Toy Review - GALAXY SHUTTLE (Legacy)

GALAXY SHUTTLE
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Sub-sub-line - Velocitron Speedia 500
Size/class - Leader
New/remould/redeco - retool/repaint of Siege Astrotrain
Wave - 2
Released here - 2022
Approximate Retail Price - $95
Approximate Size - 16.5cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - locomotive, space shuttle
Main Features/Gimmicks - tender carriage for train converts to launchpad for the shuttle and splits into armour for the robot mode
Main Colours - white and black with blue and silver accents
Main Accessories - coal-car, x1 Moonlight Gun, x1 Meteor Crusher cannon, x2 rifles, x1 missile pod, x1 tender/launchpad

NOTES: This toy is a retool/repaint of Siege Astrotrain. Refer to the Siege Astrotrain review thread for comments/images of the original mould. This review thread will focus on changes made. I recently acquired the 2025 Legacy United re-release which is identical to the 2022 Legacy Velocitron toy (only now his name is officially "Galaxy Shuttle," and not "Victory Universe Galaxy Shuttle"). I couldn't find an existing review thread on Legacy Galaxy shuttle, but if one does already exist, moderators please merge this thread.

PICTURES

Basic robot mode
https://i.ibb.co/6ydQJpN/TL-galaxyshuttle01.jpg

Armoured robot mode
https://i.ibb.co/421qfBp/TL-galaxyshuttle02.jpg

Giving the Rescue Patrol a ride in his backpack
https://i.ibb.co/NKHxGMW/TL-galaxyshuttle03.jpg

Space shuttle mode
https://i.ibb.co/mD5b4TT/TL-galaxyshuttle04.jpg

Space shuttle mode lying on launchpad
https://i.ibb.co/7RpjqVV/TL-galaxyshuttle05.jpg

Space shuttle mode standing on launchpad
https://i.ibb.co/MByX7fC/TL-galaxyshuttle06.jpg
The launchpad has been recoloured to resemble Countdown's Micromaster rocket base.

Weaponised space shuttle mode. Because space shuttles are for combat.
https://i.ibb.co/94ZGFPY/TL-galaxyshuttle07.jpg

Basic train mode.
https://i.ibb.co/HFwHdw3/TL-galaxyshuttle08.jpg
Yes, I am aware that I've mistransformed the front section; it should be sitting lower.

Train mode from rear.
https://i.ibb.co/RSZTkx4/TL-galaxyshuttle09.jpg

Train mode with tender and weapons. Thomas the tank.
https://i.ibb.co/8MCXG9W/TL-galaxyshuttle10.jpg

Galaxy Shuttle with Victory Leo and the Rescue Patrol Team.
https://i.ibb.co/C6YDCBH/TL-galaxyshuttle11.jpg

Overall Thoughts

As I already mentioned on the Siege Astrotrain review thread, I've never been a fan of the incomplete looking shuttle mode, and I'm still not. But this is a design feature carried over from Astrotrain. I think that HasTak designers have done the best that they can to make this toy look like Galaxy Shuttle, given the limitations of repainting and Astrotrain body. I think the biggest difference is the torso, which obviously isn't made from the cockpit & nose section of the shuttle mode. The legs are much chunkier, although I think the arms and especially the wings look spot on, although this is obviously incidental (HasTak designers weren't exactly thinking about matching Galaxy Shuttle's likeness back when they were designing Siege Astrotrain). It personally doesn't bother me, but probably because Galaxy Shuttle was never part of my childhood. I might feel differently if he were.

The shuttle mode is the most G1-accurate looking mode, even with the rear fuselage canopy missing. Being a black and white Transformer, HasTak have obviously just run with the opportunity of making the train mode black, and thus this toy also serves as an homage to the black and white Japanese variant of G1 Astrotrain (which was also the common colour for reissue G1 Astrotrain).

Is this toy worth buying? I voted "No" for Siege Astrotrain because I'm really not a fan of the shuttle mode (in case you couldn't tell), but also because we have options with CHUG Astrotrain. There's also Classics, Henkei, Ttians Return, Legends etc. Astrotrains. But also, as with many Siege Leaders, this is really a Voyager Class toy that's been bumped up to a Leader Class price point thanks to the tender carriage/launchpad thing. I think toys like Siege Astrotrain, Shockwave, Ultra Magnus etc. were better value when they were discounted to $70. Having said that... this is also the only CHUG Galaxy Shuttle toy that exists. Heck, this is only Galaxy Shuttle toy that exists other than the original G1. So unlike Astrotrain, it's not like we have many other choices. So for Galaxy Shuttle, I'm voting, "Only if something else," with that something else being if you want a CHUG Galaxy Shuttle toy. And to be fair, this isn't a terrible figure. As I said in my comment on Astrotrain, the robot and train modes are great; and yeah, even the shuttle mode is decent if you can look past the open back fuselage thing.

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Having not lived in Japan or Italy in 1989-90, I don't own a G1 Galaxy Shuttle, so here are some images of other people's G1 Galaxy Shuttle toy:
https://i.ibb.co/7XLmXdr/galaxyshuttle01.jpg
tfwiki's photos of Galaxy Shuttle in robot, shuttle and base modes

https://i.ibb.co/H4NSkhg/galaxyshuttle02.jpg
Comparison of Legacy and G1 Galaxy Shuttle; screenshot from Toys Are Russ' TL Galaxy Shuttle YouTube review

https://i.ibb.co/4pnBdVX/yukigalaxyshuttle.jpg
My photo of heroicdecepticon's G1 Galaxy Shuttle after I let my then 1 year old daughter play with it. The Lego passengers made everything awesome.

https://i.ibb.co/VNDkVxc/galaxyshuttle03.jpg
From the back of G1 Galaxy Shuttle's box; rather than a set minimum age limit, this toy appears to have a minimum age range. So ages 4 to 7 are larger than ages 3, 8 to 10, but after 10 it says "and above." So... Ages 3 to 10 but ideally 5 to 7 and Up"?