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Transformers Energon Transformers Jetfire (12/2003) |
Energon & Superlink |
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Autobot Jetfire
Tech-spec Card
Note: Some Energon toys came with Fleer Collector card instead of the tech-spec card.
Autobot Jetfire Spec.
Strength : 8 Intelligence : 7 Speed : 10 Endurance : 8 Rank : 10 Courage : 9 Fire blast : 9 Skill : 8
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Autobot Jetfire |
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| Transformers Energon Jetfire was released in December of 2003 as part of the wave "1.5" line-up. Jetfire was part of the "Mega" assortment price point ($19.99-24.99) and the toy replaced Treadbolt in the case assortment. Jetfire came packaged in standard Energon window box. The toy was packed in his vehicle mode. In the vehicle mode Jetfire again was a futuristic space shuttle. In this mode, Jetfire had white nose section with black stripes and gray rear engines compartments. His underside was mostly maroon red. The design was updated of the Jetfire vehicle from Armada with a little of the old G1 Jetfire / Skyfire Macross Valkyrie homage thrown-in. A clear orange removable missile launcher mounted under the nose section and can shoot a white missile via spring-loaded mechanism. The "fire" button on top of Jetfire cockpit actually acted as a "pass-through" lever that pushed the weapon trigger on the launcher itself. Beside the missile launching feature, Jetfire also had spring-loaded claw under the jet belly. Jetfire, interestingly shared much of the Energon Omnicons Skyblast design elements. |
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Jetfire's weapon |
While Jetfire vehicle mode looked quite nice, his robot mode however do not shared the same sleek line. Jetfire robot mode transformation was a little more complicated than his Superlinx partner, Ironhide, but by no mean difficult. The bottom section of the shuttle folded down to form the legs, the engine section split to form the arms and the nose section folded down to reveal the head section. This was where the first design problem came in, the head was mounted on a flat piece plastic which suppose to snap on top of the "Powerlinx" tooth but the fit was very poor and the whole assembly just floated above the body. When the head push down it activated the robot transformation sound. While Jetfire head itself had very nice design features such as the clear orange visor and "winged-ears" (which look a lot like Wing Gundam head), the small size head and the lacked of any head articulation further hamper the look of his robot mode. Plus due to his sound and Superlinx features, Jetfire body was made extra large and thus made the robot mode even more out of proportion. I don't have problem with the body design itself and the bulky robot never bother me too much (after all I grew up with robot like Tetsujin-28), however, I think Takara and Hasbro really could have easily tweaked the head size and design which in turn would really help "even out" the robot mode and made Jetfire look less "clunky". Jetfire body actually was very well design from the jet nozzles on his legs to the mantle-like winged shoulders but the out of proportion, floating static head really mess up the robot mode which bring us to the next design problem, his Powerlinx mode. | ||||||
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Jetfire in vehicle mode
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Being Mega size Autobot, Jetfire had ability to transform into his Powerlinx mode which mean he could become either top or bottom part of a slightly bigger Transformers. However, Jetfire small tiny head problem was exacerbated even more when he executed the Powerlinx mode with his young Spark of Combination partner, Ironhide. In Powerlinx Jetfire mode, Ironhide form lower section, which actually looked very nice, but with Jetfire formed the top section his small head now just look tiny. Even with the jet nose folded up to "enhance" the head size the Powerlinx Jetfire was just way out of proportion. His hands (another problem that Takara and Hasbro seem to have with this Powerlinx combiner gimmick) also look like plastic block with molded-on features to make it appeared "passable" as robot hands. Jetfire was not the best toy that Energon line had to offer (which so far have produced many fine Transformers toys), however, his stand alone robot mode was not too bad and his shuttle jet mode looked very nice, so I recommended picking up this toy if you are a Jetfire fan, a completist or just happen to like any Transformers jets.
Below - Powerlinx Jetfire |
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