New Third Party Company Transform Element has shown the gray prototype of their first project: MM-01 Hornets Tiger (T-Beast Bumblebee).
The images were shared via Transform Element Weibo, and we have a very original and different take on Bumblebee. Rather than a vehicle mode, this incarnation of Bumblebee transforms into a mechanical tiger. The robot mode features a G1-inspired head and a chest similar to the Movie Bumblebee Camaro.
This design comes from the doujin artbook (non official) Transformers T-Beast by Kuramochi Zukan Group, which take G1 characters into mechanical beast modes. However Transform Element is no the first company to use this concept. Collectors should remember Generation Toys already released other T-Beast characters before: GT-10 Optimus Primal, and GT-11 Red Bull (Beast Sideswipe). DX9 and Generations Toys are also working on a Rodimus Tiger.
If you are looking for something original and different for your collections, we are sure you will be interested in all the images we have mirrored after the jump. Don’t forget to share your impressions on the 2005 Boards!
User_121147
Yes 1 designer work on that line.
My favorite are Optimal prime and Leonidas. I'm a bw fan not a g1 fan… so those both really being the only bw. Then it would be starscream because I enjoyed him a lot in TF animated but fell in love with him in TF prime where in the first episode he just kills cliffjumper like it's nothing. Then rodimus and lastly bumblebee because I'm bumblebee out.
Convoy
When you say they have 1 person on the line, does it mean that they have one designer?
I didn't realise that, that's not cool 3p companies! Hopefully they pay the original artists and keep making more
Do you have a favourite? I really like the Autobots, but might pass on PE lio due to being another cat… and also super expensive now…
User_121147
Idk … the company that main starscream was going to make wolf/wheeljack. Transform elements only has 1 person on this line I believe as well as 1 person on the legend bw line, which is way we get only 1 figure a year. But I think both TE and GT (generation toys) that were making this toys got a lot of bad rep for stealing the designs for the artist without giving them credit and some kind of payment. The artists were really upset about it, I don't know if they took legal actions… but I say our best best is to what for tfcon Boston in october for updates as well as tfcon Toronto in December and tfcon LA in march.
xueyue2
I love this figure as well. But it seems TE/BMB really need to improve their QC, it's destorying good figure with poor quality.
Convoy
I'm in love with this pic. Are there any more announcements?
Mister D
Got my Wasp Tiger this week. Have the duplicate guns (left hand if anyone wants to trade) and the right foot seems to be a left foot. I ordered from TF Safari. Do I contact them or Transform Element about replacement parts?
Also saw this fix on YouTube, but it only works if you have swapped feet. If anyone has a right foot they want to trade…
Sanity Bleeds
Pin punches work alright for hinge pins, but they're about useless for capped pins. My personal preference, whenever possible, I use a wristwatch link pin remover tool. You often have either the hand crank versions (really good for apply force directly to the pin without stressing the surrounding area) or the plier style ones, which can sometimes offer better accessibility. I personally don't care for the spring-loaded punches, as those are an unforeseen accident just waiting to happen despite a number of people insisting they've personally never had an issue with them. I kinda want to try the actual Spring Tools brand of pin punches, but I worry they'd very likely do far, far more damage than good in most scenarios.
kamifushou
I’m loving this pin punch set: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085V67V…abc_9ACFW785EQMMRYKWQZE1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I got it for $28 so not sure why the price jumped. Got it with a gunsmith hammer. The smallest punch works great for the smallest pins in 3p figures without bending. Used it to fix my wasp tiger whose right lower leg was on the left side and vice versa
Sanity Bleeds
I've had pretty good luck REMOVING capped pins with a needlepoint soldering iron, especially when you can more precisely control the heat level, but I've had pretty rough luck getting capped pins reinserted, often giving up and just super gluing them back in. I'm sure others could give a better explanation of why they're occasionally used, but I really wish they weren't.
IceConvoy
I didn’t have any success with the ankle. That pin didn’t even budge. I currently don’t have the equipment to even attempt removing the capped pin.
Depthcharge
well crap…. I never would have noticed this before but yes, I have the same problem. Both my little forearm covers have a molded number 1 on them.
Depthcharge
I just got my replacement part yesterday and it is the same situation. Did you have any luck removing the capped pin? I have been unsuccessful in getting it to budge so far.
I also tried just pushing out the pin that holds the black ankle to the yellow shin but I haven't had any success there either.
Mister D
Really liking the GT White Gorilla and Red Bull, so I'm strongly considering getting this. If it has one of the widespread production issues, which shop is generally the best for rectifying the matter?
IceConvoy
Got my replacement part. Interesting that they provided the entire shin which is attached by a capped pin. I don’t have the tools or experience to remove that type of pin, but hopefully the pin attaching the foot to the shin shouldn’t be much trouble.
View attachment 28887279
Razzy
I have realised that my figure, while having the correct ankles, has two right forearms. You can easily notice it by the fact that the indentations for the black covers are off-centre, so on my left forearm the cover does not snap into place.
Cya
Raziel-chan
View attachment 28877607 View attachment 28877606
NickKnack13
Forgot I had even ordered this thing, I let it sit with ShowZ so long haha. Had my fingers crossed I wouldn't have to replace any ankles cuz I woulda probably just got the parts and sold the figure to someone who gives enough of a shit to fix it, but we got lucky there. Got 2 left blasters but w/e, did have a laugh that not only were they dumb enough to not make a universal cannon piece, but they fit on the WRONG hands better LOL. Overall I'm glad I picked it up, although the Sideswipe and Rodimus shaped holes are a little more obvious the more I fill in my T-Beast shelf
User_121147
I love himView attachment 28858609
zelse
Its not easiest repair, but look up removing a capped pin on youtube. I removed the capped pin in the shin and replace the shin/foot assembly because I got 2 of the same foot. It is worrying to do, but actually quite simple if you have a soldering iron.
ichnach
emgo addressed the duplicate blasters in his video as well. simply rotate the hand 180 degrees and it fits just fine.
IceConvoy
Just got notified that my replacement leg came in to the Chosen Prime. So TE is definitely sending out replacements.