Name: Dreadwing
Series: Generation 1
Allegiance: Decepticon
Alternate Mode: None, gestalt composed of Darkwing and Dreadwind.
JET MODE
Height: 10cm Length: 26cm Width: 23cm
A composite jet which is largely light grey at the front and dark grey at the rear. There's a dark grey upper section and a transparent aqua cockpit at the front. The wings are also composite, with the swept-back aqua sections flush against the perpendicular purple sections. The colours of the two components are designed to work together - both feature the aqua, dark grey and purple with only Dreadwing sporting the light grey. There's also a blue plastic only found on Darkwing, although that's underneath and doesn't really play a role here.
While this is one of the more unusual gestalt concepts, and perhaps one of the less impressive (at least conceptually), I'm very impressed by the execution. The two toys connect very well - there are four attachments on the fuselages and the upper level (Dreadwing's tail and Darkwing's nose) slides together well. The wings don't connect as such, but still come together well.
Darkwing forms the back of this jet, his nose folded up and his tail split. Dreadwind forms the front with his tail up and his wings slid back. In theory you need both Hi-Test (to release Dreadwind's wings, allowing them to slide back) and Throttle (to release Darkwing's nose), although once Dreadwing is assembled Hi-Test can detach. Throttle ends up stuck underneath the upper level, but then the mechanism on my Darkwing is broken anyway, so my Throttle can stay on the sidelines. I do like the fact that you not only need Darkwing and Dreadwind but also their Nebulons.
There are a few aspects of the individual toy designs which cater for this combined jet. Dreadwing hides winglets, and Darkwing conceals a tailfin extension. The guns of both are designed to be able to clip together, allowing for mirror-image compound guns which clip into holes in front of Darkwing's tailwings (another aspect specifically for Dreadwing). For some reason the guns of mine will only connect with their own, not the other (so I have one all-Dreadwing and one all-Darkwing, rather than two mixed, mirror-image, guns), but the effect is still the same.
A novel idea, and one that pictures really don't do justice to. Sure, the play value of Dreadwing is pretty much non-existant, but it adds a lot to Darkwing and Dreadwing, once you have the pair. As simple as the idea is, it's well executed and the two components merge nicely.
VARIATIONS
None that I'm aware of. The same combined plane was recoloured and sold as Darkwings in Japan.
OVERALL
Both component toys are strong while the combined mode is well executed and stable. The colour schemes line up nicely, the fusion of jets is successful and the concept beats outs most of 1988's gimmicks (I'll take this over a Firecon anytime!). While Darkwing and Dreadwind are both worth getting anyway, this is a nice addition - 8/10
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