As promised, I'm opening a couple threads for review and discussion of some G1 subseries.
The Seekers in question are:
1984
Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp
1985
Dirge, Ramjet, Thrust
This is a small start, to get your reviewing neurons firing before we tackle some of the less known toys like Pretenders, Powermasters, and Micromasters... Don't forget you're also welcome to start posting figure-by figure reviews of current lines!
G1 Decepticon Seeker jets, 1984-5
Moderator: Jose
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Time Traveller
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Banzai-Tron
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Might I suggest we create a fairly standard format for reviews? I'm thinking it might be far more helpful to old and new collectors alike. Something along the lines of (though I'm pretty lousy at reviews, lol!):
Starscream
Show me the metal!: The seeker jet mold came with a die-cast metal chest. The rest of his construction was plastic.
Alt Mode(s): An excellent rendition of an F-15 Fighter Jet. Has an opening canopy (a remnant from the Diaclone line, to insert Diaclone drivers).
Robot Mode (to include articulation): Fairly accurate to the cartoon. Arms are the only point of articulation.
Transformation: Excellent and fairly intuitive.
Accessories: Includes detachable wings, rudders, and tailfins (though I wouldn't advise removing these!). Also includes detachable launchers with insertable "machine guns" and "missiles" (also known as "short missiles" and long missiles". Finally, there's a removable landing gear for the jet mode.
Potential problem areas: This guy's actually fairly loaded with them:
The entire nosecone/head section can get loose over time, giving Starscream a floppy head that doesn't want to stay in place.
The arms can also wear down over time, making it difficult to keep the arms lifted in the air.
Both types of missiles have quite delicate tabs that keep them in the launchers. Also, the long missiles are often found with the tips broken off.
Finally, keep an eye out on sticker condition. The seekers have often been played with heavily, and have a lot of different potential points of wear. The stickers (especially the eyes and the stickers on the metal chest area) were also relatively difficult to apply properly, especially for 8 year old boys!
Or something to that effect? I don't know, just a thought?[/b]
Starscream
Show me the metal!: The seeker jet mold came with a die-cast metal chest. The rest of his construction was plastic.
Alt Mode(s): An excellent rendition of an F-15 Fighter Jet. Has an opening canopy (a remnant from the Diaclone line, to insert Diaclone drivers).
Robot Mode (to include articulation): Fairly accurate to the cartoon. Arms are the only point of articulation.
Transformation: Excellent and fairly intuitive.
Accessories: Includes detachable wings, rudders, and tailfins (though I wouldn't advise removing these!). Also includes detachable launchers with insertable "machine guns" and "missiles" (also known as "short missiles" and long missiles". Finally, there's a removable landing gear for the jet mode.
Potential problem areas: This guy's actually fairly loaded with them:
The entire nosecone/head section can get loose over time, giving Starscream a floppy head that doesn't want to stay in place.
The arms can also wear down over time, making it difficult to keep the arms lifted in the air.
Both types of missiles have quite delicate tabs that keep them in the launchers. Also, the long missiles are often found with the tips broken off.
Finally, keep an eye out on sticker condition. The seekers have often been played with heavily, and have a lot of different potential points of wear. The stickers (especially the eyes and the stickers on the metal chest area) were also relatively difficult to apply properly, especially for 8 year old boys!
Or something to that effect? I don't know, just a thought?[/b]
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Time Traveller
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I like your rundown style review, but I think that each member's style contributes something different to the discussion. As long as we keep organized what figure's reviewed where, it should make it easy to access, and find what info you need. I'll take a spin with Thundercracker, for fun 
G1 Thundercracker
Alt Mode: Thundercracker, like the other '84 seekers, transforms into a strikingly accurate F-15 fighter jet. His sparkling blue really stands out in this form if his plastic is still nice. The deco is heavily decal-based, like BT said, so it's important to have nice decals, especially the non-foil ones on his tail rudders (the verticals) and wings.
