DOTM: Deluxe Air Raid Review

Discussion in 'Transformers Feedback & Reviews' started by TimToyGeek, Sep 18, 2011.

  1. TimToyGeek

    TimToyGeek Well-Known Member

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    So, Air Raid. He's already the subject of some controversy from pictures and early video reviews, and he's not really even out yet. I got mine from HTS.com, and I don't see any photo review as yet, so here's my take on him.

    First off, jet mode. I like that they're trying to do something new, and I like the idea of an AWACS jet. I'm not sure exactly what kind of jet he's supposed to be, or if he's real-world accurate, but I like the look. He's a smaller jet with twin nicely sculpted engines, one on each side, clear glass for a cockpit window, and except for a hand sticking out of the back end, very little robot kibble in vehicle form. You can see the robot mode chest on the jet underside, but it's techno looking enough to not look too bad. He's got fold-out landing gear that support the jet nicely.

    You may notice that there are Mechtech compatible peg holes on each wing, and there are fold-up panels just behind the jet cockpit section that have more peg holes - you can arm him up nicely, even give him all of Topspin's guns if you want. Naturally, the AWACS dish clips on nicely to its bracket and stays in place well. You can even deploy the gun mode of the dish in jet mode.

    [​IMG]
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/27483297@N02/6156840249/lightbox/

    [​IMG]
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/27483297@N02/6157354264/in/photostream/lightbox/

    Robot mode - I see what they are going for here, he's got a lanky gladiator motif going on from his exaggerated centurion-like head crest to his high-boot style legs, to his tail-formed flail arm weapon and AWACS dish shield. It's pretty good in person - the hip joints are a bit weak when you transform them at first, they like to pop off, but a coating of clear nail polish fixed those right up. The legs do pose pretty well thanks to ball joints and swivels in the hips, knee articulation and poseable heel spurs. The AWACS bracket from the back of the jet mode forms decent feet.

    The arms are interesting - it looks like you can choose either of two ways to form the forearms, either with better motion in the elbows, or a better look with the jet fuselage parts facing up. This gives you a slightly worse range in the elbows, but looks more like the correct mode for the arms. The hand is ball jointed at the wrist and can hold the dish weapon, even deployed, though you may need to angle it a bit, or give the wrist joint a little tightening up if you want full support, that gun is heavy.

    The flail tail is not too bad - it can be posed with the fins in different arrays, not just three bladed but two or one bladed, you can keep the flail shorter or you can fold out the added jointed part for a better range. It's not perfect, I'm sure a hand-held weapon would have been better than a weapon hand, but it's okay.

    The dish weapon is pretty fun - it has a peg on a hinge so he can hold it like a shield or a gun. I removed the spring (it's just under the sliding button on the back) so that the gun would be more of a practical weapon. It looks pretty good, something different at least.

    You can use the wing pegs in robot mode to hold more peg-compatible weapons, and the fuselage holes can also be used if you fold out that section on the back. There's a peg hole on the cockpit section that winds up on his back in robot mode that can hold the shield in robot mode if you wish.

    [​IMG]
    Air Raid - Robot Mode 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

    [​IMG]
    IMAG0126.jpg | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

    The chest and torso mold is very nice - there are a lot of sculpted details, and the folded-up back landing gear form nice subtle grey stripes that don't really intrude on the look. The head sculpt is similarly decent. There's a lot to like here, despite the obvious shortcomings in the hand and general lankiness.

    The gold chestpiece, head mold and insect-like pointed detailing on his codpiece give him an almost insectile appearance - I could see a Kickback or Manterror custom being made out of him, or maybe that's just the green and gold color scheme influencing me.

    Naturally, with a communications-themed vehicle mode, I did think he could be customized into a Soundwave too - his peg holes would accommodate WFC Soundwave's weapon on the wings, and I could see a head swap working since the head has plenty of space for storage. Could be interesting.

    Tim
    "toy geek"
     
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  2. Nuubu

    Nuubu Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the review and pictures.
     
