General Information
Release Date: March 2025
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.). Using the preceding links helps to support Ben's World of Transformers.
Accessories: Blasters x 2
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com:
- AERIALBOT AIR RAID ACTION FIGURE: This 5.5-inch (14 cm) Air Raid action figure features deco and detail inspiration from the Transformers universe
- 2-IN-1 CONVERTING TRANSFORMERS TOY: Transformers action figure converts from robot toy to jet toy in 17 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This Aerialbot Air Raid Transformers figure comes with 2 blaster accessories that attach in both modes
- ARTICULATED FOR PLAY AND DISPLAY: Transformers action figures feature articulated heads, arms, and legs for action poses
- PART OF TRANSFORMERS SUPERION: Transformers Aerialbot Air Raid action figure combines with other Aerialbot action figures to create the Superion figure (each sold separately, subject to availability)
- GIFT TRANSFORMERS COLLECTIBLES: This Aerialbot Air Raid action figure toy makes a great collectible figure gift for any Transformers fan
- AGE OF THE PRIMES: The Thirteen Primes are the very first bots in Transformers mythology, a pantheon of beings each with a unique ability and personality. Every battle, bot, and power in the Transformers universe can be traced back to them
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of Transformers robots into your collection with the Transformers Age of the Primes Deluxe Class action figure! This 5.5-inch Aerialbot Air Raid action figure converts between robot and jet modes in 17 steps. Combine the Aerialbot Air Raid figure with other Transformers Aerialbot action figures to create Superion action figure! (Each sold separately, subject to availability.) The Aerialbot Air Raid figure is inspired by the character from the Transformers universe and features articulated head, arms, and legs for awesome action poses. Transformers: Age of the Primes opens up the world of the Primes, the very first bots in Transformers mythology, a pantheon of Thirteen beings, each with a unique ability and personality. Every battle, every bot, and every power in the Transformers universe can be traced back to one of The Thirteen. Collect and combine different Transformers figures to create your ideal Age of the Primes lineup. TRANSFORMERS and HASBRO and all related trademarks and logos are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc.
Background:
Air Raid was introduced in 1985 as one of the Aerialbots: a team of Autobots who all transformed into aerial vehicles. This does not sound particularly interesting nowadays, but back then most Autobots transformed into ground based vehicles (and supposedly "could not fly" though that's debatable). An entire team of Autobots who became aerial vehicles was a big deal and I can still remember my intense excitement (and that of my friends)when they were first introduced. Add to that a team that could merge into a Combiner robot? I had to have'em. I remember the deep excitement I felt when I first got my Aerialbot giftset for my combined birthday and Christmas present. It is a moment I will never forget.
Fast forward to 2025 and I'm feeling that childhood excitement again as the first wave of Age of the Primes has begun to ship and hit stores. One of the first figures released in this line is Air Raid. Believe it or not, it has been ten years since Combiner Wars and the last time we had Air Raid as a Deluxe Class figure based on the character's G1 appearance (a G2 version was released in 2016). Unlike the Combiner Wars version this one is largely based on the G1 cartoon/comic book model.
Packaging:
Age of the Primes represents a dramatic shift in Generations packaging. Unlike previous years of the War for Cybertron trilogy or Legacy which went in dramatic directions with packaging shape and artwork, the designers have dialed back the look of the boxes a lot. The Age of the Primes packaging winds up looking a lot more like Studio Series packaging. The boxes are now rectangular. No weird angles or anything. The background is just plain black. The "Transformers" logo is no longer vertical (dropping a trend that began over ten years ago) and is now horizontal in the front of the packaging with the "Age of the Primes" name underneath it. Character art is featured to the right, but it's only partial art showing a bit of the character in robot mode with focus on the vehicle mode underneath. To the left are icons describing how many steps the character takes to convert from one mode to the other and the age recommendation (8+ in this case).
Air Raid is inside the box attached to a cardboard tray. You can see the entire figure in robot mode thanks to the return of plastic windows! Fans will recall that for the last few years Transformers toys have had no plastic windows in an effort to (ostensibly) make more eco-friendly packaging. However, this led to damaged toys with heads being yanked off and sometimes figures being outright stolen. For many fans, the return of the plastic windows is a welcome one.
The back of the box shows the character in both modes calling out a 17 step transformation. Behind the character is a sky background with a wheel showing some of the Thirteen Prime symbols. While Slingshot's "limb mode" is not shown, it is called out in a text blurb describing him as "1 of 5" and the phrase "Collect to Combine" (catchy!). The right side of the box (if you're looking at the front) features the phrase "'Til All Are One" in multiple languages along with artwork of Primes including Solus Prime. The other side features a part of Superion's artwork.