Robot Mode: Thundercracker's big wings in robot mode make him pretty impressive looking, especially compared to the other toys of the area, which are relatively smaller. His tiny face is a classic sculpt, but lost due to scaling issues. His big fists don't hold weapons, as his underwing cannon/missiles attach to his upper arms. The posability is sorely low even for this era: his only point of articulation is in each shoulder.
Transformation: Relatively simple. Unfortunately, the transformation relies heavily on the figure's biggest detractor: He's pure partsformer. he comes with 15 accessories! In jet mode, there is no place to store his robot fists or the machinegun barrels. In robot mode, there's no place for the landing gear or the short missile tips. Much of the transformation involves detaching, attaching, and rearranging these accessories.
Variations: there are many. almost every accessory included has a variation. The fists may have one side of his wrist slotted, or both. The elevators (tail horizontal) may be filled or hollow. The wings have a number of variations. One variation makes a major difference, and that is the length of the tab attaching the wings. Shorter tabs in very early issues allowed the wings to sit tight up against the body, almost flush, while later issues have a long, relatively wide gap with the jet body. The tabs were lengthened to better accommodate the angle the wings assume in robot mode.
Common breakages:
-the tips of the machine gun barrels.
-the catches at the back end of all four missiles.
-the tabs on the wrists of each fist accessory can break out.
-the cuffs under each wing that hold the missle launcher can crack
-the elevators: the thin tab that holds them on, and the long protrusion that extends forward along the jet body.
-the canopy hinge is fragile and unsupported when it is opened.
Other than all that, the figure is pretty sturdy. the low articulation and metal torso keeps most of the plastic on this figure well protected. Overall, he's a must have for nostalgics and G1 collectors, but if you're interested in playing with your toys, get the Classics....oh wait, Thundercracker is the only '84 seeker not released in Classics.
G1 Thundercracker
Alt Mode: Thundercracker, like the other '84 seekers, transforms into a strikingly accurate F-15 fighter jet. His sparkling blue really stands out in this form if his plastic is still nice. The deco is heavily decal-based, like BT said, so it's important to have nice decals, especially the non-foil ones on his tail rudders (the verticals) and wings.
Robot Mode: Thundercracker's big wings in robot mode make him pretty impressive looking, especially compared to the other toys of the area, which are relatively smaller. His tiny face is a classic sculpt, but lost due to scaling issues. His big fists don't hold weapons, as his underwing cannon/missiles attach to his upper arms. The posability is sorely low even for this era: his only point of articulation is in each shoulder.
Transformation: Relatively simple. Unfortunately, the transformation relies heavily on the figure's biggest detractor: He's pure partsformer. he comes with 15 accessories! In jet mode, there is no place to store his robot fists or the machinegun barrels. In robot mode, there's no place for the landing gear or the short missile tips. Much of the transformation involves detaching, attaching, and rearranging these accessories.
Variations: there are many. almost every accessory included has a variation. The fists may have one side of his wrist slotted, or both. The elevators (tail horizontal) may be filled or hollow. The wings have a number of variations. One variation makes a major difference, and that is the length of the tab attaching the wings. Shorter tabs in very early issues allowed the wings to sit tight up against the body, almost flush, while later issues have a long, relatively wide gap with the jet body. The tabs were lengthened to better accommodate the angle the wings assume in robot mode.
Common breakages:
-the tips of the machine gun barrels.
-the catches at the back end of all four missiles.
-the tabs on the wrists of each fist accessory can break out.
-the cuffs under each wing that hold the missle launcher can crack
-the elevators: the thin tab that holds them on, and the long protrusion that extends forward along the jet body.
-the canopy hinge is fragile and unsupported when it is opened.
Other than all that, the figure is pretty sturdy. the low articulation and metal torso keeps most of the plastic on this figure well protected. Overall, he's a must have for nostalgics and G1 collectors, but if you're interested in playing with your toys, get the Classics....oh wait, Thundercracker is the only '84 seeker not released in Classics.
