Thundercracker (G1)/toys
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Thundercracker has always looked and will always look a lot like Starscream. There are many toys of Starscream and where there is a Starscream toy, a Thundercracker toy (usually) soon follows.
Toys
The Transformers
- Thundercracker (Decepticon Plane, 1984-1986)
- Takara ID number: 24
- Accessories: Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear
- Known designers: Kōjin Ōno (TakaraTomy)
- Originally a Diaclone "Jet Robo Acrobat-Type", The Transformers Thundercracker transforms into a metallic blue F-15 Eagle fighter jet. His transformation essentially involves removing and reattaching most of his plane parts, though it is possible to do so without removing all of them, the way the instructions tell you to. As a result of his rather piecemeal design and the fact that neither mode uses all his parts, it can be quite difficult to find an intact original Thundercracker on the secondary market.
- Thundercracker is armed with a pair of missile launchers that mount on his arms in robot mode, and under his wings in jet mode, with a pair of specialized projectiles for each. In jet mode, two short rockets are fitted into the launchers to make them resemble the drop tanks a real F-15 carries, while in robot mode, they are replaced with the long barrels of Thundercracker's incendiary guns. The original Diaclone version of the mold featured spring-loaded firing mechanisms in these launchers; while this feature was removed for the Hasbro release of the toy, it was left intact for the Takara version, and all subsequent reissues.
- While the earliest releases of Thundercracker were basically identical to its Diaclone predecessor, some small modifications were soon made to the figure which became the standard for all subsequent reissues of the mold. These included the hollowing out of the inner edges of his wings and the tips of his tail-wings, the lengthening of the pegs on his wings, and the addition of extra clips on the inner sides of his fist-gauntlets, allowing them to grip his arms better but creating a visible slit on them. Like all his 1984 brethren, Thundercracker gained a factory-applied rubsign in 1985, which was added to the left side of his fuselage.
- Presumably by mistake, the stats on Thundercracker, Starscream and Skywarp's Tech Specs were switched around. Thundercracker's box was given Skywarp's numbers, notably giving him far lower intelligence and higher courage than was intended.
- Thundercracker ceased to be shipped to toy stores in 1986, but continued to be available as a mail-away item in the "Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction" flier packed with most boxed Transformers toys. He cost $10 and two robot points. He has been reissued several further times down through the years; this article strives to list each separate release under its own header.
- The Milton Bradley release of Thundercracker in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain was bizarrely enough sold in Starscream boxes, with factory-applied Starscream stickers. Your guess is as good as ours. Meanwhile, the Italian release of Thundercracker (as "Vampiro") by GiG put him in a generic "Distructor Planes" box, featuring names and tech specs for all three planes in the assortment.
- Thundercracker shares his mold with his simultaneously-released teammates Starscream and Skywarp, and was later redecoed into Sunstorm. This mold was also retooled into Dirge, Ramjet, and Thrust.
- Solo Mission Jet Plane with Action Master Thundercracker (Action Master Exo-suit, 1991)
- Accessories: Solo Mission Jet Plane, sonic boom blaster, 2 missiles
- Known designers: Takio Ejima (TakaraTomy), Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)
- Released only in European and Australasian markets the year after the US line ended, Action Master Thundercracker is, once again, a redeco of Starscream, a non-transforming 3¾-inch action figure that combined elements of both the character's cartoon model and toy-form. His construction is broadly similar to that used by the G.I. Joe figures of the time, having a swivel neck, shoulders and knees, plus ball-jointed hips attached via a steel rod internally secured by a rubber "o-ring". His hands have standard 3 mm holes which allow him to hold any other accessory in the Action Master line, plus his feet have holes in the bottom to secure him to larger vehicles. On top of that, the hole in his back is compatible with 5 mm posts.
- Like all Action Masters, Thundercracker came with a transformable accessory — in his case, a "Solo Mission Jet Plane" vehicle resembling an F-117 Nighthawk that converts into exo-suit battle armor for him to wear. The cannon and twin missiles for the jet/suit can also be used as hand-held accessories by any Action Master.
- For reasons unknown (but boy oh boy do we wanna know!), Action Master Thundercracker forewent any attempt at rendering the character in his traditional blue and silver color scheme, but instead opted for a fantastically nauseating blend of magenta, purple, blue, gold, and two shades of green that would become the stuff of legend as the ultimate example of the flair this era's European Transformers had for the gaudy. In fact, this slightly horrifying color scheme would later be used for Shattered Glass Thundercracker.
Generation 2
- Thundercracker (
1995?)- Accessories: two-part rifle
- Designed for Generation 2 but not seeing release before the line's demise, this mold transforms into a Dassault Rafale fighter jet. The figure is a "flipchanger", meaning most of the transformation sequence is an autotransformation, springing into robot mode by lifting a catch. The two halves of the rifle store in the robot's lower legs while in vehicle mode.
- This mold would first reach fruition in 1997 in the Machine Wars line as Thundercracker (see entry below) and Skywarp. For decades, the mold's previous Generation 2 identity was unknown. It would not be until 2024 that a private auction on Facebook of the initially proposed deco sheet would reveal Thundercracker as the toy's identity.[1]
- It is vaguely possible flipchanger Thundercracker and Skystriker would have been the mysterious Generation 2 listings designated "Solar Jets", with Lightspeed and Greasepit as "Solarbots", but no Generation 2 flipchanger packaging has ever surfaced to confirm this hypothesis.
- Samples of all four prototypes, lacking paint and decals, have surfaced on the secondary market over the years, and TakaraTomy even displayed a set at Transformers Expo in 2014.
| Generation 2 mold: Thundercracker | ||
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Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Machine Wars
- Thundercracker (Basic, 1996)
- Accessories: two-part rifle
- Known designers: Takio Ejima (TakaraTomy)
- Sharing a mold once again with Skywarp, Thundercracker transforms into a green Dassault Rafale fighter jet with spring-loaded one-step transformation from jet to robot. The two halves of his rifle store in his lower legs. Like all Machine Wars toys, Thundercracker was an exclusive to KB Toys stores and related stores like Toy Liquidators.
- This mold was originally developed for Generation 2, but was canceled when that line went under (see previous entry above).
- This toy is gang-molded with the other three Basic molds in the line. Specifically, his head and inner robot parts share plastic with Hoist, and his jet parts share plastic with Prowl, plus he shares the pearlescent-gray canopy plastic with, well, everyone.
