Airwave (facility)

This article is about the building that is sometimes a character. For the small namesake character, see Airwave (Micromaster). For a list of other meanings, see Airwave (disambiguation).

The Airwave is a Decepticon Micromaster base or Modulator from the Generation 1 continuity family.

We have clearance, Clarence.

Welcome to the Airwave—my airport! I, Airwave, hope you enjoy your stay! Just walk through that gate an- what's that you say? Those aren't guns, nope, just, uh... scanners! Nothing to see here, what? You say you can't see? That's certainly not from our control tower! Look buddy, this is just an airbase, nothin' else! Now stop nosing around!

Listen close, this ain't just an airbase, it can also transform into, get this, a BATTLE STATION! With all the guns I could ever want. Between you and me, this is the only thing keeping Megatron from blastin' me into scrap!

Sometimes, this base itself transforms into a sentient Modulator!

“	The higher they fly, the harder they fall.	”
—Airwave's Earthrise quote

Fiction

War for Cybertron Trilogy marketing material

With Cybertron's fate sealed and the Autobots gone, the Decepticons followed them closely through space aboard the Nemesis in pursuit of the AllSpark. Airwave was an Air Force Black Ops Sergeant, Earthrise toy packaging whose function served as an aerial defense. Their primary objective was to destroy Autobot aerial ops and their primary weapons were the Anti-Aircraft Missiles. Earthrise webpage

2019 IDW continuity

A member of the Decepticon Guard, Airwave was on patrol with Refraktor and Gutcruncher when they decided to harass Ratchet's clinic and intimidate the medics who worked there into surrendering any Autobot sympathizers. However, Ratchet was less compliant than they'd hoped and Hoist eventually scared them into leaving when he threatened to turn a swarm of diagnostic drones upon the three. Escape Part One

"I just got here, what's going on??"

Skytread brought Airwave on a mission to interfere with Hound's efforts to evacuate non-Cybertronians from Iacon. They ambushed the procession in a ravine, with Airwave's alternate mode providing heavy fire. However, the arrival of the formerly immersant Dai Atlas led them to run for cover themselves. Escape Part Two

Airwave was part of the Decepticon attack on Crystal City, but was forced to flee when Lodestar arrived on the scene. The Landscape of Fear After the detente with the Autobots, Airwave was reassigned to an artillery unit under Jhiaxus's command. They deliberately kept the Autobots penned in, forcing them to confront the ravages of the rust worms. Radical Time Airwave was later present when the Decepticons made their final push against Darkmount, and witnessed the fighting between combiners Computron and Devastator. Fate of Cybertron

Toys

The Transformers

What's our vector, Victor?

• Airwave (Micromaster Station, 1989)

• Accessories: 2 missiles, ramp

Released in the sixth year of the The Transformers toyline (fifth year in the European line), the airport is, well, a small airport hangar with attached runway. Its ramps allow it to connect to other Micromaster bases to form larger "cities", and it features an opening garage large enough to hold a vehicle mode Micromaster. In its attack mode, it sports two orange "missile launchers" concealed beneath the ramps. Airwave can ride inside a small bunker formed by the upside-down garage. The airport is unique among the micromaster bases in that it can attach up to four ramps.

The set came with the Micromaster Airwave.

The airport was released in Japan the following year, without changes, as the Autobot Overair's Airport Base.

• More information on the Airwave and the airport at TFU.info

War for Cybertron: Earthrise

"Johnny, what do you make out of this?"
"This? Why, I can make a hat, or a brooch, or a pterodactyl..."

• Decepticon Airwave (Deluxe Modulator, 2020)

• Hasbro ID number: WFC-E18
• TakaraTomy ID number: ER EX-12
• TakaraTomy release date: October 23, 2020
• Accessories: 2 barrels, blaster base
• Known designers: Emiliano Santalucia (concept artist)

Rebranded with the name of the Airport's operator, Earthrise Airwave is a "Modulator", transforming via part-forming into either an airbase with tiny runways or a gun embankment, both based on the original Micromaster station. They can also transform into a new treaded aircraft carrier mode. Several of their pieces have A.I.R. Lock System connection points, which allow many different building configurations to link up with other toys in the line to form larger fortifications. Airwave reuses parts from Siege Brunt, specifically the hips, knees, wheels, front folding peg, and grey arm join pieces.

Airwave's parts can also be used to augment other figures as armor and add-on weapons, similar to the Weaponizers of the prior Siege toyline. Airwave's instructions do not specify their armor configuration, though it can be found in their redeco's instructions.

Although Airwave has swivels just above their elbows, the construction of their forearms makes them almost completely useless, as turning them at any angle other than straight forward, back or to the sides will lock the elbow in place. This may be due to them being upside down in comparison to their original use in Brunt, with the shoulder now serving as the elbow.

Like all Earthrise toys, the inside of the back of Airwave's package includes an exclusive clip-and-save piece of a larger star map. Also in the box is a thin red piece of transparent plastic with which to read the star map. Their piece features half of Gigantion but unlabeled, as the label is included with Quintesson Allicon. Airwave is the only Wave 2 Deluxe, Voyager, and/or Leader figure to feature a map piece that doesn't have an incorrect overlay from a previous piece.

This mold was redecoed into Generations Selects Hot House and Earthrise Overair. This figure was also repurposed as the Airport Base in the Generations Selects Special Comic.

Notes

• Referred to as an "airport" by the Generation 1 toy's instruction booklet, the base was redubbed an airbase by Dreamwave's More than Meets the Eye profile series.
• As the Earthrise and 2019 IDW incarnations of Airwave are portrayed as a character rather than just a building, the Micromaster incarnation was differentiated as "Overair" for his Siege toy. Earthrise eventually saw the release of an accompanying Overair modulator.
• Earthrise Airwave can be seen in the backgrounds of Earthrise Slitherfang and Fasttrack's package artwork.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Airwave (エアーウェーブ Eāwēbu)