APC Toys Destruction Galaxy Mob Air General

I think I've already indicated that I'm a huge fan of the TransFormers Prime Vehicon mold (the RiD version, at least - I have yet to handle the First Edition version, but I believe it's broadly inferior). Not only did I end up buying three copies of the ground Vehicons, but I ended up getting the TransFormers Adventure Ground Vehicon General (accidentally) as well. Even today, I'm impressed by the way it transforms in that, while it's technically a shellformer, it does more with its shell than simply collect it on its back.

Then there's the Jet Vehicon, which is essentially the same, but with wings which... end up on its back. Nevertheless, I bought the Arms Micron version of that (just the one, but after buying the Cyberverse scale toy, which was the only version made available in the UK), and wanted to buy the Jet Vehicon General/Ace as well, because it gave me a valid excuse to buy, essentially, a fifth instance of the same toy. However, once again, the only version available in the UK was the Cyberverse one... which, while cute, didn't quite scratch the itch. The Deluxe class toy, unsurprisingly, proved more elusive than the standard Jet Vehicon, coming in the final selection of Arms Micron toys.

So, props to APC Toys - who already impressed me with the Airachnid garage kit they mass-produced - for not only remaking the standard Vehicons, but also the Generals/Aces... and the upgraded paintwork made this one an absolute must-have. I added it to my Christmas/Birthday list shortly after it became available, and my sister ordered it as my Christmas present last year.

Bottom line, though, this is essentially the fourth iteration of the Deluxe class mold that I've owned so, for a more detailed assessment, look at one of the previous write-ups.

TransFormers: Prime Beast Hunters Ace (Jet) Vehicon

You'd think I'd have learned my lesson, having bought the dinky Legends class TransFormers Prime Beast Hunters Jet Vehicon figure, despite Takara Tomy having released a full-size (Deluxe class) version the year before in their Arms Micron line. Sadly, though, it seems I repeated almost exactly the same error the following year, and picked up this little variant, at a time when Takara Tomy's AM Jet Vehicon General would still have been more cheaply available than it is now.

And the less said about my error with the other Vehicon General, the better.

But, since we're here, let's take a look, shall we?

TransFormers Adventure TAV28 Ground Vehicon General

I have to confess that I bought this figure by accident. I was having one of those days where I wasn't really paying attention, and somehow got it into my head that what I was looking at was actually the TransFormers Prime Arms Micron AM-34 Jet Vehicon General and, considering it was substantially cheaper than I'd seen it before, hastily snapped it up.

Of course, by the time it arrived, I realised my error... but the original TFPrime Vehicon mold is still one of my absolute favourite TransFormers toy, so another iteration of that - repainted with the idea of it being a higher-ranking version of the Decepticon cannon fodder - can hardly be too great a disappointment, can it?

AM16 Arms Micron (TFPrime) Jet Vehicon

When I did my write up of the Legion class Jet Vehicon, I noted that a UK release of the Deluxe class model was highly unlikely and that import prices were rather high. In the run-up to Christmas 2014, I found the Arms Micron figure listed on Amazon and added it to my wish list in the expectation that I'd buy it myself once my finances seemed a bit more stable.

What I didn't reckon on was my amazing parents deciding to pick him up for me. This was probably the biggest Christmas surprise I've had in a while, even though my girlfriend's folks got me Hunter Shockwave last year, because my family generally seem reluctant to feed my TransFormers habit unless it's something I've already bought myself, which they then refund me for so they can give it to me as a birthday or Christmas present.

But I digress... One of the interesting things about TF Prime is that it showed the Decepticons bolstering their numbers with faceless, nameless (other than Steve, obviously) Vehicons, some of whom were ground-based while others were 'aircraft', though all shared a common robot mode.

TransFormers: Prime Beast Hunters Jet Vehicon

I don't normally buy the smaller scale TransFormers. Most of them are even more simplistic than Mini-Cons, in terms of articulation if not transformation. However, when it seems unlikely that a particular model will become available in the UK, such as the Deluxe Class Jet Vehicon, and I'm not in a position to pay the exorbitant import prices, I'll sometimes cave in and pick up those that catch my interest.

The Deluxe Class Jet Vehicon looks completely awesome and, despite the fact that Japan (at least) is getting not one but two versions: the standard, 'nameless, faceless mook' variety, and a silver/grey 'General' version, they don't appear to have made it Stateside. I guess there's a slim chance that these (and possibly a Legion Class 'General') might become available at UK retail eventually, since they are part of the Beast Hunters line, but I quickly snapped up this pint-sized purple peon at the LFCC, to see if it's a worthy substitute for the Deluxe.

TransFormers: Prime Vehicon (Car)

One thing the TransFormers line has missed out on, by and large, as a character-driven property, is the 'nameless, faceless mook' or 'troop builder'. Granted, even the G1 TV series pilot featured random, unlikely-looking characters who existed only to get blown up (or cause excessive OCD in some fans), but they never came out as toys. Energon featured Omnicons and the Terrorcons, which could function as troop-builders... but most of them were such dull toys and from such a poorly-received series, I can't imagine most fans buying more than one, if any.

Then came TransFormers: Prime, which has almost made a virtue of having literally nameless, faceless Vehicons making up the bulk of Megatron's forces. But are they nothing more than a throwback to the bad old days of the Terrorcons, or are they something a bit special..?

Beast Machines Megatron Megabolt

This toy was released as part of the Robots in Disguise line, but it's perfectly obvious to anyone that it doesn't fit that line. The closest it comes to RiD, supposedly, is that it fits into the HeadMaster space on Fortress/Brave Maximus but, with no actual connector piece, it seems unlikely that this was intentional.

The design is actually based upon Megatron's battleship from the final few episodes of Beast Machines, and the overall aesthetic - not to mention the rather garish colourscheme - suits that range far more closely. Scale is a bit of an issue... Considering the battleship was huge - almost a city in itself - and this thing is the equivalent of a Deluxe toy. Had it been made to fit its original scale, its robot mode would be colossal... but Megatron's battleship never actually transformed in Beast Machines, nor was there any real indication that it could. Nevertheless, robot mode's head design most closely resembles Megatron's Beast Machines appearance, particularly when the mask - attached to the missile launcher - is engaged.