- This toy was repurposed as the Thundercracker drones.
| Generation 2 mold: Thundercracker | ||
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Collector's Edition
- Thundercracker (reissue, 2001)
- ID number: 24
- Accessories: left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear
- The original Thundercracker toy was reissued for the first time in 2001 as part of Takara's small Collector's Edition series, which made several Generation 1 toys available as convention exclusives. Sold in new open-faced packaging with no notable changes from the original figure, Thundercracker was an exclusive at the Japanese science fiction convention "Super Festival 21", available only in a set with Skywarp and limited to 1000 pieces. The pair are often mistakenly identified as e-HOBBY exclusives.
Commemorative Series
- Thundercracker (reissue, 2003)
- Accessories: left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear
- The original Thundercracker toy was made available again as part of Hasbro's line of Commemorative Series reissues in. Released in the third wave of the series, it featured functional missile launchers for the first time on a Hasbro version of the toy, but because the launchers now worked, both sets of missiles had to be lengthened for safety reasons. His incendiary guns didn't turn out too bad, but as you can see, the once-small rockets just wound up looking stupid.
Smallest Transforming Transformers
Little Thunder you
- Thundercracker (2004)
- Accessories: left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, left & right wings, left & right tailfins, landing gear
- Part of the third wave of Smallest Transforming Transformers product (dubbed wave "2.5" and available only at CVS stores in Japan), Thundercracker is, of course, a redeco of this line's Starscream. Like all toys in the series, he is a tiny, simplified version of the original Generation 1 toy, transforming into an F-15 fighter jet. As with all previous waves of Smallest Transforming Transformers, these figures were sold blindpacked, with Thundercracker as one of the wave's two rare chase figures (the other being a cartoon-colored version of Optimus Prime's trailer).
- The same mold is used by Smallest Transforming Transformers Skywarp and Thrust.
Robotmasters
- Skywarp & Thundercracker (Multi-pack, 2005)
- Release date: August 11, 2005
- Accessories: 2 rifles, 2 missile pods
- Robotmasters Thundercracker is a redeco of Starscream from the same series, a re-imagining of the original Generation 1 figure, retaining its basic transformation scheme, but designed to be closer to the animation model, with greater articulation and integrated parts that do not require detachment during transformation. The only pieces that now need to be removed are his rifles, which move from his wings to his arms. He has three peg-holes on each arm, allowing the rifles to be mounted on his shoulders, on his forearms, or in his fists. These holes are also designed to accommodate the generic spring-loaded missile launcher weapon included with Robotmasters G1 Convoy, Beast Convoy and Beast Megatron.
- Thundercracker also came with two "missile pods" based on weapons Starscream used but once, in the Generation 1 cartoon episode "Fire on the Mountain". These chromed accessories plug into the square holes in his chest, and feature opening covers that reveal (non-firing) missiles within.
- He was available only in a two-pack with Skywarp, which also came with a Decepticon sigil pin. This set was the very last product released in the Robotmasters line, and wasn't even strictly sold in a box from that series; instead, it used an e-HOBBY Generation 1 reissue box, with a small Robotmasters sticker in the corner tab noting its origin from the front.
Titanium Series
- Thundercracker (6" Cybertron Heroes, 2006)
- Accessories: display base
- Titanium Series Thundercracker is based upon his appearance in Dreamwave's The War Within. He transforms into a Cybertronian 'tetrajet', as reimagined by Don Figueroa. This form bears a strong resemblance to the Lord British fighter from the Gradius series. As with all 6-inch Titanium Cybertron Heroes, he is constructed mostly of fully painted die-cast metal.
- This mold was redecoed into War Within Starscream, Sunstorm, Skywarp, and Thrust.
- Yes. Thundercracker was here first.
Timelines
- Games of Deception! (Multi-pack, 2007)
- Accessories: left & right launchers, 2 missiles
- Much clamored for by fans following the release of Classics Starscream and Skywarp in order to complete the original Seeker trio, Timelines/Classics Thundercracker was eventually released as part of the "Games of Deception" boxset exclusive to BotCon 2007, along with Bugbite, Dirge, Dreadwind, and Thrust, only 1500 of which were produced. He is, naturally, a redeco of the Classics Starscream toy, using the slightly modified version of the mold first seen with Skywarp which features shoulders with a decreased slope and a fifth rectangular marking. This figure is notable in part for the heavy controversy that happened upon his unveiling, due to being the last part of the classic Seeker trio despite having a much more limited release than the other two-thirds, often selling for higher prices on the aftermarket on his own than the entire box set had cost on release.
- Like the other entries in the Classics series, Thundercracker is a faithful "modernizing" of his original Generation 1 form, updating his original toy with modern standards of toy engineering, transformation, sculpting detail and articulation. He still transforms into an F-15 Eagle, but has the nose of an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet, and sports a shade of blue closer to that of his Diaclone progenitor. As ever, he is armed with a pair of missile launchers, which can mount under his wings, on his shoulders, or in his fists, and fire spring-loaded projectiles. The large size of the missiles (necessary for safety reasons) restricts his arm movement somewhat in robot mode, as they bump into his wings. Like all Classics figures, he has a heat-activated rubsign, positioned along his fuselage as on his original toy.
| Classics mold: Seeker | ||
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Henkei! Henkei! Starscream Ghost Version | ||
Henkei! Henkei!
- Thundercracker (Deluxe, 2008)
- Accessories: 2 missile launchers (left and right), 2 missiles
- Henkei! Henkei! Thundercracker is a Genbo store exclusive redeco of Henkei! Henkei! Starscream. He features a metallic flake blue version of his cartoon color scheme, rather than his darker blue Generation 1 toy colour scheme. Henkei Thundercracker and his fellow Seeker Skywarp were opened for pre-order on May 22nd through June 20, and mailed out in September 2008. A second batch was made available on November 6th, 2008.
- Soon after release, there were numerous complaints from both Japanese and Western collectors about the poor quality control for both Thundercracker and Skywarp. Thundercracker in particular suffered from a widespread issue where his missile launchers did not fit into the holes in his shoulders, due to the holes being too big. Some reported both toys suffering misassembly issues such as having two left or two right thighs.
- Several minor changes were made to this mold for this release. The holes for his missile launchers in his arms were widened, but not the launcher's insertion pegs. The wing's missile launcher insertion points were lengthened and are now curved at the end. The last rectangle on his air intakes was further modified from the Classics version, this time the bottom most rectangle goes completely across the air intake's surface rather than just the center. Henkei! Henkei! Skywarp and Universe Starscream also saw most of these changes.
- The second release (while extremely limited) did not see any of the quality control issues of the early, more heavily produced release. This version of Thundercracker uses the 2nd version of the Classics Seeker mold that was reinstated with Ghost Starscream and all subsequent releases thus far. Oddly these versions of Thundercracker do not feature a date stamp etched into his leg like the earlier release.
