The Energon Pub

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:12 pm**

So I lucked out today and found one last Masterpiece Skywarp figure in Wal Mart. He's been sold out as far as I could tell for the last few weeks but I guess they either got a new shipment or had more in storage.

Funny thing is that the toy which I belive was originally marked for $50 today was marked for $20 but I still had a gift card from Christmas and ended up paying half that.

Anyway, I haven't gotten around to transforming him yet. I'm still checking out his gimics in Robot mode. I thought it was weird that he had a base when Optimus didn't come with one but after looking at the instructions I understand why it was included.

Now about the "Help" title. I have a couple questions about a couple things I can't find on the instructions...

1. Though there are instructions for it, they're not clearly labled what I'm supose to do. I'm trying to figure out how to work his alternate face exspresion and it looks like the face pulls down some how then I can turn it but I can't seem to get the face out of the helmet to turn the damn thing. What am I doing wrong here?

2. There's a little black clamp that comes with him. The only mention of it on the intructions is for storage when not in use but I can't find anything about what it's used for. Why have the thing at all if the only thing I can do with it is store it under the base?

I'm going to mess around with the robot mode some more and see if I can figure this out, then transform him and probly update this with more questions later.

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:36 pm**

Congratulations on the find, I love the Masterpiece seeker mould.

1. Tilt the head back, grab the two 'chins' with the fingernails of your thumb and forefinger, and you can pull the faces down from the helmet a bit, they will not come out very far, but just enough so you can twist it round to get the second expression.

2. The black clamp fits into a hole under the nosecone in jet mode allowing you to clip the Megatron gun from MP Prime under the jet as it appeared in one episode of G1 (under Starscream anyway).

3. I assume the wing hinges are sturdier with the black plastic of Skywarp (I have never had any issues with the Takara version) but be careful with the wings as you flip them back on the little double hinge. My MP Starscream broke both the first time I transformed it, I think it has to do with the brittleness of the white plastic and the guy who assembled it in the factory messing up.
(I fixed mine by fabricating replacement hinges out of aluminium, but it was a days work and a rotten job, so better to not break it in the first place!)

Enjoy your MP Seeker, very cool mould.

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:24 pm**

Not haveing any problems with breakage. Just saw your post after I finished transforming him.

I did manage to get the head worked out. It's difficult for me to grab both chins without turning his head backwards because the cockpit gets in my way. I like the "smirk" face better than the rather dull exspesion on the default face he was packaged in so I think now that I got it switched I'll just leave it there.

So now in jet mode I have a couple questions...

1. On the instructions the first step was to remove the "Null Rays" I don't know what Skywarps version of that weapon is so I'm useing Starscream's name. Anyway in vehicle mode they seem to be able to attach in the same spot on the arms however on closer inspection I noticed the instructions don't show his missles which are attached to the wings but they never told me to remove them. I figured out the weapons can be configured a few different ways that aren't shown in the instructions. Getting to the point this question isn't so much about the toy but about the jet this character transforms into. Were the interchangeable weapons added to make it more accurate to a real F-15? I don't think the animated version ever had the missles that the toy comes with so trying to figure out why they were included.

2. Is the little black dude supose to be a holographic pilot? Sence when did Skywarp need a pilot?

3. And this is just a general note about the figure in general. All of his pegs for transforming and for the stand seem a little TOO tight, so much so that I've struggled to attach anything completly. Well all except the peg for the vehicle mode display, that one seems a little looser. It stays fairly well and not hard to get in like the others.

4. Something I forgot to mention about the robot mode. I'm guessing the hands are designed that way because he is basically a repaint of Starscream. It looks like his hands were designed spicifically to hold the Megatron gun that came with Prime. The reason I say that is because he had "Danny Devito Penguin Hands" That is 3 of his fingers are combined as one. Pluse the "trigger" finger is on a ball joint which I belive is the first time I've seen a finger with a ball joint. This design, though I haven't tried it yet, seems like it would be perfectly suited for holding a gun and actully being able to put his finger on the trigger.

And yes it is a good mold. Sadly though it doesn't appear that this can be repainted in Thrust, Ramjet, or Dirge seeing as how the transformation doesn't allow you to put the nose cone on his head like the original toy.

Oh well I've allways liked Skywarp the best because his color scheme and his name matches his power. Starscream never really fit the character till he was a severed head in Animated. Thundercracker rarely cracked thunder. And the other 3, well I don't think their names could even be turned into powers. Skywarp however has allways been able to "warp" threw the "sky".

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:37 pm**

1. The missiles I think are to make him more accurate (like the first (green) paint of Starscream)

2. The little figure was dr. Arkeville for Starscream - I'll have to paint him properly once I have the time

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:41 pm**

Rial Vestro wrote:2. Is the little black dude supose to be a holographic pilot? Sence when did Skywarp need a pilot?

It's supposed to be Dr. Arkeville, whom Starscream 'befriended' once upon a time. I'm not sure that he ever flew in Skywarp, but it's possible.

