Let's see if we can get back on track with Sci-Fi Saturday's with this odd offering out of China. We've been on a divergent route the past couple of months, partly because I didn't have photos ready and partly because of our trips and little forays. Today's toy was actually picked up during our trip to Sparks, Nevada which we blogged last month. On the way back home we stopped at a Texaco station in Tonopah and I was wandering around the el cheapo souvenir toy area when this caught my attention - a two-pack of Transformer-like toys distributed by a company called JPW International called Interchange Robot! Interchange Robot? ha, sounds like something you'd see on the freeway. But it was only a few bucks and I picked it up.
The set consists of a 'Jeep' with AA gun mounted on the deck and a twin-engine plane, both of which fold out and turn into robots in transformer fashion. As soon as you break 'em out of the pack you can tell they're cheap. The parts don't have a nice snug fit and the soft plastic split in a couple places causing other parts to not fit well. The transforming action is not nearly as creative or convoluted as the licensed Transformer toys which actually makes one really appreciate the design effort and ingenuity that goes into the licensed products. Even the name is rather clumsy - but it's not meant for major markets and gives Junior a chance to play with a cheap toy while traveling down the interchange (pun intended). Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina
The 'Jeep' measures: 3 1/8" (7.9cm) L x 1 5/8" (4.1cm) W x 1 1/2" (3.8cm)H
The plane measures: 3 3/4" (9.5cm) L x 3 1/2" (9.5cm) wingspan x 1 5/8" (4.1cm) H
'Jeep'
Unfolding the 'Jeep'
The gun has to be removed
fold up the hood and pull out rear deck
the rear deck is rotated so that it faces the opposite direction
the hood has been folded all the way back revealing the head, the robot is now ready for action.
I don't know about you, but this presents a somewhat less than menacing figure.
The loosey-goosey 'arms' just look like a couple of I-beams, the head is meh, and he appears as more of a junkyard sculpture than a rough-&-tough robot. The 'Jeep' configuration is actually much better.
The Plane
Unfolding the plane
I think this robot comes off much, much better than the other one
Twist the tail upwards and lock it in place
Fold the fuselage downward
Unlock the wings and bend them down
That's it, you're done!
A far more imposing creature than the 'Jeep' robot
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