Masterpiece
- Thundercracker (November 20, 2008)
- ID number: MP-7
- Accessories: 2 "Machine Guns", 2 AIM missile racks, Doctor Arkeville pilot, Megatron Gun clasp, display stand
- A redeco of Masterpiece Starscream, Masterpiece Thundercracker eschews the cartoon accuracy that the line normally strives for, transforms into a highly-accurate F-15E Strike Eagle while sporting a more stylized robot mode. He comes with all the features and accessories included with the previous release of the mold: flip-up missile racks built into his pectorals, a two-piece display stand that can be configured to display the figure in mid-flight in either jet or robot mode, a miniature Doctor Arkeville figurine that fits in his cockpit (now cast in blue plastic), a clip to hold the gun mode Megatron that came with Masterpiece Optimus Prime in jet-mode, and an extensive sheet of optional stickers to allow buyers to customize him to their liking. Also like Starscream and Skywarp, Thundercracker features a rotating face with two swappable expressions; a normal, stoic gaze (retooled from Starscream's original one, despite the popular misconception that it is the same) and a new growling glare, replete with bared teeth.
- Some Masterpiece Thundercrackers feature an assembly error: His left and right pectorals are flipped. This misassembly does not affect transformation at all, and is most noticeable when compared to prior Masterpiece Seekers. The 2008 pressing of Masterpiece Skywarp also features this part swap.
- This mold was also used for the Masterpiece version of Skywarp. It was also redecoed and retooled to create the eleventh Masterpiece figure, Starscream, which was then redecoed to create Sunstorm and Acid Storm.
| Masterpiece mold: Seeker (MP-3) | ||
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Hironori Kobayashi & Shōji Kawamori | ||
- Thundercracker (November 28, 2015)
- ID number: MP-11T
- Accessories: 2 null rays, orange hologram pilot figurine
- Released as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive, MP-11T Thundercracker is a redeco of MP-11 Starscream, with the coloration based on Thundercracker's animation model. The figure is limited to 2000 pieces. This Thundercracker features some extensive retooling to wind the Masterpiece Seeker design back into the more Generation 1-accurate look, with most of the robot mode being newly tooled parts, including chunkier legs that now incorporate his tail-fins, retooled shoulders, and wingtips that no longer curve into one another, a new head (with collapsible head fins), new heel spurs that flip out for added support in robot mode, and re-engineered Machine Guns attached to extending armatures that mean they no longer have to be removed for transformation. Like MP-11SW Skywarp, but unlike MP-11 Starscream and the cartoon, the insignias on his wings are the correct way up in robot mode.
- As a redeco of the MP-11 release, Thundercracker is likely to be plagued with the same quality control issues.
- Thundercracker was available for preorder from August 3 to August 17, with orders shipping in late November 2015.
- When purchased from a seller supplied by Hasbro Asia, Thundercracker comes with a collector coin, mounted on a card styled like Thundercracker's chest, waist, and wings.
| Masterpiece mold: Seeker (MP-11) | ||
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Version 1:
Other versions: | ||
|
Hironori Kobayashi & Shogo Hasui | ||
- Thundercracker Ver. 2.0 (September 2021)
- ID number: MP-52+
- Accessories: 3 alternate faces, 5 effect parts, 2 null rays, 2-part display base
- Thundercracker is the first Seeker to be redecoed from Masterpiece Starscream Ver. 2.0. MP-52+ Thundercracker features a significantly more cartoon-accurate robot mode than his previous releases, and is colored in medium-to-light blue to better match his animation model.
- Thundercracker comes with a slew of accessories, including 3 alternate faces, 5 effect parts, a stand for his jet mode, and a pair of null rays. His jet mode can half-transform into a Gerwalk-styled "Alternate Transformation", as seen in the figure's stock photography. Adorably, Thundercracker's stock photos depict him running and firing in the same pose as the intro to the first season of the '80s cartoon.
- Upon the announcement of the second version of Masterpiece Skywarp, a competition for Starscream's add-on kit was revealed; giving him his iconic crown and cape from The Transformers: The Movie. Those who purchase Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp will receive the exclusive kit.
- Thundercracker was released as a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive to Japan.
| Masterpiece mold: Seeker (MP-52) | ||
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See also: MP-3 Starscream | MP-11 Starscream | ||
Encore
- Skywarp & Thundercracker (reissue multi-pack, 2008)
- ID number 11
- Accessories: left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 incendiary guns, 2 rockets, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear
- Thundercracker's original toy was reissued again as part of TakaraTomy's Encore series, this time in a two-pack with his erstwhile partner, Skywarp. This release of the figure is cast in a less metallic blue plastic than previous release, and features tampographed wing stripes and Decepticon insignias instead of stickers.
Alternity
- Thundercracker [Sonic Blue] (2010)
- ID number: A-04
- Thundercracker is a redeco of Alternity Skywarp, transforming into a licensed 1:32 scale Mitsuoka Orochi. Thundercracker replaces Skywarp's purple, flat black, light purple, and metallic gray for metallic blue, glossy black, light blue, and silver. Like the other toys in the line, he features die-cast metal parts and rubber tires, as well as an opening hood, trunk and doors. This is also currently the only Alternity mold to feature a fake kibble chest.
- In car mode, small wings are supposed to be able to flip out from under Thundercracker's rear wheels, giving him the appearance of a flying car. Unfortunately, this gimmick suffers from a rather nasty design flaw: there is simply not enough clearance under the car for the wheels to be able to pass and hinge through, and attempting to do so will result in the plastic reinforcement struts underneath deforming the rims and chipping the tires. His door panels also tend to detach from their ball joints very easily.
- This mold was also used to make Alternity Banzai Tron, while the original version of it was used by Alternity Starscream.
Generations
- Thundercracker (Deluxe Class, 2011)
- Accessories: left & right launchers, 2 missiles
- Part of the seventh wave of 2010-2011 Generations toys, Thundercracker is a third redeco of the Classics Starscream mold, and the first one to be released to mass retail in Hasbro markets.
- This version of Thundercracker features a darker blue than both the greenish-blue of the BotCon release, and the blue of the Henkei! Henkei! release. He also features a new deco layout and different striping from any of the previous versions. In the stock photo provided, he is slightly mis-transformed at the ankles.
GDO
- Thundercracker (Legends Class, 2012)
- Accessories: two guns
- Generations Legends Class Thundercracker is redeco of Transformers: Reveal the Shield Legends Class Starscream, with retooled hands and holes in his wings compatible with 3 mm posts. Thundercracker's deco is slightly different from the EZ collection figure, omitting the black paint on his shins in favor of giving him full-color Decepticon insignias on his wings, and a black painted nosecone. He comes with two compatible guns that are heavily based on Generation 1 Thundercracker's Incendiary Guns (based more on the animation model rather than the original toy). Each gun features two posts, allowing them to mount/be held in different ways.
- Originally developed by Hasbro Asia for release in their territories, Thundercracker was later released together with various other formerly "Asian market exclusive" toys as a Toys"R"Us exclusive in the United States for the 2012 holiday season.
- The retooled version of this sculpt (including the guns) was later used for a running change variant of a "Dollar Store" exclusive version of Starscream.
- Ultimate Gift Set (2012)
- Accessories: 2 guns
- This unchanged release of Legends Class Thundercracker comes packed with Generations Legends Class Motorbreath, as well as Deluxe Class Combat Hero Optimus Prime and a Generation 2-styled Deluxe Class Autobot Jazz.
- The Ultimate Gift Set is an online retailer exclusive in the United States, but is available at general retail in Hasbro's Asian markets.
Thrilling 30
- Metroplex (Titan Class, 2013)
- 01 OF 30
- An exclusive version of Titan Class Metroplex was made available at San Diego Comic-Con 2013. He comes with 12 small, non-transforming figurines of Orion Pax, Megatron, Bumblebee, Thundercracker, Trailcutter, and Hoist, all in both modes. Similarly to Decoys, the Autobot figurines are cast in red plastic, and the Decepticons in purple.
- While the figurines in this set are not named, the Seeker in this set is likely Thundercracker, based on the fact that the other ten figurines are based on characters from the first two waves of Thrilling 30 Deluxe Class toys, the second of which includes Thundercracker.
- Metroplex (Titan Class, 2013)
- 05 OF 30
- Another exclusive version of Titan Class Metroplex was made available at Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong 2013. This Metroplex also has the 12 figurines of Orion Pax, Megatron, Bumblebee, Thundercracker, Trailcutter, and Hoist, but casts the Autobot figurines in gold plastic, and the Decepticons in silver.
- Thundercracker (Deluxe Class, 2013)
- Part of the sixth wave of 2012-onwards Generations Deluxe Class toys, Thrilling 30 Thundercracker is a redeco of Generations: Fall of Cybertron Starscream, and transforms into a Cybertronian jet fighter. He comes with two spinning, triple-barreled cannons which can combine to form a larger hand-held weapon that is geared to spin its two triple-barrels together, and resembles the Neutron assault rifle from Fall of Cybertron. Each of the weapon halves features two 5 mm posts, as well as a peg-hole on their hollow sides, while the combined form features another peg-hole at the top, but makes the peg-holes on the hollow sides inaccessible. Thundercracker features numerous 5 mm peg-holes, such as his hands, forearms, lower legs, and wing undersides.
- Thundercracker's tail-fin is attached via a 5 mm post on its underside, and can be detached to reveal three additional peg-holes, with two of these peg-holes being just the right distance to accommodate the combined assault cannons/rifle, with the tail-fin pegging on the rifle's top peg-hole. This allows the weapon to mount on top of the vehicle mode, and store on his back in robot mode.
- Thundercracker is minimally mis-transformed in-package: his jet mode nosecone is extended, rather than folded in as it should be in robot mode. He comes packaged with a copy of IDW's Spotlight: Thundercracker.
- Despite using a mold and deco matching Thundercracker's appearance in War for Cybertron, this toy technically represents G1 Thundercracker, thanks to his IDW pack-in fiction. Consequently, the toy is listed in the former's page as a repurposing. This toy was also utilized as Cloud Thundercracker and was also redecoed into TakaraTomy Fall of Cybertron Skywarp as well as Thrilling 30 Skywarp. Compared to the Starscream and Skywarp versions however, Thundercracker's joints are considerably looser for reasons unknown.
| Generations mold: Starscream (Deluxe Class) | ||
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Chronicle
- Thundercracker (EZ Collection, 2011)
- Chronicle Thundercracker is a redeco of Transformers Legends Class Starscream. He transforms into an F-15 with many fuselage details borrowed from the Masterpiece version. This is the first Seeker mold in many years to attempt an entirely new transformation, with the arms now forming the rear of the jet and the legs folding under the wings. Thundercracker was available only in Japan, and like many Japanese "EZ Collection" toys, is blindpacked.
- Surprisingly, Thundercracker was made available months before Starscream was released in the same line.
Kre-O
- Sentinel Prime (2011)
- Set number: 30687
- Pieces: 386
- Kreons: Sentinel Prime, Soundwave, Thundercracker, Fire Chief
- Accessories: 2 clip-on blasters
- The Sentinel Prime construction set comes with a Thundercracker Kreon. He has a helmet, wing back that attaches around his neck, and two blasters that clip onto his arms. This Kreon mold was also used for Starscream and Skywarp.
- Kreon Class of 1984 (Kreon figure set, 2014)
- Set number: B0090
- Voted: Most Indecisive
- Accessories: 2 clip-on blasters
- This version of Thundercracker has much more extensive toy-based tampographs than his prior version, though his base plastic is distinctly cartoon-based baby blue.
- He was only available in a San Diego Comic-Con 2014 exclusive pack of 30 Kreons dubbed the "Kreon Class of 1984". Remaining stock was to be sold at Hasbro Toy Shop online, only there was no remaining stock after the show.
Bot Shots
- Thundercracker (2012)
- Series: 1
- Number: B009
- Fist strength: 255
- Blaster strength: 800
- Sword strength: 565
- Part of the third wave of Bot Shots, Thundercracker is unsurprisingly a redeco of Starscream, turning into a super deformed jet. An impact to the jet's nose will trigger his spring-loaded transformation back to robot mode.
Transformers (2010)
- Masterpiece Thundercracker (2012)
- Accessories: Two AIM missile racks, hologram pilot, Megatron gun clasp, display stand
- Known designers: Andrew Franks (deco artist)
- A redeco of the newer Masterpiece MP-11 Starscream mold, the Toys"R"Us exclusive Transformers Thundercracker features some extensive retooling to wind the Masterpiece Seeker design back into Kawamori's original, more Generation 1-accurate look, with most of the robot mode being newly tooled parts, including chunkier legs that now incorporate his tail-fins, retooled shoulders and wingtips that no longer curve into one another, a new head (with collapsible head fins), new heel spurs that flip out for added support in robot mode, and re-engineered Incendiary Guns attached to extending armatures that mean they no longer have to be removed for transformation.
