Transformers questions by newbies, and not-so-newbies

[Paulbot]

Does anyone know what kind of (huge, robotic) bird the G1 Predacon Divebomb is supposed to turn into?

Different resources say either 'eagle' or 'condor'.

His official bio and the toy instructions say 'eagle'.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Cheers PB.

[GoktimusPrime]

This illustrates one thing that some of the "Trukk Not Munky" crowd didn't fully appreciate about Beast Wars when it came out - it was the first line that gave us Transformers with reasonably accurate looking animal modes. When you have mechanical beast modes you run the risk of them being difficult to recognise, such as whether or not Divebomb is a condor or eagle. Is Ravage meant to be a jaguar, but some writers have referred to him as a panther, puma or even dog. According to TFwiki, Ravage's Chinese name means "Mechanical Dog" (機器狗).

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

For my part I see the Dinobots and Predacons (and other similarly not-'in-disguise' groups/TFs, like the Terrorcons) as more 'assault weapon/mode' forms drawing/modeled on local life forms, rather than 'disguises' per se. A giant, nigh-invincible, fire-breathing, robotic T-Rex isn't exactly going to fool anyone disguise-wise, but it sure as heck will scare the crap out of anyone in it's way.
Same thing for a huge mechanical eagle that suddenly swoops out of the sky, picks up a freaking tank in its talons, and then casually tears it in half with its beak.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my buffalo are pretty deadly creatures after all...it makes sense to me for a form-adaptive species of robots to adopt-and-adapt even just the basic shape/design of the more deadly/powerful local life forms for their war machines, even without the disguise aspect.

It's a lame excuse/reasoning I know, but works well enough for me.

[Trent]

I just became aware of the existence of Universe Megazarak. I love that mould and those colours look fantastic on it.

Did many end up with Australian collectors? I found it by accident browsing TFWiki and have never heard it mentioned so I assume it's kinda scarce.

[SuspectimusPrime]

I just became aware of the existence of Universe Megazarak. I love that mould and those colours look fantastic on it.

Did many end up with Australian collectors? I found it by accident browsing TFWiki and have never heard it mentioned so I assume it's kinda scarce.

In 2009-2011 I've seen one on eBay AU going for ~$120 + postage.

[griffin]

I just became aware of the existence of Universe Megazarak. I love that mould and those colours look fantastic on it.

Did many end up with Australian collectors? I found it by accident browsing TFWiki and have never heard it mentioned so I assume it's kinda scarce.

Probably not too many here got it when it was released, as it was the toy for the 2004 Official Convention (in the same year as the final Hartman BotCon).
One Australian went to the 2004 Official Convention (Finback in Perth), so he might have one as well, but I think if there are many here, they may
have been chased up after the event.
As you may expect, I have one, but since I didn't go to the Official Convention (I went to BotCon that year), I think I must have pre-ordered
it as a non-attending preregistrant, because I remember getting the Sentinel Maximus toy in the mail from Hasbro (who mailed out the
pre-ordered toys, due to them not being ready for the Convention, and Glen Hallit's company folding). So if I got one as a non-attending
pre-registrant, I must have pre-ordered both.

(unfortunately, mine is mostly obscured by the Sentinel Maximus in this photo)

[DELTAprime]

That is a really awesome reuse of the Armada Megatron mould. I could do without the Allspark blue, but otherwise it's really awesome.

[GoktimusPrime]

RE: reports of MP36's barrel being prone to chipping

Would a spray-on sealant (e.g. purity seal) help to make the vulnerable area more resistant to chipping?

[kurdt_the_goat]

I don't think so, it's tight enough as it is that another coat of anything would probably increase the chance of scratching or even getting stuck.