Trailbreaker (G1)/toys
From MediaWiki
Trailbreaker has enough toys to blaze a trail.
Toys
Generation 1
- Trailbreaker (1984, 2001)
- Japanese ID number: 25
- Accessories: 2 "Twin Blasters", 2 missiles, radar scanner, 2 fists (left & right)
- Trailbreaker transforms in a Toyota 4WD Hi-Lux camper truck. In robot mode, both of his lower arms are projectile launchers, able to load and fire either his fists or his projectiles, which consist of two vacuum metallized silver missiles and two silver "twin blasters". The Hasbro version of the toy severely weakened the springs for safety reasons.
- In 2001, Trailbreaker was given a short-run Collector's Edition reissue (limited to only 1,000 pieces) by Takara as a C3 convention-exclusive item, bundled together with Hoist.
Universe (2003)
- Ultra Magnus & Ironhide (Basic, 2004)
- Accessories: Rifle
The Universe release of Robots in Disguise Ironhide was repurposed as Generation 1 Trailbreaker by Ask Vector Prime.
- A redeco of the Generation 2 Go-Bot Motormouth, Ironhide transforms into a Ford F150 Flareside pickup truck. His truck deco is an obvious homage to the Generation 1 character Trailbreaker; this was likely one of many aborted attempts to get the character on shelves again stymied by trademark issues. He was only available in a Wal-Mart exclusive pack with Ultra Magnus.
Encore
- Trailbreaker (2008)
- Japanese ID number: 13
- Accessories: 2 "Twin Blasters", 2 missiles, radar scanner, 2 fists (left & right)
- Trailbreaker was also reissued in TakaraTomy's Encore line. While the original had a red visor, the Encore reissue is notable for having a blue visor and a tampographed Autobot symbol on his hood/chest.
Transformers (2010)
- Trailcutter (Legends Class, 2011)
- Part of the second wave of Reveal the Shield Legends Class toys, Trailbreaker is now renamed "Trailcutter" due to Trademark reasons. He converts into a camper truck again, but with a front section similar to that of a Cadillac Escalade. His head sculpt is essentially the Generation 1 toy's head, including the visor, with the more humanoid face of the cartoon model. The same "hybrid" design had been previously used by Dan Khanna for 3H's Universe comic and by Hasbro for Alternators Swindle (originally intended as Trailbreaker) and his redeco Rollbar. As with all Reveal the Shield toys, he has a heat-sensitive rubsign.
- The "Reveal the Shield" Legends toys were largely released in discount and closeout chains in the U.S., most predominantly at Five Below stores.
- This figure was also sold in the Transformers Chronicle line, and was used to make Generations Hoist.
Chronicle
- Trailbreaker (EZ Collection, 2011)
- Chronicle EZ Collection Trailbreaker is a redeco of the Transformers Legends Class Trailcutter toy, sporting a tampographed Autobot symbol... which is not present on the stock photos. Like other Chronicle Legends toys, he is sold in a blindpacked box.
Generations
.jpg)
- Trailcutter (Deluxe class, 2013)
- Series / Number: 02 / #001
- Accessories: Roof/battle shield
- Part of the fifth wave of 2012-onwards Generations Deluxe Class toys, Thrilling 30 Trailcutter is a new design with a modern pick-up truck alternate mode. Additionally, many of his robot mode details are based on Alex Milne's Cybertronian design for the character in the More Than Meets the Eye comic series. His truck bed canopy is removable, and transforms into a "battle shield" with mounted blasters. It features a flip-out 5mm handle as well as two 5mm posts and ports, and can peg onto any of his numerous ports. The 5mm ports on the legs, in particular, allow you to attach weapons from other figures to them so that Trailcutter can emulate Fortress Maximus.
- The American release comes packaged with a copy of IDW's 'Spotlight: Trailcutter', featuring a cropped version of its Clayton Crain retailer incentive cover, which is called out as a 'Hasbro Exclusive Cover' on its front. Additionally, the contents of the issue are edited to remove references to Trailcutter's original name and overt mentions of alcohol-like usage of Energon drinks. The European and Canadian releases come packaged without the Spotlight.
- He was later retooled into Generations Hoist and Timelines Lift-Ticket. This toy also served as the basis of the non-toy characters IDW Flatline, Wings Universe Turbofire, and Shattered Glass Trailbreaker.
- 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. The figurines are based on their Thrilling 30 Deluxe Class toys, and similarly to Decoys, the Autobot figurines are cast in red plastic, and the Decepticons in purple.
- Metroplex (Titan Class, 2013)
- 05 OF 30
- Another exclusive version of Titan Class Metroplex was made available at Hong Kong ACG-CON 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.
- Trailbreaker & Hoist (Multi-pack, 30-11-2013)
- Japanese ID number: TG-27
- Accessories: Roof/battle shield
- Released in the Japanese Generations lineup, Trailbreaker is a redeco of Generations Deluxe Trailcutter cast in a different shade of black and a darker red with a translucent blue windshield. He also features new paint operations, such as silver paint on his bumper, hubcaps and forearms, painted back lights and a red visor based on his original toy. He swaps the red and blue details on the Hasbro version's upper arms for a more comic accurate silver and red. Trailbreaker was only available in a two-pack with Hoist.
