- Part 1: Car carrier mode
- Part 2; Cab and some group shots
- Part 2.5: Transformation videos and photos
A Lil' Recap
This MOC is inspired by Ultra Magnus, from G1 Transformers cartoon series. The original toy of UM is literally a brick ..consisting of a white Optimus Prime combined with the armor transformed from the car carrier trailer he towed.
Ultra Magnus Robot Mode!!!
I am not too keen on seeing UM without any proper feet, so I decided to implement that in this MOC.
I actually love how transformers have the tyres forming the soles of the feet, so I am implementing it here. These tyres are important to cushion the pressure imposed onto the ground when these heavy metal beings walk.
He ended up with a pretty huge backpack-like kibble. I can't compress it anymore because I wanted the vehicle to scale with my previous Powermaster Optimus Prime , so both cabs are essentially 8-stud wide.
A huge kibble is no deterrence to me. I managed to make the kibble less disruptive to his back to allow waist articulation to be possible. YES, his waist can swivel about 20 to 30 degrees to either direction.
The hinged parts in the trailer mode that props up the back of the upper deck, helped to secure the back of the robot mode knees too, ensuring he doesn't fall backwards easily.
During the whole building process, I am very proud of how I designed the arms and enjoyed the most when figuring out the best way to engineer them.
When I started visualizing how I wish the car carrier aesthetics to be , I insist on improvising the original UM toy's version upper and lower deck/trailer bed to be as smooth as possible. Original UM has a pretty bumpy upper deck, and I tried my best to make it smooth. And then, turning the deck/ramp into articulated arms and also concealing the hands. Wow, this is what drives me to keep pushing on.
The hinges that allowed the chest to open is just part of the transformation process from trailer to robot mode. I didn't put much thinking on whether I want to implement a Matrix of Leadership hatch. Maybe I think the transformation process is already quite well-done here , and I decided not to disrupt that anymore . (and UM is not destined to carry the Matrix anyway :] )
"What are you looking at?"
Since he's top heavy and back-kibbly .... the knee bending pose below was supported by the wall at the back.
"And this, is how you ride a bike"
Hmm... I'm suprised on how his side profile photo below turned out. When handling him, the white-cab back kibble is huge and I assume it to be at least 20% thicker than the remaining upper body. The photo below showed the opposite (the kibble, not counting the protuding smokestacks, is just 80% of the thickness of the blue upper body, where the arms are connected).
OK let's arm him....
with a rifle of course. This is the same rifle that was connected between the upper deck in trailer mode.
And due to the way I designed the rifle (it has a handle with studs only at one side), it can only be held by his left hand.. by pegging onto it.
"Small rifle for a big 'bot"
"Ultra Magnus to Moonbase, Ultra Magnus to Moonbase! We are severely outnumbered... requesting backup!"
"Duuuh.. nevermind...... (fires away) "
The photo below reminds of Optimus Prime original illustration in his character biography shown in 80's comics. (right)
Mixed Shots
.
"Me, Ultra Magnus, proclaims myself to be the King of all car carriers."
The peering pose is inspired by Monkey King.
With Takara Masterpiece Prowl and Tigertrack
With "Movie Style" Ultra Magnus
Movie Style Ultra Magnus was built back in 2011 , completed days before Transformers: Dark of the Moon premiere.
"Thanks for dropping by this dimension, Movie Magnus!"
Hmm... I can't believe I made the previous UM to be so. He looks totally emanciated compared to my latest UM here. (and transforming him from vehicle mode to robot mode was a painful process. ).
With Powermaster Optimus Prime
Powermaster Optimus Prime is one of by bigger project completed earlier this year.
UM mocking Prime's lack of stature =)
Prime: "Since you mocked me just now, I'm not gonna pass the Matrix to you"
UM: "I'm fine with that. Now let's us continue to pose heroically like nothing happened between us"
Prime: "Hehehe... look who's shorter now!"
UM: "..... "
Here's to more LEGO Transformers to come! Do pay my blog a visit again, fellow viewers!
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