- Other than the replaced incendiary guns, Thundercracker comes with all the accessories included with the previous releases of the mold, with Dr. Arkeville being replaced with the newer hologram pilot figurine. He features several whimsical tampographs, which include Thundercracker holding Soundwave in tape deck mode, Reflector in camera mode, "D-24" (Thundercracker's Japanese line designation), and various call outs to Hasbro designers, such as "LTC Joe 'Big Daddy' Kyde" and "Cpt. J. 'Dragon' Sass". The stock photos of the figure (as shown to the right), however, show all-red Reflector tampographs on the front of his shoulders; on the actual production toy, Reflector appears in full color on the back of the shoulders (visible on the sides of Thundercracker's jet mode), while the front of his shoulders features the Classics angled shoulder stripes, colored red to match his Generations figure.
- Curiously, the accessories, packaging, and instructions for Masterpiece Thundercracker are all specific to the older version of the mold (prior to the changes for MP-11 Starscream), and the packaging recycles the package art from Generations Thundercracker and features no pictures of the actual toy itself. The figure may have been intended for release with the older version of the Masterpiece Seeker mold before changes were made to use the newer version of the mold.
| Masterpiece mold: Seeker (MP-11) | ||
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Version 1:
Other versions: | ||
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Hironori Kobayashi & Shogo Hasui | ||
United
- Seekers: Aces (December 21, 2012)
- Accessories: left & right launchers, 2 missiles
- United Thundercracker is a fifth redeco of the Classics Starscream mold, and the first time he is offered with both of his wing mates Starscream and Skywarp.
- This version of Thundercracker is heavily based on his cartoon appearance. He features a light blue (lighter than the Henkei! Henkei! figure), dark gray paint on most of his black plastic, an amber cockpit, and shiny metallic blue paint on his shoulders and collar. Paint operations found on the Henkei! Henkei! release were shuffled around for the sake of cartoon accuracy.
BeCool
- Blue Jet (Thundercracker) (2013)
- ID number: B14
- BeCool "Blue Jet" is practically identical to the Bot Shots Thundercracker toy, the only difference being that his stickers don't depict power levels but instead drawings of his vehicle mode, a jet's cockpit interior and a fighter pilot's helmet.
Construct-Bots
- Thundercracker (Scout, 2013)
- Pieces: 41
- Known designers: Andrew Scribner (deco artist)
- Part of Wave 2 of Construct-Bots Scouts, Thundercracker can transform into a jet.
- Surprisingly, Thundercracker is not a redeco of the Starscream Construct-Bots toy, but does borrow most of his parts. His head is a retool of Starscream's, changing his smirk into an angrier face. Instead of using Blitzwing's wing and gatling gun parts, Thundercracker uses Triple-Changer Bumblebee's wing, back armor, and nosecone parts, as well as Megatron's blasters.
Generations (Japan)
- The Japanese Generations release of Thrilling 30 Thundercracker features a shiny metallic finish and an orange canopy, as well as a few different paint details such as black kneecaps and silver on his face and gun barrels. He was sold exclusively at select Edion, Yodobashi Camera, Yamada Denki, and Best Denki stores.
| Generations mold: Starscream (Deluxe Class) | ||
|---|---|---|
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Combiner Wars
- Thundercracker (Legends Class, 2015)
- Accessories: 2 cannons
- Known designers: John Warden (Hasbro)
- Part of the first wave of Combiner Wars Legends toys, Thundercracker is a redeco of Thrilling 30 Starscream, based on Guido Guidi's Seeker design from IDW's original ongoing series. Thundercracker includes a collector card featuring art from the "To the Rescue" episode of Transformers Legends.
- His current stock photo is mistransformed: his wings are not flipped up.
- Though Thundercracker's wave was scheduled for a first quarter 2015 release, it arrived on U.S. store shelves in late 2014.
- This mold was also used to make Thrilling 30 Acid Storm and Combiner Wars Skywarp.
- Thundercracker (Leader Class, 2015)
- Accessories: missile launcher, missile, 2 arm cannons, 2 leg cannons, 2 "Seeker guns"
- Known designers: John Warden (Hasbro)
- Combiner Wars Thundercracker is an extensive retool of Thrilling 30 Leader Class Jetfire, replacing the head, chest, upper arms, and wings so as to resemble the same Guidi design as the preceding Legends Class figure. He transforms from a robot into a jet fighter, and includes Jetfire's original missile launcher and four limb-mounted weapons, plus two new guns based on the traditional Seeker arm rifles. He also features a faux cockpit.
- Thundercracker does not include Jetfire's "Turbo Thruster" booster pack accessory, but is still compatible with it. In an undocumented feature, any of his other guns can be mounted on the sides of his missile launcher, or all of them can be combined together to create an enormous multi-barreled weapon.
- He does have light piping, but it doesn't illuminate his eyes, only the crystal thing on his forehead.
- This mold was also used to make Combiner Wars Leader Class Starscream and Skywarp.
Q-Transformers
- Thundercracker (September 19, 2015)
- ID number: QT-31
- A redeco and minor retool of Q-Transformers Starscream, Thundercracker transforms from a super deformed F-15 to a cute chubby little robot. His face has been changed from Starscream's smirk into a more sullen expression.
- Decepticons 3-Figure Set (2016)
- ID number: QTFS-03
- During the second Q-Transformers series, the Thundercracker toy was available in a three-pack alongside Starscream and Skywarp. He is identical to the original Q-Transformers toy.
Alt-Modes
- Thundercracker (Alt-Modes, 2016)
- Series: 1
- Collection: 1, 2
- A redeco of Alt-Modes Starscream, Thundercracker is a super deformed toy whose body transforms into a jet when the Decepticon faction symbol on his head is flipped. He was blind-boxed and available in the first two cases of the toyline.
- This mold was also used to make Alt-Modes Skywarp, Acid Storm and Sunstorm, and would have been retooled into Dirge.
War for Cybertron: Siege
- Thundercracker (Voyager Class, 2019)
- Hasbro ID number: WFC-S39
- TakaraTomy ID number: SG-35
- TakaraTomy release date: October 26, 2019
- Hidden message code: SEEKERS
- Accessories: 2 "HPI Null-Ray Laser Launchers"
- Known designers: AJ Piejko-Brown (packaging)
- Part of the fourth wave of Siege Voyager Class figures, Thundercracker is a redeco and slight head retool of Starscream, transforming from a heavily Generation 1-inspired robot to a Cybertronian "tetrajet" based on the Seekers' appearance in "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1" and back; the jet mode has the robot legs prominently sticking out from the undercarriage. He includes two "HPI Null-Ray Laser Launchers," which can mount on his upper arms, or under the wings in jet mode. His face was retooled with a smirk based on the one Starscream sported when he tossed Megatron out of Astrotrain in Transformers: The Movie. Unlike the rest of the Seeker mold, Thundercracker doesn't sport the Decepticon sigil under his wings.
- Fitting with the rest of Siege, Thundercracker has 5 mm posts on his biceps, forearms, shins, under his feet (thrusters), and wings. The 3 mm pegs on his shins, forearms, left bicep, and the tips of his Null-Rays can accommodate effects parts sold separately. Like the rest of Siege, his robot mode focuses on articulation, with double-jointed elbows, knees that bend at nearly 180 degrees, ankle rockers, and waist articulation, being notable articulation points for a Seeker toy. Being a rather heavy shellformer, Thundercracker can easily be separated into both a wingless robot mode and a nearly-complete tetrajet, via a friction hinge.
- Hasbro erroneously recycled Thundercracker's alt-mode stock photo for Seeker Ion Storm, who in fact has a slightly different hue of blue and lacks red stripes. TakaraTomy's stock photo also depicts his smirk sculpt as slit-mouthed.
| Siege mold: Starscream | ||
|---|---|---|
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Version 1:
Version 2:
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War for Cybertron: Earthrise
- Skywarp & Thundercracker (Multi-pack, 2020)
- Hasbro ID number: WFC-E29
- TakaraTomy ID number: ER EX-16
- TakaraTomy release date: January 20, 2021
- Accessories: 2 "Null-Ray blasters"
- Earthrise Thundercracker is a redeco of Starscream from the same line, transforming into an F-15 jet based on his traditional alternate mode, and featuring a pair of G1-accurate arm-guns. As with the above Siege figure, Earthrise Thundercracker uses the lighter blue of his cartoon appearance. His design and transformation scheme is heavily based on the 2006 Classics mold while adding points of articulation the earlier figure did not have such as pivoting ankles, a more expressive ball-jointed head, and hinges that allow the wings to fold backwards in robot mode.
- While the null-rays can be wielded by his pair of hands, it's almost impossible for him to properly hold them due to the size of his forearms.
- Thundercracker was packaged with Skywarp (who uses a retooled facesculpt) in a Cybertronian Villains-branded set exclusive to Target in the United States, and Toys"R"Us in Canada. It was also available at general retail in Hasbro's Asian markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore. In Japan, the set was a TakaraTomy Mall exclusive.
- Like all Earthrise toys, the the Seeker two-pack package comes with an exclusive piece of a larger star-map, and a thin piece of red translucent plastic which acts as a decoder for the map. The two-packs map segment shows an unlabelled Quintessa.
- Like all other uses of the mold, Thundercracker has a missing molded panel-line detail on the right wing hinge that is supposed to curve in towards the body of the jet. The reason for this missing detail is likely due to it missing from the metal mold itself.
| Earthrise mold: Starscream | ||
|---|---|---|
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Version 1:
Version 2:
Other versions:
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Legacy
- Thundercracker (Core Class, 2023)
- TakaraTomy ID number: TL-36
- TakaraTomy release date: September 30, 2023
- Accessory: 2 Null Rays
- Known designers: Evan Brooks (Hasbro)[2]
- Released within the fifth wave of Legacy: Evolution, Core Class Thundercracker is a redeco of Kingdom Starscream, completing the Core Class-scaled original trio of Seekers.
- A roughly Legends-sized toy that can interact with Titan Class figures, Legacy Thundercracker's sculpting is heavily inspired by his larger Earthrise counterpart. Unlike Legacy Core Class Skywarp, Thundercracker uses the traditional Seeker Null Rays.
- Thundercracker and the other Core Class figures from his wave arrived at US retail less than a week after their initial reveal.
- Decepticon Nemesis (2023)
- A tiny slug figure of Thundercracker in jet mode was included with Titan-class Nemesis.
Transformers Retro
- Thundercracker (Walmart exclusive reissue/redeco, 2023)
- Accessories: Left & right fists, 2 missile launchers, 2 null-rays, 2 cluster bombs, left & right wings, left & right tail fins, left & right tail wings, landing gear, two-piece gun mode Megatron
- Walmart once again reissued the original Thundercracker toy (or is it a recolor of Starscream from the same line?) in 2023 under the Transformers Retro label. Unlike the Vintage G1 release, however, Retro Thundercracker has been redecoed in colors inspired by his appearance in the original Transformers animated series, more specifically The Transformers: The Movie. He remains a mash-up of Starscream's Commemorative Series and The Transformers Collection reissues, with the former's elongated null rays and cluster bombs and the latter's gun mode Megatron accessory.
- The box features new art of Thundercracker with Earthrise-inspired detailing in robot and vehicle mode laid over a scene of Autobot City. Unlike Skywarp, it’s not a recolor of Starscream's artwork.
- Transformers Retro Thundercracker was announced and went up for preorder on March 16, 2023.
Merchandise
Decoy
- Destron Hero Collection 22 (multi-pack, 1986)
- Mini Mini Collection (multi-pack, 1986)
- Thundercracker was among the many characters rendered by Takara as part of their series of 1.5" keshigomu figurines. Like all the Decepticons in the series, Thundercracker was molded in soft purple rubber, and featured a number sculpted into his back that was the sum total of his Tech Specs, for use in the various games that could be played with the figurines. He is, surprisingly enough, not identical to either Starscream or Skywarp: the stance of his legs and the position of his Decepticon symbols differ, but he is, of course, most prominently distinguished by his raised right arm.
- Thundercracker was available as part of a 22-piece box set of Decepticon figures, in a peach coloration in several other box sets, including the Decepticon "Mini Mini Collection", and in a wide variety of colours in "gachapon" capsule machines.
- Thundercracker (1987)
- Decoy number: 34
- The Thundercracker figurine was later brought over to Hasbro markets as part of the Decoy promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number (34, in Thundercracker's case). Like all Decepticon Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots and Technobots, and was, very early on in the promotion, available in an alternate red coloration that was only packed in with the Throttlebots. Unsurprisingly, this red figurine is much rarer.
Super Collection Figure
- Thundercracker (2001)
- Act: 4
- Accessories: Stand
- A three-inch tall PVC figurine of Thundercracker was available as part of the fourth wave of Takara's Super Collection Figure line, a redeco of the Starscream figure from the same series. Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve blindpacked figures.
- In eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of Thundercracker came with the left leg of the wave's collectible Metroplex build-a-figure.
- The pewter version of the figure has a potential problem with connector peg breakage, due to said pegs often getting a layer of pewter paint before being forced into a socket, leading to sticking and tearing. Care should be used when moving or removing the arms; shaving down the socket interior with a thin hobby knife is usually sufficient to fix the issue.
- This mold was redecoed to create Skywarp, Sunstorm and the Air Warrors in the Heroes of Cybertron line (see below), and retooled into Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet.
Heroes of Cybertron
- Thundercracker (2003)
- Released in the second wave of Hasbro's Heroes of Cybertron line, this version of Thundercracker differs from his Super Collection Figure incarnation in several ways. Like all the Heroes figures, he was cast entirely in translucent plastic then painted over, leaving his eyes and the back of his head unpainted to create a light-piping effect. Moreover, Heroes Thundercracker features light grey pectorals instead of white (with painted-in chest-holes), black forearms instead of grey (to match his helmet and feet), and a yellow cockpit instead of an orange one.
- He was sold on an individual blister packaging with a profile card.
- Decepticon Air Cavalry Troop Builder Set (2003)
- The original Thundercracker figurine was re-released again in this six-pack of figures available exclusively at OTFCC 2003. He came packaged with Heroes of Cybertron versions of Starscream, Skywarp, and three Air Warriors.
- While the three named Seekers in the set were originally intended to have a sparkly paint job to differentiate them from the normal retail versions, that ended up not happening and they ended up basically the same.
MyClone
- Thundercracker (2003)
- Accessories: grey display base
- Known designers: Kazutami Yasuhiko (TakaraTomy)
- MyClone Thundercracker—who you won't be surprised to hear is a redeco of MyClone Starscream—was one of two rare chase figures in the second wave of Takara's line of super deformed PVC figurines (the other being "Lava" Galvatron). He comes with a hexagonal grey display stand that can link up with the identical stands included with other MyClone figures, and his modular design allows his parts to be mixed and matched with those of any other MyClone figure.
Titanium Series
- Thundercracker (3" Robot Masters, 2006)
- Accessories: pistol, "cloud" base, Display stand
- A redeco of "Robot Masters" Starscream, Titanium Series Thundercracker is a small, non-transforming die-cast metal figurine based on his cartoon character model, except with a blue head. He is sculpted holding a gun in his left hand and stretching out his right arm, while using his feet-jets to fly up.
Robot Heroes
- Autobot Jazz & Thundercracker (Two-pack, 2007)
- A redeco of Robot Heroes Starscream, Thundercracker is a two inch high figure sculpted in a super deformed style and articulated at the shoulders. He was available in a two-pack with Jazz.
- This mold was also redecoed as Skywarp.
- Thundercracker (Single-pack, 2008)
- In some countries outside of North America, Thundercracker was released individually in a blindpack with no notable changes.
Palisades
- Thundercracker (Palisades, 2005)
- A Palisades Direct-exclusive redeco of the Starscream statue, Thundercracker is a six inch tall polystone statue with articulated head and arms. He can stand normally or use a stand to take on a "hovering" pose. Thundercracker was limited to 300 pieces, and sculpted by 3L Creation Group from a design by George Tremarco.
Transformers - Mini Bust
- Thundercracker (Diamond Select, 2008)
- Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2008, Thundercracker was first exclusive to the New York Comic Con and later on offered by online retailer Big Bad Toy Store. He was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 400 pieces.
The Loyal Subjects
- Thundercracker (2014)
- Accessories: gun
- This 3-inch tall vinyl figurine of Thundercracker was released by the The Loyal Subjects in their first wave of blindpacked Transformers figures. He shares his mold with the simultaneously-released Loyal Subjects Starscream figurine, and was later redecoed to create the Rainmakers trio and Sunstorm. He was available at a ratio of two out of every sixteen figures in the wave.
D-Style
- Skywarp & Thundercracker (09-2015)
- ID number: 48
- Accessories: scowling face, smirking face, shouting face, open hand, closed hands, mini F15 jet
- This super deformed Thundercracker model kit was produced by Kotobukiya as part of their franchise-spanning D-Style line, available in a two-pack with an identical model of Skywarp. Like Megatron he comes with three different faces and in line with the rest of the line, comes with a miniature figurine of his alt mode figure. He also contains a replaceable open hand. His chest contains flip-up panels in his chest that reveal missile racks based on the weapons seen in the Generation 1 episode "Fire on the Mountain". His incendiary guns can be removed and wielded as guns, and he can also hold Megatron's gun. The kit is only partially painted, and a guide is included with paint colors to help the buyer finish the kit themselves.
- This mold was also used to make D-Style Starscream.
Mecha Nations
- Skywarp (2015)
- ID Number: MN10
- Accessories: alternate hands, display stand.
- Created by Kids Logic, this super deformed G1 Thundercracker is a redeco of Mecha Nations Starscream with a new face. He stands 6" tall and is articulated, featuring a shiny metallic color scheme, removable armor and replacement hands. He also features LED light up eyes, Decepticon insignias on his wings, null rays and thrusters in his feet, for use when he's "hovering", mounted on the included display stand.
- This figure was also redecoed with a different new face into Mecha Nations Skywarp, with whom he was a 2015 Toy Soul exhibition exclusive.
Transformers Trading Card Game
- Thundercracker, Mach Warrior (2018)
- Wave 1
- Rarity: UT
- Card Number: T39/T40
- Stars: 8
- Thundercracker, Mach Warrior is one of forty double-sided character cards available in Wave 1 of the Transformers Trading Card Game.
- The artwork for the card is reused from the Transformers Legends mobile card game.
- Sergeant Thundercracker, Infantry-Seeker (2019)
- Wave 4: War for Cybertron: Siege II
- Rarity: RT
- Card Number: T47/T52
- Stars: 9
- Sergeant Thundercracker, Infantry-Seeker is one of 52 character cards released in Wave 4 of the Transformers Trading Card Game, War for Cybertron: Siege II.
- The card's artwork is based on the Siege Thundercracker toy, with the Bot Mode artwork being reused from the toy's packaging art.
Flame Toys
- Thunder Cracker [sic] (May 2019)
- Number: 05
- Additional parts/accessories: 1 pair of Trigger-finger hands, 1 pair of open-palm hands
- Released as part of the Furai Model line by Flame Toys, Thundercracker is an articulated, non-transforming, Voyager Class-sized Gunpla-style model kit redecoed from the Starscream runners. He is molded in blue, light gray, some white and black, and translucent yellow (with one of the parts being painted red) for the eyes and cockpit. His Null-rays can be detached as handheld blasters.
- For straight-assembly builders, Thundercracker features a sheet of foil stickers for detail (notably the wings), though the kit can be panel-lined and touched-up with several panel-lining and paint markers (water/acrylic-based markers are recommended, as alcohol-based markers like Gundam Markers can potentially damage the ABS plastic). If one desires; the kit's pieces, aside from the translucent parts, can be fully coated with spray paints to recreate the finished sample seen in the stock photos.
