TFCC FSS 4.0 Needlenose

Series - Official Transformers Collectors Club
Sub-line - Figure Subscription Service 4.0
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - Redeco of CW Firefly
Wave - 1 (First figure of the service)
Released here - Nope
Approximate Retail Price - ~US$50+Shipping if ordered with FSS, ~$90US from reseller
Approximate Size - 15cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode - Fighter Jet
Main Features/Gimmicks - Combiner limb, Double Targetmaster
Main Colours - Grey, Blue, Purple, Metallic Teal
Main Accessories - gun, combiner fist/foot, Targetmasters Sunbeam and Zigzag Zputty

http://i.imgur.com/YuD9yCR.jpg

Nothing new here sculpt-wise, so for my thoughts on that, see http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showth...112]CW Firefly's review page.

For a redeco, he's actually a pretty good likeness to the original Needlenose, except for the lack of Seeker-style wings on his back (ok the whole silhouette is off with the cockpit sticking up over his head) but Funpub's designers have managed to work some magic with the mould to really make it work - Firefly's built in chest "vents" work as a more stylised, updated version of Needlenose's (what the Classics/Generation line seems to be about) and both heads feature a face mask, however the FSS version lacks the knight's helm style visor that would really match his current IDW portrayal.

http://i.imgur.com/GRL12eV.jpg

Like the G1 version, the whole cockpit piece is painted blue, with a red windshield, the arms and feet are a nice shade of violet and they've painted his hips and lower legs blue to match also.

The wing decals on the G1 figure have been replaced with paint apps in a beautiful metallic teal the preview photos just did not do justice to, and it extends beyond the wing pieces almost to the cockpit (similar to the way Reprolabels have done with their sets for Firefly, Quickslinger and Blast Off.)

http://i.imgur.com/oDLcj8K.jpg

THe targetmaster guys are repaints of the same ones that came with T30 Scoop, again, nothing special here, although due to the paint apps, I find their arms don't come together all that well, and "Zputty's" arms don't seem to lock into place very well, and pop out quite easily.

Downsides - there's a lot of grey. I know that matches the original release pretty well, but a bit of silver would have been nice to break it up a little, but it's not so bad. His gun and H/F thing are also grey.

Price is probably the biggest downside - I think, with shipping and currency conversion, the subscription cost me about the AU$600 mark, making this guy cost about $100 (unless you take into account the "free" figure at the end) so not cheap in any way, and even more expensive if you buy aftermarket.

Overall I'm impressed with Needlenose, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the Thunder Mayhem squad + Impactor

I was pretty impressed with this guy. Because it's a simpler figure there seems to be less to break off him and screw backwards as seems to happen with a lot of Funpub figures :p;)

I really like the colour scheme and paint apps on his jet mode, think it looks really good! Shame about the purple arms visible but thats just a downfall of all figures using this mold. The robot mode looks good too, although his colour scheme and paint apps make him look like he should be Thunderwings little brother or something. I suppose he will become a limb of Thunder Mayhem so maybe that's appropriate.

Super expensive, but I didn't bother with the TFSS 3.0 and not bothering with the 5.0 either so it;s a little self treat before the collectors club shuts down :)