4. Something I forgot to mention about the robot mode. I'm guessing the hands are designed that way because he is basically a repaint of Starscream. It looks like his hands were designed spicifically to hold the Megatron gun that came with Prime. The reason I say that is because he had "Danny Devito Penguin Hands" That is 3 of his fingers are combined as one. Pluse the "trigger" finger is on a ball joint which I belive is the first time I've seen a finger with a ball joint. This design, though I haven't tried it yet, seems like it would be perfectly suited for holding a gun and actully being able to put his finger on the trigger.

Yes, he is capable of holding MP Prime's Megatron Pistol. Although I think Starscream and Soundwave had the honour most often, there is at least one episode featuring Skywarp using the Megatron Pistol.

Oh well I've allways liked Skywarp the best because his color scheme and his name matches his power. Starscream never really fit the character till he was a severed head in Animated. Thundercracker rarely cracked thunder. And the other 3, well I don't think their names could even be turned into powers. Skywarp however has allways been able to "warp" threw the "sky".

I agree, Skywarp has always been my favorite too. I like that he's a trickster. However, I must mention that Thundercracker's ability was to emit sonic booms at will (or something like that) so his name is pretty suitable. Also, Ramjet really likes to ram things, so again, good name. As for Starscream... well he did always sound like he was screaming, didn't he?

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:56 pm**

Rial Vestro wrote:And yes it is a good mold. Sadly though it doesn't appear that this can be repainted in Thrust, Ramjet, or Dirge seeing as how the transformation doesn't allow you to put the nose cone on his head like the original toy.

Its not impossible to do........but it takes some customization skills.

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 4:07 pm**

I had to go retrieve Megatron from Megatron... That is the Megatron gun from BW Megatron. (I had the gun that came with MP Prime clamped in BW Megatron's mouth hand. No possible way in hell he could pull the trigger but I just felt like having it on my Megatron self.)

Anyway, I was trying to find a good spot to hook the clamp without takeing the scope off and ended up on the back of the sight. Looks preddy good. Pluse I left the missles under his wings and the null rays are still attached to his arms so he looks really well armed right now. I opened the nose cone but I think that gimic sucks. Not a realistic weapon and haveing the nose open like that would throw off his arodynamics so he'd constantly be turning to the right.

And the little pilot doesn't really look like anybody. It's not painted at all, just completly black. Starscream may of come with a character but I don't think the tiny person is the same for both of them. Or maybe it is, I don't know he's too damn small and completly black. I can't see any detail.

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 4:22 pm**

I was just looking at the gallery for Starscream and Skywarp and they do both have the same figure but the Seibertron Gallery does not appear to be the same Skywarp I have.

Not sure where that other one came from but mine was a Wal-Mart store exsclusive. The packageing is completly different. The toy itself, the gallery showed a Decepticon insignia and wrighting on the side of the cock pit section which are completly black on mine. The Dr. is actully painted on both Starscream and Skywarp on the gallerys. (not much paint but still better than solid black like mine is.) Mine seems to be actully just a black pilot and not a repaint of the Dr.

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 4:47 pm**

Rial Vestro wrote:I was just looking at the gallery for Starscream and Skywarp and they do both have the same figure but the Seibertron Gallery does not appear to be the same Skywarp I have.

Not sure where that other one came from but mine was a Wal-Mart store exsclusive. The packageing is completly different. The toy itself, the gallery showed a Decepticon insignia and wrighting on the side of the cock pit section which are completly black on mine. The Dr. is actully painted on both Starscream and Skywarp on the gallerys. (not much paint but still better than solid black like mine is.) Mine seems to be actully just a black pilot and not a repaint of the Dr.

Seib doesn't have a Walmart Skywarp gallery yet, it is the takara version that is up - mold-wise, the biggest difference is, that Takara version has a grinning face instead of the normal one

thankfully, Walmart used the original mold.

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:38 pm**

Chaoslock wrote:Seib doesn't have a Walmart Skywarp gallery yet, it is the takara version that is up - mold-wise, the biggest difference is, that Takara version has a grinning face instead of the normal one

thankfully, Walmart used the original mold.

Really, you don't like it? I wish I had the Takara head, I think it suits Skywarp better than Starscream's cocky smirk...

Posted: **Sat Mar 13, 2010 10:37 pm**

The opening nosecone is a rather random gimmick to access the radar array that F15s (and presumably other fighters) have in the nose. Not an ill conceived aerial weapon. The designers went to some great effort to add F15-ie details like that and the big hydraulic airbrake behind the cockpit.

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:57 am**

Dread_Wing wrote:The opening nosecone is a rather random gimmick to access the radar array that F15s (and presumably other fighters) have in the nose. Not an ill conceived aerial weapon. The designers went to some great effort to add F15-ie details like that and the big hydraulic airbrake behind the cockpit.

radar array? It looks like an ill concived gatling gun. And what air break behind the cockpit?

The only thing I noticed that looks like it was taken from an F-15 are the extra missle attachments to replace the Null Rays. Everything else seems kinda random. He allso has the hidden weapons in his chest that I don't recall any seeker ever useing and can't be accessed in vehicle mode so can't be an F-15 gimic either. I do like some of the added details even if they don't make sence, just that nose cone thing bugs me.

