'If only I could turn at the waist, I'd be able to show you some real POSEABILITY!'


This guy will probably go down as the most opinion polarizing Transformer of the year... it's quite fascinating to read/hear the huge variety of thoughts on poor little Blitzwing! For myself, I've actually been enjoying the guy quite a lot... much has been said, so I'll use points:

Positives:
  • He's a triple changer!!
  • He's a Voyager - I do love the size they've chosen to do these guys in, and can now only hope for Astrotrain and Octane.
  • Good robot mode, IF shoulders are fixed - I think he looks great, and poses well if you take advantage of the articulation that's there. The accessories are also good fun, although I think the gun should've been larger. Yes, I agree that we should not have to fix things, but I don't mind doing a little handy work - it adds an extra level of familiarity to the toy, which I can do with as too often it's transform-thrice-and-shelve for me.
  • Nice plane mode - I can see the weaknesses, I keep the turret out (as per pic below) as I like the over-the-top-ridiculous look of it, and this helps cover some of the gappiness. Also like the FAST pack look it harkens to.
  • Triple changing head - really quite subjective... I think it's OK to have the gimmick in there, and I might sometimes use the monocle guy, but it does seem to cater mainly to Animated fans (of which I am not one). I get the Generations idea, so I can get behind this. It's good that you can just ignore it, I don't think it makes the head too big myself. The round head shape also nicely reminiscences a pilot's helmet. Although... I never really got the shockingly different color (which is also on G1 BW) - the vast majority of TFs have head colors that also appear elsewhere in the scheme, this one doesn't, and it's weird, as if the head's been transplanted on.


Negatives:
  • Triple changing head ***
  • Not nice tank mode - it's passable at some angles, and shocking at most. I like the transformation they've come up with, and I think it's an OK effort, but it does really seem like it could be much better. The jet/tank parts swap over is one of the best parts, but the tank suffers a little too much.
  • QC issues - shoulders obviously. I seemed to have gotten lucky with my nosecone, but I can see how it can be a real bummer.
  • Articulation - Arrgh, no waist! Knees could/should be lower. Gun could easily have been larger and not have the holding problem. Most of us would probably take a ball jointed head rather than the triple face changer. Oh well.
  • Paint - honestly I didn't notice the different colored beige on the lower legs until it was pointed out. I can forgive this myself as in most modes, there is enough else going on color wise that it's not a major fail - the tank suffers the most. It was MUCH more crucial in figures like Sideswipe and Sunstreaker as the one color dominates so much of those toys... less so in BW.


Would like to post the shoulder fix I chose to use, but it's late, so for now here's my preferred plane mode: