Review: #233
Name: Alpha Bravo
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Generations - Combiner Wars
Year of Release: 2015
Size Class: Deluxe (Wave 1)
Variations: retooled with a new head into Blades in Wave 3
HELICOPTER MODE:
Alpha Bravo is the substitute in Slingshot's place in the Aerialbots team. He transforms into a helicopter for variety's sake, even though the remaining four members transform into jets.
This is a great helicopter mode, there are just enough paint applications to break up all the white.
Alpha Bravo is long and thin in this mode, by not having wings, he appears to be smaller than the other Aerialbots in alternate mode.
He has missiles on the side of the helicopter, which are also used to help partially hide his robot fists.
Instead of a comic (which he actually does come with in a later rerelease), Alpha Bravo comes with a collector's card featuring art from the mobile game Legends.
There's some good detail on the figure. The main rotor also freely spin, which is about the only gimmick in this mode.
You can attach the combiner part as a sort of flight stand, and the gun onto one of the numerous ports.
A really nice helicopter mode that works well.
TRANSFORMATION:
Despite being a completely different alternate mode, Alpha Bravo shares many similarities with the other Deluxe Aerialbots. His legs in particular are engineered in completely the same way, two halves come apart to extend and then combine back together to form the legs. Nothing spectacular but there is something elegant about the simplicity of it all.
ROBOT MODE:
Alpha Bravo's robot mode is decent, albeit a bit on the slender side.
He wears both rotors on his back, the main one can somewhat be locked into place by wedging it in the gap between the tailfins.
The head sculpt bears an uncanny resemblance to Vortex, which gives rise the speculation that a Combiner Wars Bruticus might be coming.
Poseability is excellent on this figure, he even has a waist joint, although his wrists are fixed.
While most of the Combiner Wars Deluxes wear the combiner ports as their chest, which is also accurate to the G1 figures, the designers have differentiated them by giving a slightly different sculpting on them. It's a nice touch.
Alpha Bravo isn't as tall or bulky as the Deluxes of yore but he doesn't feel cheap or hollow like some others...
In addition to the missiles on his forearms, he has two additional weapons. A traditional gun, and the combiner piece that doubles up as a dual-barrel Gatling cannon.
Alpha Bravo can hold the weapon in either hand.
While he lacks heel spurs, he feet are naturally big enough so that he doesn't keel over easily.
The weapon that his combiner part form is one of the better ones. It's also surprising that they bothered to give each member a different sculpt for the piece.
There are a few ports on his backpack that you can use to store the weapons when not in use.
A fantastic robot mode that looks good, plays well and is a great action figure.
OVERALL:
Alpha Bravo is probably my favorite out of the Wave 1 Combiner Wars Deluxes, this is mainly due to the good helicopter mode and great looking robot mode. He is like your classic Transformer, not compromised by gimmicks, a solid transformation and fun to play with. Even if you are not planning to make Superion or you are going to grab Quickslinger instead, still give Alpha Bravo a chance!
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Alpha Bravo is part of the Aerialbots who can combine to form Superion. While Superion will be covered in his own review in the near future, we'll take a quick peek at Alpha Bravo's two additional modes.
His combiner piece can form a foot, which is pretty self-explanation in terms of how to get there, you just fold the heel piece out...
It can also form a fist, and it was interesting to see how it was designed. Pretty clever if you ask me.
His arm mode is good but the robot arms get in the way of the elbow articulation.
His leg mode is fantastic too since you don't get this weird cut-off where the figure joins with the combiner piece, instead, it feels as if the foot piece was naturally integrated into Alpha Bravo.
You can get some good poses out of the combined mode. The combiner ports used are easy and does not detach easily.
That's about it for now, thanks for reading!