- Trailbreaker (Deluxe class, 2016)
- 5 OF 5: Sky Reign
- Accessories: Axe, double-barreled gun/fist/foot
- Part of the sixth wave of Combiner Wars Deluxe Class figures, Trailbreaker (now using his original name again) is a retool of Combiner Wars Decepticon Offroad sporting a new head and forearms that draw from his Generation 1 animation model, including a gun-hand. Additionally, his combiner fist/ foot weapon has retooled finger and thumb parts making his hand look more like a claw. The combiner hand can be inserted into the 5mm peg port at the end of his gun hand, similarly to Rook. As with other Combiner Wars Deluxes, Trailbreaker can combine to form Sky Reign as either an arm or a leg.
- The original version of this mold was also used to make TFSS Grabuge and Unite Warriors Zombie War Breakdown, and was differently retooled into Combiner Wars First Aid and Ironhide.
- Trailbreaker comes with a copy of The Transformers #40 (Combiner Wars part 2), "The Possible Light".
| Combiner Wars mold: Offroad | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Version 1:
Version 2:
Version 3:
| ||
Unite Warriors
- Lynxmaster (2016)
- Japanese ID Number: UW-EX
| Combiner Wars mold: Offroad | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Version 1:
Version 2:
Version 3:
| ||
Other attempts
There are quite a few Transformers toys that were at one point in their development supposed to be a new form for (or tribute to) Trailbreaker, but before the "Reveal the Shield" Legends Class toy, all of these became other characters with other names, most likely due to Hasbro's inability to secure the trademark.
Trailbreaker's appearance in the 3H Universe comics stems from early plans to release a Trailbreaker redeco of the Robots in Disguise X-Brawn mold as a convention exclusive in 2003. Reportedly, Hasbro themselves also had the same idea for the mass retail Universe Deluxe assortment, but due to the aforementioned reasons, the toy was ultimately given a different deco and released as Autobot Ratchet instead.
Later, a redeco of the Robots in Disguise Spy Changer Ironhide was released as a Wal*Mart exclusive under the Universe banner, a black pickup truck with the distinctive red and yellow stripes from Trailbreaker's original toy. Ultimately, this toy would be released as Universe Ironhide instead.
The original Trailbreaker toy was also among a list of reissues intended for release as part of the Commemorative Series found in Australian Toys"R"Us computers, but with the cancellation of the Commemorative Series, these plans never came to fruition.
The next attempt was in the Alternators line, the toy that would eventually become Swindle and later Rollbar. A retool of the Hound Jeep Wrangler toy, its head is a cross between the original Trailbreaker toy's helmet and the cartoon model's face, surprisingly similar to Dan Khanna's rendition of the character in 3H's Universe comics. A black and white version of a proposed color guide for the unreleased Trailbreaker version of the sculpt was depicted in the Japanese The Transformers: Binaltech & TF Collection Complete Guide book.
Finally, the Cybertron Autobot Overhaul was originally going to be called "Trailbreaker", and the head sculpt was to have more elements from the Generation 1 character's design. These plans were again scrapped, but the character's upgraded form, Leobreaker, retains the "breaker" portion of the name, since "Leohaul" sounds really silly. (The name "Overcast" was temporarily considered, but quickly dropped again.)
Merchandise
Decoy
- Cybertron Hero Collection 9 (multi-pack, 1986)
- ID number: Collection No. 3
- In Japan, a red rubber mini-figure of Trailbreaker was available in part of a multi-pack of similar mini-figurines. The number etched into his back is the sum total of his tech spec ratings, as these figurines were used as game pieces for a variety of Transformers board games in which this number had some meaning to how the game was played or something.
- Trailbreaker (1987)
- Decoy number: 10
- The 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. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots, and Technobots.
3D Battle-Card Game
- Trailbreaker (2007)
- A 26-point "common" character in the 3D Battle-Card Game's "Energon Wars" expansion, Trailbreaker "transforms" into a black pickup truck with a camper shell. He uses the same parts layout as Payload and Ratchet.
- The Battle-Card may or may not actually represent the live-action movie version of Trailbreaker, as the design is clearly in the live-action movie aesthetic (and a version of the Trailbreaker character exists in the "movie" universe anyway). The card's listed abilities — an Invisible Force Field and a Radio Jammer — line up with Trailbreaker's G1 abilities, however, so who knows.
The Loyal Subjects
- The Loyal Subjects Trailbreaker is a Wave 3 figure with standard articulation. He is largely based on his original toy and features a gun, but has no special gimmicks. For every 16 figures, there are 2 Trailbreakers.
- Like most of his wave, Trailbreaker's bio card plagiarizes this wiki article's opening paragraphs.