BTW I think I forgot to mention it before when I was talking about how tight some of his parts are. His landing gear is exceptionally difficult to get out. The front one more so than the back because the door covering the front landing gear is allso stuck as well as haveing no way to get the landing gear out without getting something to pry it out.

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:02 am**

Do you like his Danny DeVito Penguin hands? I wish they'd use this idea more - they're the only articulated hands (apart from Unicron's) that are poseable. Individual hooked fingers aren't much good. At least this mold can point properly.

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:33 am**

Mykltron wrote:Do you like his Danny DeVito Penguin hands? I wish they'd use this idea more - they're the only articulated hands (apart from Unicron's) that are poseable. Individual hooked fingers aren't much good. At least this mold can point properly.

Well that's a difficult question. I've got mixed feelings about it.

On the down side. I would rather had individual fingers. At first the ball joints seemed weird just because I'm not use to it being on a toy however...

on the up side... I realized that actual fingers are on a ball joint there which means he has more natural movement than just straight up and down figures. Pluse allthough he can't quite reach the trigger he does do a better job of at least giveing the illusion that he could pull the trigger than other figures who just hold Megatron. He came with Optimus Prime and he can't even get near Megatron's trigger... that sounded dirty...

Anyway Skywarp is now sitting on my shelf looking rather out of place next to Unicron, Tidal Wave, Fallen, and Jetfire. Jetfire is a little out of place too but there was no room for him on the other shelf`where Rodimus, Primus, and all the other figures who combine with Optimus are. But it's ROTF Jetfire so at least he's a Decepticon... sort of...

Skywarp is just out of place as not being a Prime, a Megatron, combineing with them, or being a Planet... but I have nowhere else to put him and that shelf was rather bare compaired to the others. He allso looks out of place because he's the only figure I bothered to pose. I'm useually just happy if they stand up and don't try to pose them. I'm takeing advantage of the fact that Skywarp has a display stand which allows me to pose him any way I want without fear of falling over.

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:25 pm**

Rial Vestro wrote:
Dread_Wing wrote:The opening nosecone is a rather random gimmick to access the radar array that F15s (and presumably other fighters) have in the nose. Not an ill conceived aerial weapon. The designers went to some great effort to add F15-ie details like that and the big hydraulic airbrake behind the cockpit.

radar array? It looks like an ill concived gatling gun. And what air break behind the cockpit?

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:52 pm**

Radiation hazard, eh? Looks like I won't be opening that again!

On a more serious note, the toy's packaging does describe what is now obviously the radar array as a "hidden nose cannon" or something rediculous like that...

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:21 pm**

I really think the designers did a terrific job recreating the F-15. There isn't really a lot of "ill-conceived, random" details

. I am very impressed with the mold. Considering it is possible to get a MP-SW for $30-$40 at Wal-Mart at this point, it is a fantastic value.

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:26 pm**

Prime Riblet wrote:I really think the designers did a terrific job recreating the F-15. There isn't really a lot of "ill-conceived, random" details . I am very impressed with the mold. Considering it is possible to get a MP-SW for $30-$40 at Wal-Mart at this point, it is a fantastic value.

True enough. I bought my at full price, and I still have no regrets. It doesn't hurt that I've only ever seen one other in stores though...

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:35 pm**

Autobot Strider wrote:
Prime Riblet wrote:I really think the designers did a terrific job recreating the F-15. There isn't really a lot of "ill-conceived, random" details . I am very impressed with the mold. Considering it is possible to get a MP-SW for $30-$40 at Wal-Mart at this point, it is a fantastic value.

True enough. I bought my at full price, and I still have no regrets. It doesn't hurt that I've only ever seen one other in stores though...

I have the Takara and the WM versions.........and I didn't get them on sale either. However, I don't have any regrets about that either though. I am just glad to have them. Great mold.

Posted: **Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:56 pm**

Chaoslock wrote:Seib doesn't have a Walmart Skywarp gallery yet, it is the takara version that is up - mold-wise, the biggest difference is, that Takara version has a grinning face instead of the normal one

thankfully, Walmart used the original mold.

Are you sure that's a grin? He looks kinda angry...

Posted: **Tue Mar 16, 2010 1:56 pm**

Prime Riblet wrote:I really think the designers did a terrific job recreating the F-15. There isn't really a lot of "ill-conceived, random" details . I am very impressed with the mold. Considering it is possible to get a MP-SW for $30-$40 at Wal-Mart at this point, it is a fantastic value.

Did I mention that he was marked down for $20 when I bought him. Pluse I had a $10 gift card that I got for Christmas and never used so ended up paying only $10 for a toy that was originally about $50.

But yeah, even after looking at the pictures of the real F-15 I still think the toy versions are kinda confusing. Like someone else mentioned the "radar aray" is marked as a hidden nose cannon on the packageing and looks more like a gatling gun than it does the real radar aray. Still and awsome figure though and I'm glad I got it.

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Help! Masterpiece Skywarp

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