Cliffbee.com Flash Toy Review

Individual Review




Name: Flash
Series: "European" Generation 1
Allegiance: Autobot
Function: Decoy
Alternate Mode: Sports Car



CAR MODE
Height: 3.5cm Length: 10.5cm Width: 6cm

   A red sports car with a short, sloping front and long rear, Flash has transparent red windows, black plastic tyres and blue reverse fins on the rear. There's a big white and lilac eagle sticker on his hood and yellow pinstripes down the side, along with transparent headlights and indicators, which are easily missed since the base and transparent reds are very similar colours. The transparent red differs from the pink used on the other Turbomasters, but I don't mind since it fits Flash very well and the pink would have been too much. Adding in the yellow missiles and navy launcher, this is a nice colour scheme even if there's a hell of a lot of red.

   The transparent plastic is far less revealing than most, but his head is still quite obviously right underneath the windshield, similar to that of Sideswipe, although Flash doesn't get the option of stowing it under the bonnet. The detail is fuzzy, thankfully, since the clear plastic has so much colour in it. Still on the Sideswipe theme, Flash is clearly modelled on the Lamborghini Diablo, he's quite similar to (but not the same as) Gobot Sideswipe. Flash may not be an accurate Diablo, but the inspiration is enough to make this an attractive sports car.

   As with all Turbomasters, Flash's main gimmick is the missile launcher which fits rather naturally between the fins on the back of the car. The launcher shoots a canary yellow missile about two feet (60cm). He comes with three missiles, one is meant to sit in the launcher pointing out over the roof while the others clip onto stabilisers just above the rear tyres, which fit this rather zippy looking sports car very well. He'll roll along on his wheels on a surface with some resistance, but tends to slide on smooth surfaces like my desk.

   While Boss has a more creative vehicle mode, Flash's sports car mode is my favourite amongst the Turbomasters. The stickers add to the toy, rather than simply adding random colour as was common in the late G1 "European" toys - Flash even has Autobot logo stickers on his doors. The launcher gimmick works and the car looks equally good with or without the launcher.

TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE

   Detach the launcher and fold the rear out to form the legs (the boots split as they flip over). The legs and underside swing down to allow him to stand up, with the front of the car as his chest. Open the doors out to the sides to form wings, swing the arms down from behind the wings and lift his head up. Attach the launcher as a handgun.

   Reminiscent of the Diaclone toys, Flash's transform is simple yet elegant, with car parts becoming features of the robot mode.

ROBOT MODE
Height: 12.5cm Width: 11.5cm

   Again mainly red, Flash's wings are a combination of solid door and transparent window, but with light behind them the solid parts of the doors glow. The thighs, groin and head are cobalt blue while his face is a detailed silver affair with red lightpiped eyes and a red crest (which is is also transparent). There's a gold brow sticker and some green stickers on his thighs. The yellow pinstripes and Autobot stickers look good on his wings, rounding out a nice colour scheme. Flash is a good example of how coloured transparent plastic can be an asset rather than a liability.

   The arms actually attach to the bottom of the wings rather than the torso itself, but this works quite well (and it's better than Scorch's detached shoulders). The wings and chest work well visually, being the bonnet and doors (as on Jazz). The spare missiles can stay on the stabilisers, which makes for wide boots - but they're wide anyway.

   Poseability is about what you'd expect of this era. The elbows bend and the shoulders can swing side to side as part of the transform. There's a hinge on the base of his launcher allowing it to lift up and point straight ahead with his elbow semi-bent, a natural position. This not only helps aim the missile here but in car mode as well (to a lesser extent).

   With some great design elements, clever placement of car features and stickers and an effective lightpipe, this is a robot mode reminiscent of the original Transformers. Flash lacks the die cast metal, chrome and detail of some of the early toys, but this is still a nice robot mode, the best amongst the Turbomasters.

VARIATIONS

   None that I'm aware of. Flash wasn't sold in the United States, although he did reach Australia, Canada, Europe and Japan.

OVERALL

   The best Turbomaster in both modes, Flash has good colours, two attractive modes, a good transformation and even manages a working gimmick. His only real drawback is a lack of quality materials (chrome, metal) that a lot of early G1 toys featured - which isn't exactly a shortcoming but comes into focus on a toy that's so reminiscent of the Diaclone design style. Flash is a toy I definitely recommend for G1 fans - 8/10

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