I think the designers were going for a more "adult" and "premium" appearance to the packaging and to that end it works. It looks like something you'd see in a museum shop, but I do feel some of the fun and whimsy of the dramatic Legacy artwork and visual bombast has been lost and I'm a tad sad about that.
Accessories:
Air Raid includes two identical blasters based on the one from the G1 animation model. Each looks like a pistol with stylized front sight on the top of each weapon. Each has a 5mm peg and a tip that allows you to attach a Blast Effect. The weapons are made of black plastic with no paint applications.
Robot Mode:
With Combiner Wars Air Raid having come out a decade ago, I would not blame fans for wondering if there has been a reduction in size and weight with this new version. I am happy to report there has not been. Both figures are about 5.25 inches (about 13.3 cm) tall. Yes, I know the official description says 5.5 inches but that only really works if you count the jet nosecone behind the head. In terms of weight, Combiner Wars Air Raid weighs in at about 2.8 ounces while Age of the Primes Air Raid comes in at about 3.0 ounces. This does not include any of their accessories.
This Air Raid figure is based on the G1 cartoon and comic book model. That means a lot of the parts of this robot mode look blocky including the rectangular shoulders and forearms as well as the torso which features a series of rectangles large and small. The most distinctive are the two that form the sides of the chest which are beveled and look like there are vents inside. He also features smaller details like a triangle on the top of the pelvic area and rectangular details near the knees. It also features parts of the jet mode on his back including the cockpit section and wings. On top of all that the head design looks like it came right out of the cartoon featuring two panels on the sides, a dome shape on top of the head and a brim above the forehead that looks almost like part of a hat. I really love this sculpt. The designers did a fantastic job.
Air Raid is made up of black, red and white plastic. These are all colors used to paint the character in the G1 cartoon and comic books. Paint colors include silver, red, grey and blue. An Autobot symbol is stamped onto the middle of the chest, matching his animation model. Air Raid looks great. The colors are bright and vibrant and really catch the eye.
There are twenty two points of articulation on this figure. That includes four in each arm and six in each leg. He has a 5mm port in each fist. Unless you count the ports on the wings, he has no other attachment points for weapons which might signal a move away from the old War for Cybertron "Weaponizer" system that has been a mainstay of the line for years, but this could also be an artifact of him being a Combiner. Time will tell as more Age of the Primes figures are released.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the accessories and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Turn the head around.
- Swing each fist into the forearms.
- Attach each forearm to the pegs sticking out the sides of the chest.
- Swing the cockpit section back, then swing the front of the vehicle forward to cover the robot head.
- Swing the wings out to the sides.
- Swing the front panel of each lower leg up, then swing the feet back against it.
- Swing the front panels of the lower legs up.
- Swing the back panels of the lower legs up.
- Swing the back panels of the lower legs forward so they cover the thighs and then push them together.
- Swing the horizontal stabilizer fins down.
- Turn the vertical stabilizer fins around.
Vehicle Mode:
Air Raid transforms into an approximation of an F-15 Eagle but modified to avoid licensing issues. Like the animation model the edges feel a bit more rounded than the real life vehicle and the proportions seem a bit compressed compared to the real life vehicle. There is a ton of sculpted detail including lines indicating armor panels and covers to equipment underneath. Overall the vehicle looks like an excellent representation of Air Raid's animation model in vehicle mode.
This mode mostly shows off black plastic since most of the red and white from the vehicle mode wind up on the bottom. Paint colors include silver, grey, white and red. The edges of the wings are painted white, the cockpit cover is painted silver and the wings have red Autobot symbols on them. The vertical fins have a bit of grey paint on them which is a nice subtle touch. Interestingly, the stock photo of this mode on the box shows an additional Autobot symbol on the nosecone but that detail is not found on the actual figure.
Each wing has a 5mm port to attach Air Raid's weapons. The middle of the robot chest swings down to reveal landing gear. This helps visually balance out the look of the vehicle mode because the back section made from the front panels of the lower legs are really thick. The vehicle sits up just fine without the landing gear but it looks better with it down.
Final Thoughts:
If you want a stylized version of Air Raid, Combiner Wars gave us that years ago. This time we have a cool representation of the cartoon model and it's excellent. Aesthetically speaking the only real fault is the really thick section on the bottom of the vehicle mode, but that is a minor quibble. Recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt in robot mode (the vehicle mode is good too).
- Good deco.
- Good articulation and intuitive transformation.
Cons:
- I do wish the bottom of the vehicle mode was not as thick towards the back.
