Post by Maz on Dec 19, 2006 19:27:31 GMT -5
Hey guys,
It's been a while since I put together anything this big or long, but I think it's been worth the wait. This article deals with the earliest versions of the G1 jets: Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge. It focuses on the evolutionary process of these toys from original concepts and prototypes through samples to production pieces. There are still many gaps, but I feel that this article sheds some light on a few of those gaps that may previously have been unknown to most.
I've split the article into three parts.
Part 1: THE EARLY PRE-RUBSIGN SERIES 1 RELEASES
This section shows one of the first Transformers, a Thundercracker, to ever hit a shelf in the US, most likely amongst the very first ever assortments of Transformers sold anywhere in 1984.
Part 2: THE SERIES 2 CONCEPTS AND PROTOTYPES
This section shows what could have been for Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge. It includes some great catalog photography and artwork from Japan that show very strange hybrids of the series 1 and series 2 jets. Also included in this section are amazing pictures of original G1 unpainted and painted RESIN HARDCOPY PROTOTYPE Thrust, Dirge and Ramjet wings, fins and weapons.
Part 3: THE PRE-PRODUCTION ORANGE-CANOPIED RAMJET
This section focuses on a very special US Transformers Ramjet that was a production sample previously in the possession of an ex-Hasbro VP responsible for TFs. It was intended to be part of a Hasbro TF museum collection but instead was sold off on eBay as part of a magnificent collection of production samples and variants.
All in all, very text-heavy, picture-heavy and info-heavy.
Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Here ya go:
www.tf-1.com/articles/eurous_frame.php?art=earlyjets
Many thanks to Paul Hitchens, Himawari, Curt Fignar, all the other contributors of pics and of course to Paul Vromen for the spectacular Ramjet artwork in the sidebar.
All the best
Maz
It's been a while since I put together anything this big or long, but I think it's been worth the wait. This article deals with the earliest versions of the G1 jets: Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge. It focuses on the evolutionary process of these toys from original concepts and prototypes through samples to production pieces. There are still many gaps, but I feel that this article sheds some light on a few of those gaps that may previously have been unknown to most.
I've split the article into three parts.
Part 1: THE EARLY PRE-RUBSIGN SERIES 1 RELEASES
This section shows one of the first Transformers, a Thundercracker, to ever hit a shelf in the US, most likely amongst the very first ever assortments of Transformers sold anywhere in 1984.
Part 2: THE SERIES 2 CONCEPTS AND PROTOTYPES
This section shows what could have been for Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge. It includes some great catalog photography and artwork from Japan that show very strange hybrids of the series 1 and series 2 jets. Also included in this section are amazing pictures of original G1 unpainted and painted RESIN HARDCOPY PROTOTYPE Thrust, Dirge and Ramjet wings, fins and weapons.
Part 3: THE PRE-PRODUCTION ORANGE-CANOPIED RAMJET
This section focuses on a very special US Transformers Ramjet that was a production sample previously in the possession of an ex-Hasbro VP responsible for TFs. It was intended to be part of a Hasbro TF museum collection but instead was sold off on eBay as part of a magnificent collection of production samples and variants.
All in all, very text-heavy, picture-heavy and info-heavy.
Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Here ya go:
www.tf-1.com/articles/eurous_frame.php?art=earlyjets
Many thanks to Paul Hitchens, Himawari, Curt Fignar, all the other contributors of pics and of course to Paul Vromen for the spectacular Ramjet artwork in the sidebar.
All the best
Maz
