Toy Review - GEN-15 DLX Firefly (combiner)

(Please post comments, photos or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just some brief details to start you off)
Impressions of the group or a combiner as a whole can be posted here or in the pre-existing group review topic here if you prefer.

FIREFLY
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Combiner Wars
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 1
Released here - scheduled for March 2015 (out in Asia & America December 2014)
Approximate Retail Price - AU$?? (probably about $30) US$17
Approximate Size - 15cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Fighter Jet
Main Features/Gimmicks - Combiner limb
Main Colours - Red, white, blue, black
Main Accessories - gun, combiner fist/foot

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tran...5/gen15a07.jpg
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First things first. Jet mode is the worst of the three modes. Fat, chunky, and obvious arms. Same for Skydive, and probably Air Raid. At least he has front landing gear.

However, bot mode is quite awesome, well articulated and balanced, main drawback is no actual feet.

Combined mode works very well for foot mode, however arm mode has a couple of issues - his hands don't quite reach to the tabs on his back, so just hang there loose, and the tailfin blocks some weapons, like Powerglide, from fitting into the combiner hand.

Great bot mode, I really like the expressiveness of him! Again the jet is super chunky (and because of short wings looks a little worse than Skydive), but that seems to be like all these guys, so at least they're all in need of some Jenny Craig :P

The robot mode is great - very well proportioned, decent articulation and very much visually in line with the G1 toy/cartoon.

The jet mode, well the front half of the jet I really like and I quite like the wings as well - I know others don't and I can see why but there is something about the stubbiness of it that kinda appeals. The arms sticking out at the sides are a very big drawback, but at least they tuck in somewhat so are not quite as annoying as those on Skydives alt mode.

With Firefly(ght) and Skydive looking so good, I'm starting to wonder/hope if they are going to make a Generations Aerielbots gift set as I think I'm gonna want them in their individual and gestalt modes :D

Here's the last of the Wave 1 Combiner Wars Deluxe figures with Firefly.


Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Firefly - YouTube


Looking forward to completing the team with Air Raid in wave 2 now :)

Overall the figure is pretty good, but I would've appreciated more paint application across the red plastic. But he fits in well with the wave 1 figures and looks great combined with the others so far in Superion. Definitely looking forward to Air Raid in wave 2!!

Great looking alt mode.

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps83017d4b.jpg

Overall I love the way all of them look together as Superion.

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...pse7145af0.jpg

Bought this on a whim just now because hey it's my birthday and everyone is out of the office and I'll do what I want okay.

Same comments as above - jet mode is more or less a writeoff. A crouching robot wearing a jet cape basically.

Robot mode is fantastic though. There's almost a TF Animated feel to it with the super slim hips and torso + ridiculously wide shoulders, and super bright popping colours. Lots and lots of character, and I really like the weapons as well.

Managed to get it for 25 (Toyworld have dropped their prices when I wasn't looking apparently) - it's just about worth that.

Would have liked to have seen what could have been done with a Universe 2.0/early Generations budget on this figure - the feet could have folded up, we could have actual rear landing gear (the hatches for them are unpainted and molded in), perhaps even a clear canopy.

Granted, the Stunticons are better for hiding robot bits in their vehicle modes, but vehicles are blockier, so it's easier to work with cars than jet forms. And I'm sure that underneath them, there would be robot bits like under the jet modes... so that the top of the vehicle/jet mode is not ruined by robot bits.

Considering that these Deluxe toys have to become a flexible elbow and a solid leg, in addition to their robot and jet modes (four different modes)... I think that if they added in more moving parts to the transformation, it would weaken its ability to stay intact in combined mode, where it needs most of its load-bearing strength... or end up adding more kibble to one of the four modes.

At the moment, I think that the balance is as good as it is engineerically possible for a 4-mode toy. The robot arms are indeed the worst kibble in two of the modes (jet and Superion arm modes), but I find that when you are dealing with the jet mode, most Transformers toys have kibble "hidden" underneath, and the arms on this one are able to push in a little so don't stick out as much as some other jet toys.


I'm slightly biased though, as these Deluxes have been the best toys for me since the early Classics and Animated... :o