{"id":17638,"date":"2012-03-21T17:00:27","date_gmt":"2012-03-21T22:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=17638"},"modified":"2012-03-24T15:40:43","modified_gmt":"2012-03-24T20:40:43","slug":"vault-review-transformers-dark-of-the-moon-air-raid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=17638","title":{"rendered":"Vault Review: Transformers
Dark of the Moon, Air Raid"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Wednesday\u2019s review is a bit late due to some Internet difficulties, but I think those are sorted out now.\u00a0 So without further adieu, here\u2019s my write-up on one of the more interesting figures to come out of the Dark of the Moon line: Air Raid.<\/p>\n

I really love seeing the end of a Transformers movie toy line, and not just because we can finally get back to G1 inspired designs.\u00a0 It seems like the end of a movie line is when the toy designers allow their crazy ideas to take flight, and we get the most interesting interpretations of characters.\u00a0 My favorite example of this is ROTF\u2019s Lockdown, who was given a realistic and much more dangerous look than his original animated appearance.\u00a0 I feel like DOTM\u2019s Air Raid fits into this category too.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

On my hunt for Prime figures it\u2019s become almost second nature for me to ignore the movie waves.\u00a0 I probably wouldn\u2019t have even noticed Air Raid if he hadn\u2019t been molded in that brilliant IAT-esque green.\u00a0 He was packaged in airplane mode, which I also found intriguing because there aren\u2019t a lot of toys based on an AWAC plane design.\u00a0 Even though one of his hands was sticking out from underneath his tail wings, I thought he still looked cool enough to pick up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t realize at the time, but his robot mode would eventually win me over.\u00a0 I love it when Transformers incorporate a unique feel to their design, ya know, besides a giant robot.\u00a0 Figures like Bludgeon\/Banzaitron had that cool samurai motif going, while it seems Air Raid has come to the party dressed as a futuristic space knight.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The sculpting on his robot mode is fairly detailed.\u00a0 His spindly arms and legs have that muscular movie look to them, while the bulkier armored parts contain a lot of intricately sculpted paneling. \u00a0\u00a0I really love how his leg armor goes above his knee to cover most of his thigh.\u00a0 His chest looks pretty cool too with its golden crest-like design.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Air Raid\u2019s head sculpt is finely detailed with a large light-piping window on the back.\u00a0 When his eyes are lit up you can easily see that they gave him sculpted pupils.\u00a0 Maybe it\u2019s just me, but the combination of that large gold fin on his helmet with his shoulder wings and thrusters gives me a strong Rocketeer vibe.\u00a0 Continue to page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Normally I cover accessories last, but Air Raids main weapon is a mace-like weapon that takes the place of his right hand.\u00a0 It\u2019s interesting to see this on an Autobot, since it\u2019s usually the Decepticons who are so battle ready to actually replace body parts with weapons.<\/p>\n

Air Raid\u2019s only accessory is his plane\u2019s radar dish.\u00a0 In robot mode it mainly functions as a shield, but it also has an action feature which transforms it into an \u201cion pulse blaster\u201d.\u00a0 The gun only stays transformed as long as you\u2019re holding onto it (Can you see the LEGO sword I jammed in there so it would stay for the picture?).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Most of Air Raid\u2019s parts are molded the color they need to be.\u00a0 In plane mode you mostly see his vivid green, silver, and dark gray.\u00a0 Robot mode mixes it up a little more with the light gray of his limbs and that neat gold chest piece and helmet fin.\u00a0 They also used a light blue translucent plastic for his eyes and cockpit windows.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Air Raid\u2019s articulation is good, but it takes a bit of getting used to because of his design.\u00a0 His head, biceps, and thighs are swivels.\u00a0 His shoulders, left wrist, and hips are ball joints.\u00a0 And his elbows, and knees are hinges.\u00a0 His mace hand attaches to his arm with two hinges so you can easily pose it flailing around.<\/p>\n

Air Raid\u2019s plane mode has three landing gear wheels which fold out on hinges.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This figure isn\u2019t without his nitpicks.\u00a0 It took me a bit to get used to his odd proportions and how they work with the articulation.\u00a0 I also really wish his hand didn\u2019t stick out the back in plane mode.\u00a0 But ultimately I love this guy\u2019s unique space-knight look.\u00a0 The IAT color scheme doesn\u2019t hurt either.<\/p>\n

-Vault<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wednesday\u2019s review is a bit late due to some Internet difficulties, but I think those are sorted out now.\u00a0 So without further adieu, here\u2019s my write-up on one of the more interesting figures to come out of the Dark of the Moon line: Air Raid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[34,10,35],"tags":[1441,1176,1077,24,1442,2570],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/airrTN.jpg?fit=50%2C50","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pObc6-4Au","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12289,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=12289","url_meta":{"origin":17638,"position":0},"title":"Vault Review: Transformers: Generations Dirge & Thrust","date":"March 18, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Can you believe that we still have a few unreviewed Transformers left even after Transformers Week? I know, it\u2019s crazy. What\u2019s worse is that we\u2019ve put them off for so long that they\u2019ve almost become Retro Reviews. OK, maybe not that old, but Dirge and Thrust certainly aren\u2019t at the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22080,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=22080","url_meta":{"origin":17638,"position":1},"title":"Vault Review: Transformers Prime Dark Energon Starscream","date":"December 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This week seems to be devoted to paint variants, so to go along with the trend I'm going to throw one more Starscream onto the pile.\u00a0 This time I'm taking a look at the BBTS exclusive Dark Energon version.\u00a0 This is a pretty spiffy figure that I just got in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/desp7.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20905,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=20905","url_meta":{"origin":17638,"position":2},"title":"Battlegrip.com Review Unofficial Transformers Wheelie","date":"September 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in July, our first Guest Review Week was a blast! Five great contributors from four great sites all right here at IAT? It was awesome and too fun to only do once! So, \u201cSon of Guest Review\u201d Week kicks off today with the spotlight on one of my favorite\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28650,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=28650","url_meta":{"origin":17638,"position":3},"title":"BigBadToyStore July 10th Newsletter","date":"July 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "Sponsors"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22011,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=22011","url_meta":{"origin":17638,"position":4},"title":"Vault Review: Transformers Prime Wheeljack & Dead End","date":"November 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m trying to catch up on some of my 2012 reviews before the end of the year, so today I\u2019m doing two Transformers Prime figures in one review.\u00a0 Dead End and Wheeljack End may share the same body, but their unique head designs and paint apps make them very distinct\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/dewj10.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23378,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=23378","url_meta":{"origin":17638,"position":5},"title":"Transformers Encore G1 Fortress Maximus Quick Pics!","date":"May 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This week\u2019s schedule will be a little off. My Uncle passed away this weekend and I'm just about out the door on my way to Florida. As many of you know, this year has been sticking it to us here at IAT, but I\u2019m tired of missing days. This won\u2019t\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17638"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17638"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17671,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17638\/revisions\/17671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}