Zōteki
- Thundercracker (2021)
- ID number: 031
- A collaboration between Hasbro and statue/replica brand Jazware, The Transformers was added as a part of the Zōteki line alongside other iconic brands such as Marvel, to recreate some of the main "Generation 1" characters. The 31st figure of the Zōteki line is Thundercracker, whose base figure is just a simple repaint of the previously released Starscream.
- Much like, Skywarp, Thundercracker is a "chase variant" and was only exclusive to Walgeens.
- Each statue of the line features a connection point for it to be connected to the others, in order to form a battle scene.
Eaglemoss
- Transformers Gen-1 Chess Set (
2021)
- In the planned Transformers Chess Set by Eaglemoss, a relatively large and very well detailed statue of Thundercracker was slated to be one of the Bishop pieces on the Decepticon side.
- A Kickstarter campaign to raise the necessary funds for this project was launched, but failed to meet its goal by September 24, 2021 and the whole thing was canceled.
Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Pop!
- Thundercracker (Digital Pop!, 2022)
- Rarity:
- Monochrome: Common
- Static: Common
- Glowing: Uncommon
- Chrome: Rare
- Original: Rare
- Rarity:
- NFTs depicting Thundercracker in the Funko style.
- No, there's no Skywarp NFTs.
If flightless beings are lesser ones, then what's that make this?
Jada Toys
- Transformers Series 1 18-pack (4cm Die Cast Figure Multipack, 2022)
- Released by Jada Toys, Nano Metalfigs Series 1 Thundercracker is an incredibly small die-cast figurine molded with his hands on his waist. He has a little base attached to his feet for balancing reasons.
- Thundercracker shares the same mold as Series 1 Starscream and comes in an impressive multipack with him and sixteen other figurines. This mold was later redecoed as Nova Storm and Acid Storm in the Series 2 18-pack.
Imaginarium Art
- Thundercracker (2022)
- Imaginarium Art's "Legacy of Cybertron" Thundercracker is a 20-inch-tall statue, posed on a Decepticon insignia base that can be linked up with other statues in this series to form a larger battle scene. Only 200 pieces were produced.
R.E.D. [Robot Enhanced Design]
- Thundercracker (2022)
- Accessories: 2 null rays, 2 alt hands, 2 blast effects
- Part of the seventh wave of the Transformers R.E.D. line, Thundercracker is a redeco of the earlier Coronation Starscream, minus the Seeker leader's glamorous cape and crown. Thundercracker is a non-transforming, 6-inch action figure akin to the ones from the Marvel Legends and Star Wars The Black Series lines. He features over 25 points of articulation and extensive paint operations in an attempt at show-accuracy.
- Thundercracker includes two pairs of hands: two closed fists, and two open, gesturing hands. As is the norm, he also features two removeable "null ray" weapons that mount on his biceps, along with two purple blast effects to simulate them firing.
- Thundercracker's box was among the first in the R.E.D. range to remove the familiar plastic window on the front, instead favouring a closed cardboard design so as to minimise plastic waste. As with all R.E.D. toys, Thundercracker was a Walmart exclusive in Canada and the United States, and was later made available on Hasbro Pulse in limited quantities.
Minimates
- Thundercracker (2023)
- Accessories: shoulder guns (2)
- Produced by Diamond Select, Minimates Thundercracker is a 2-inch-tall figurine featuring metallic paint, 12-14 points of articulation, and accessories and body parts interchangeable with other Minimates. It is (naturally) a redeco of Minimates Starscream. Thundercracker was released as part of a San Diego Comic-Con 2023 exclusive 4-pack meant to commemorate The Transformers: The Movie, with packaging resembling a VHS cassette. Only 1,500 were produced.
Transformers Character Card
- Released as part of the eighth wave of the e-HOBBY exclusive Transformers Character Card series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of Thundercracker and Skywarp along with character profiles and tech specs.
Blokees
- Thundercracker (2023)
- Series: Galaxy Version 01 - Roll Out
Threezero
- Thundercracker (MDLX, 2024?)
- Known designers: Kelvin Sau
- Accessories: wing assembly, two null-ray cannons, more TBA
- A redeco of Threezero's MDLX Starscream, Thundercracker is an original design taking inspiration from the original cartoon but with the aesthetics in the vein of the live-action movies. Thundercracker is a smaller scaled, non-transforming action figure in the vein of contemporary collector-oriented lines like Figma and S.H. Figuarts. Like those lines, the figure is extremely well-articulated and detailed, features interchangeable hands and faces plus accessories. He features his ever-present null-ray cannons and two dagger-like blades.
- He and Skywarp were revealed in a teaser posted to Threezero's Instagram account showcasing Starscream.
- Thundercracker retains Starscream's functionality with MDLX Optimus Prime mold, specifically the detachable wings and swappable heads.
Kotobukiya Bishoujo Series
- Bishoujo Series Transformers Thundercracker (September 2024)
- Known designers: Shunya Yamashita (artist)
- Kotobukiya Bishoujo Series Thundercracker is a repaint and slight retool of Starscream from the same line of PVC figures. In addition to being recolored in Thundercracker's usual blues, the statue has received some minor resculpts, tweaking the face slightly and filling in her navel so she appears to be wearing a blue skintight suit beneath her clothing.
- Like Starscream, Thundercracker is attached to a purple display base designed after the Decepticon insignia, but she does not include any alternate headpieces like her fellow seeker.
Notes
- During the development of the Coneheads, Thrust was initially planned as new wing tooling attached to an unchanged Thundercracker body, as seen in the Japanese catalog image (at the right). This plan lasted long enough to receive package art, which was published decades later in Legacy: The Art of Transformers Packaging. Fun Publications would revive this design with the Classics mold to create the character Nacelle.
- In addition to being the basis of Shattered Glass Thundercracker, the Action Master version of Thundercracker also made an Easter egg cameo as a generic Decepticon in The Transformers vol. 2 #44.
References
- ↑ "Last week I helped sell off some prototypes of four unreleased redecos of the Transformers G2 Flipchangers. This week I'm listing the presentation art that was presented to management at Hasbro and REJECTED. Here are the official names for the different characters: "Lightspeed", "Greasepit", "Skystriker", and "Thundercracker". Check out the auctions @PrePro on Facebook!"—Dansjoes, TFW2005, 2024/05/11
- ↑ January 31, 2023's Hasbro Pulse Transformers Fanstream on YouTube, with Delaney Norris, Evan Brooks, Mark Maher and Ben MacCrae.
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