as I was a little limited on options. aaad one more round of comparison shots with angles showcasing again the changes from the original base Getaway mold this is modded from Combiner Modes The new windscreen I put in (taken from a bin of broken mod-fodder movieverse figures I have) is connected via a double hinge so it can move out of the way to accommodate the head when the combiner peg spins into leg or arm mode (and can be left open to allow for movement while in those modes too). I also did cobble together a combiner hand/foot-port that acts similar to how the Dead End CW mold does it (bit a bit longer armature due to the better proportioned calves/shins on this particular mold). Used part of the exhaust from a broken Universe 2.0 Inferno (literally the perfect size port for a combiner hand/food, who knew?) and styrene/silver paint to match the head and my Zap Power-/Target Master. Sadly there is no place for Zap to store when in limb mode... but I might have plans for where to integrate him within the larger "Notalgia" gestalt this and my other Motormouth custom these will be a part of. Arm mode Leg Mode All in all, reasonably happy with this and I may have to give this custom's body another go someday after I get a few more 'easy' customs under my belt. Also: better lighting for photos... literally any amount of OK lighting lol
