Picked this guy up today. I haven't been collecting TR figures, having only picked up Astrotrain so far, but I couldn't pass up a transforming aircraft carrier. Overall I really like him. Transformation is simple put still fun, especially the panels. I had a bit of trouble getting the legs to stay together, but eventually got it. Carrier mode is awesome. I would love to see someone do some Shapeways helicarrier style engines to plug into his sides. 2017-02-03_08-53-28 2017-02-03_08-53-16 2017-02-03_08-53-02 Jet mode is as bad as it looked. I didn't realize the gap between his legs was so large, and had no fillers. I did almost immediately swap the two sets of rudder fins, and that made a difference for sure. 2017-02-03_08-52-48 2017-02-03_08-52-36 2017-02-03_08-52-20 Robot mode is very solid, though I hate the pop-up neck collar pieces, and may take them out. 2017-02-03_08-52-06 2017-02-03_08-51-57 2017-02-03_08-51-40 Overall he's pretty awesome and I would definitely recommend him.
Wait....if you straighten the legs in jet mode, then twist them outwards, it might make for a better looking jet mode, especially since you swapped the fins
Not overly. The red ones can't fold flat in robot mode, and the grey ones face outwards instead of inwards, but that's it. And I personally think it looks better that way. EDIT: Was watching Avengers Assemble tonight, I realized that the Avengers Jet bears a similarity to Broadside's jet mode. Namely they are both pretty ugly.
Oh my god this toy makes me angry. So many weird and dumb design choices that seemed made specifically to make this thing bad. Three simple design changes that would have fixed the jet mode entirely are: 1) Don't have those shoulder chunks that fold back ONLY for the robot mode but otherwise don't move. Instead, have them become the arms. That way the arms are completely hidden away in jet mode, but the shoulders stay the same so the wings/deck isn't affected AND you get that cleaner look to the shoulders in robot mode AND you've just saved yourself a bunch of plastic and engineering. 2) Don't have the legs transform at all between carrier and jet mode. Just keep them tabbed together. Instead, add a pair of plates ala Astrotrain to cover the upper legs in jet mode and add additional stability and aesthetic cohesion. And obviously have the tail and elevators point the right way because come on guys 3) THERE IS NO THREE GAAAH IT'S SO SIMPLE
its just not cool to harass people for a response. on topic: whoa, topspin is a deluxe, yeah? he's pretty big.
I don't mind how the jet mode looks. It looks Cybertronian, tough and powerful to me. If you were likening it to an actual real life jet, then yeah it falls way down in terms of realism, so you're advised not to do that. In contrast, I find the aircraft carrier mode to be kinda flat and boring, despite being realistic.
And this is why the aliens will find humanity so difficult to conquer: we may look alike and yet we couldn't be more different.
That's what will save us - our varied mindsets will prevent the mind control rays from taking control of all of us!
has anyone experimented with fan modes to improve the jet? Im sitting here with A3 and it seems its possible to flatten the legs for a less chunky fuselage..not sure on Broadside though
I really wanted this toy to be better. Broadside hasn't had a toy in so damn long that I was willing to move past my anti-headmaster bias. But this thing is a real mess. What a disappointment.
Fingers crossed that the Japanese release retools it slightly to better accommodate THIS transformation.
Also, how is it that the aircraft carrier mode manages to have landing gear, but the AIRPLANE does not...
