Ironically, this is probably the most accurate Astrotrain in that it seems like it should be larger than it actually is. Just like on the show.

 

Not unreasonable, but it seems like WFC is very focused on the G1 cartoon callbacks, probably because it has the widest audience exposure. A larger shuttle and train certainly wouldn't have been unwelcome if the robot was larger, can't find complaints there.

 

Strange Easter egg/undocumented feature I just noticed: the larger of the two guns that is NOT the gattling gun (the one that pegs onto the front of the gattling gun) has a mushroom-peg connector on the back. And there's a cut in the connecter port to allow a mushroom peg to slide in and out. I wonder if originally Astrotrain was going to come with a gun that snapped onto the back like that.

 

I just wanna say, I picked up the $18 Ross special (yay!) and the boiling water trick worked PERFECTLY, thank you. Just 30 seconds, probably less as the steam was really hot, then under a cold faucet while I held the hinge flat. Instant success.

 

I also picked him up for 18 and honestly for that price hes pretty amazing! Having got Soundwave this week as well you can tell that Astrotrain while being the same height is way more substantial than a regular voyager. His tender trailer is alright, prolly will end up going in a storage container haha

 

$18?!? Nice! I got him for $40 and thought he was a good deal.

 

Finally picked this guy up. 10/10! I have no qualms with the size, but then again, I'm the type of person who passes on Leaders or larger because I think they're too big (not too big for the character, but too big for my personal taste in my displays where the I want my combiners to tower over the rest). The solid plastic, joints, and pins instead of clips propel him into a quality class of his own, the best parts of Siege summed up into a figure that might look a little overpriced but is worth every dime, assuming you like what's going on here. Mine was an Earthrise boxed version and the launch pad laid almost completely flat right out of the box.

 

My thoughts on this figure:

He's pretty fantastic in all modes. He had heft, great quality, and looks absolutely amazing.

But, the transformation was *extremely* frustrating. After you fold his arms above his head, you hinge the wing assembly up and click it into place. After that, you bring the thruster section up and around the top of the folded arms and tab them into place.

The problem I had is, because the arms are essentially just sitting on top of his head, and they don't tab into each other (or anything else), It's an extreme pain to keep everything lined up while you're trying to attach the wing assembly and thruster section in place.

It also didn't help that the slots in the wing assembly are too small to accept the tabs they're supposed to receive. The thruster section is a pain to line up as well and if you don't keep the arms (and tail in shuttle mode) *perfectly* lined up, the whole thing just flops apart and you have to start over.

A transformation should never feel like you're fighting with the figure to get it into alternate mode. It should be fun and smooth. That section of Siege Astrotrain that I mentioned is the opposite of fun and smooth. You have to be extremely specific with the way you transform him or it ain't happening. There's no room for compromise in the design of the transformation. Things don't tab into each other and line up as smooth and seamless as they should.

I haven't been this frustrated with a transformation since ROTF movie figures.

With all of that said, I still like this figure alot. At the $18 discount store price point, he's a must buy. Especially because of the fact that he looks like he jumped right off of the G1 screen in all of his modes.

 

Got mine for $18.
Haven’t torn into it yet.

 

Really digging Siege Astrotrain. The price was right and in all honesty, I probably never would have got him had the price stayed at the retail of $50. I do suppose that all of the pieces he comes with are at least functional, unlike what I feel we got with shockwave. As much as I like the idea, there's just no way I'm going to store that giant backpack on him just to have a place to store it along with all of those weapons when the robot mode looks so good by itself. So I just put all of the weapons pegged into the box and I'll have it as just a little prop as weapon storage.

I'm happy with the transformations and they were more manageable than I thought they would be. As usual, robot mode wins out and that's how I'll display it. Kind of sad that the base can't 100% lay flat, which seems to be a common comment regarding the piece. I would love to use it as a base for other things such as photo displays- but that's moot. Anyway, if anyone sees it at Ross and is on the fence, I would go ahead and get it while the gettins good! In all honesty, even if you didn't have a Ross and had to purchase the figure for $30 or that range, I would get it.

 

Attempting a launch station mode. I believe someone on this thread already did it first, forgot who.

 

I don't think it's meant to be a mushroom connector, at least in its current state: there's a support ridge in the end of it that I'm sure wouldn't allow any mushroom peg to slide in all the way. Maybe a t-slot connection at best. However, I think its most likely purpose is to save plastic instead of filling in most of the (relatively) giant hockey-puck in the back—it just so happens to have a 3mmish-sized gap in it for the combination with the gatling gun. It would also explain why the hole is open from the bottom side instead of being solid all around since they could mold in the gap required without having to use another extended molding piece normally used for gun barrels.

It's only speculation, of course. Perhaps it was intended to slide-lock solidly onto something.

Apologies for the late reply, I haven't been following this thread.

 

Has there been any talk of this figure being repainted in the future like they did with the TR version?

 

None so far. I'm not sure if this mold even gonna work as someone else.

 

I was always bummed out that Astrotrain (The character) didn't Transform into a Complete Shuttle.  

I mean tell me I'm not the only one who notices how awesome all the toys would have been and the sheer shelf poressence he would have had, if he did.

 

I kind of works if you add Doubledealers missile.

 

Repaint it white like that ehobby release/his old classics figure. Wonder what a digibash would look like

 

Finally bit the bullet and picked this guy up off eBay, since we don't have Ross or Ollie's around here. He is worth every penny! I get why people were complaining about the size but the toy has a lot going for him. He is clever without being complicated. The extra car and weapons allow for many different configurations -- there is a ton of play value here! I love the train with the coal tender and how it stores his weapons out of sight. Like everyone else's mine would not lie flat; a bit of plastic removal on both ends cleared that right up. Shuttle launch base is fantastic and I also like the "shuttle crawler" mode. If future leader figures have this level of thought and care then count me in!

 

Anybody who has disassembled astrotrain before, can you tell me how to open up astrotrain's crotch? I have taken out all the screws on that area that i see, but it still doesn't want to budge.

 

Got this guy at discount. Not impressed with him. Shuttle mode looks like it's only halfway completed. I honestly prefer the Titans Return version.