Wrapping up my latest MOC, Beast Wars Dinobot. This one is a commission piece requested by a fellow Transformers fan, based on this guy below:
Since I prefer to build LEGO TF inspired from G1 Transformers series (mostly cars or mechanical-looking beasts/animals), this MOC is a slightly different ballgame since the mode is organic-looking. I'm glad I got enough right parts in brown and similar tones to pull this through.
One of the advantages of building LEGO Transformers with beast mode is that the robot arms literally form themselves without complex transformation ... like this Dinobot (or G1 Grimlock) where the dino legs become the robot arms easily..
The raptor arms were the final components I built. Without knowing how they will blend in, in robot mode, I'm suprised they turn out to be one of my favorite design techniques in this MOC (besides the raptor head which took me a while to built).
The original BW Dinobot toy is pretty simple actually so its not hard to improvise upon it. But I dislike partsforming in any form (huge chunk of tail becomes weapons, duh). I took BOTH liberties in replicating the tail-weapon thingy (its a commission piece anyway.. cannot detract too much from what's expected by the client) , and also continue my no-partsforming policy in designing (the tail can remain there in beast mode until it end up on the back of the robot mode when done transforming). Attempt to fulfil the latter compounded in extra 1 week of building efforts.
I build the raptor arms without considering how they will blend into the robot mode. To my suprise... they blended/tucked in perfectly without any form of redesigning. How I wish the back could be the front/chest instead compared to a raptor head .. but this is a commission piece.. so I gotta stay true to the original BW Dinobot toy =)
Without dismantling the raptor tail , transformation to robot mode will cause the tail to end up at the back , facing up.
Dinobot once auditioned for 'V' but was rejected due to poor range (he don't have a human /Pretender mode)
Visit my blog in my signature to view the transformation sequence and even more photos of this guy. =)
