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Inferno
and
Skyblast
These were the first previously-unseen BTR sets that I’ve encountered in quite
a long time. To the best of my knowledge Hasbro has discontinued this product
line, but it’s a shame, because in some ways it seems like it was really
starting to hit its stride. The joints of these two Transformers were more
refined and compact than previous sets, and it looks though the designers had
started aiming for a two-component set, such as a vehicle/robot with a separate
weapons platform.
I picked up each set for $3.99 at a local liquidator. I suspect, judging from
precedent, that they would each have had MSRP of $8.99 or more, and I can’t
imagine that they’d have sold any better than earlier BTR stuff. Price, IMO,
was one of the principal factors in the series’ downfall.
Of perhaps greater interest to fans of the brand is the catalog, which I haven’t
yet been able to scan. It shows more than fifteen new GI Joe and
Transformers sets, but no new Tonka. The catalog also describes new “Action
Gear” blocks, suggesting that they really had plans for future development.
Another point of note is that the missile launchers have a clever new design:
the missiles snap into the launch chamber and protrude slightly from the rear of
the launcher. When you press on this, it pops out of the chamber and fires,
with the thrust being generated by the elastic properties of the plastic itself.
To my surprise, this imparts more force than the original spring-based BTR
launchers, and I give them points for creativity! The stress to the plastic
seems sufficiently slight, and the plastic sufficiently flexible, not to result
in stress damage despite repeated launchings.
I may post more detail later, if anyone’s interested.
Dave!
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