  3. MisterFanwank

    MisterFanwank Banned

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    Please, use the [ img ] tags. Using websites like Flickr to see the images is just annoying, their interfaces are slow and clunky.
     
  4. 9.8m/s^2

    9.8m/s^2 What's in a name?

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    His transformation is fun and intuitive once you've seen it. I was worried he was going to be like RotF Blazemaster, with parts falling off everywhere, but nope, everything fits quite nicely in both modes.
    He has several 3mm clip bars. There are the obvious ones that hold his dish on; those end up on the feet in robot mode. Each wing also has two bars, one on the tip and the other inboard, along the trailing flap. The shaft of the flail can also serve as a clip bar, as can the pegs on the backs of his heels (the corresponding holes for those pegs can also support 3mm pegs, but they can end up in his armpits, depending on the arm configuration you use).

    I agree with the OP about the insectoid look; I think a lot of that is because to me, his face looks a little like the bad guy from A Bug's Life. :) 
     
  5. Snake_eyes1975

    Snake_eyes1975 Well-Known Member

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    GREAT jet mode..Ill have to wait to see some dynamic poses before I get to excited..


    Jet tf...Im all for it anyway..
     
  6. MisterFanwank

    MisterFanwank Banned

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    ^ Agreed. If it's at least decent AND it's a jet, I'm bound to love it.
     
  7. 9.8m/s^2

    9.8m/s^2 What's in a name?

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    BTW, based on the configuration, it looks like he's meant to be a Boeing E-767. A gray JASDF repaint would be....awesome.
     
  8. exomega255

    exomega255 Emerald Green

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    I posted some of these before the review:

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  9. Snake_eyes1975

    Snake_eyes1975 Well-Known Member

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    You would know...werent you an Air force guy? I think the jet mode looks real nice the more I look at it. I would have SOOO fell in love with it if it had the traditional Greys on it though.

    Cool pics...Looks like He can do alot...I'll buy that for $10 NO PROB
     
  10. Shin Densetsu

    Shin Densetsu I WILL DESTROY YOU Content Contributor Veteran

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    Can the awacs dish stay open as a gun?
     
  11. UnicronFTW

    UnicronFTW Don't blink.

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    Looks better then initial pics led me to believe.
     
  12. PlanckEpoch

    PlanckEpoch Red and black red and black

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    Egggghh.....still on the fence about this guy. Dynamic poses still doesn't fix just how odd this guy looks. Lanky in a bad way, big wide hips...the 'bot mode just looks like an afterthought. If it was a Voyager I'd be sold, but as it is...? I'll have to see it in person to really decide.
     
  13. Gilgamesh

    Gilgamesh Mostly Harmless

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    His face really reminds me of the Transformers Prime aesthetic. It's the eyes and mostly smooth face, I think.
     
  14. 9.8m/s^2

    9.8m/s^2 What's in a name?

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    Nah, I'm not in the service; I just grew up around a lot of servicemen and women.

    The jet mode is definitely full of win; the robot mode is a more acquired taste, and definitely won't be to everyone's liking.
     
  15. MisterFanwank

    MisterFanwank Banned

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    Anyone have any ideas on what they'll do with the "tail mace?" I'm thinking that after folding up the elevators along the tail, if there's a wrist swivel, it'll make a fine axe.
     
  16. EmperorDinobot

    EmperorDinobot I claim your sun!

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    Dude how did you get this so soon?
     
  17. MisterFanwank

    MisterFanwank Banned

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    Apparently he was available on HTS for 5 minutes a while back.
     
  18. EmperorDinobot

    EmperorDinobot I claim your sun!

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    Meh...first releases always have defects...I'll wait for the real thing to come out.
     
  19. MisterFanwank

    MisterFanwank Banned

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    No, those weren't pre-release figures, those are as Hasbro intends to sell them.
     
  20. seekerblackout

    seekerblackout Banned

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    Probably...if you take out the spring :p . Anyway,I was gonna save money by skipping this guy,but I dunno,he's beginning to grow on me