Trailbreaker (G1)/toys
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Trailbreaker has enough toys to blaze a trail.
Toys
The Transformers
- Trailbreaker (Autobot Car, 1984)
- Takara ID number: 25
- Accessories: 2 "Twin Blasters", 2 missiles, radar scanner, 2 fists (left & right)
- Known designers: Kōjin Ōno (TakaraTomy)
- Released in the first year of The Transformers, Trailbreaker transforms into 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, while the later Takara release keeps them fully functional. There are two slots in the robot-mode "backpack" to store whichever unused wrist attachments you like.
- He was re-released in 1985 with the addition of a rubsign on his vehicle-mode roof; this version was also released in Japan.
- This mold was originally released in Takara's Diaclone line in a variety of colors, which is why the truck roof has an opening hatch meant for a pilot figure the Transformers toy did not come with. This mold was also retooled to make Hoist.
| The Transformers mold: Trailbreaker/Hoist | ||
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Version 1 (Trailbreaker):
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Collector's Edition
- Trailbreaker (2001)
- ID number: 25
- Accessories: 2 "Twin Blasters", 2 missiles, radar scanner, 2 fists (left & right)
- In August 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.
| The Transformers mold: Trailbreaker/Hoist | ||
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Version 1 (Trailbreaker):
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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/Renegade Rhetoric.
- 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)
- 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.
| The Transformers mold: Trailbreaker/Hoist | ||
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Version 1 (Trailbreaker):
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Transformers (2010)
- Trailcutter (Legends Class, 2011)
- Known designers: Joe Kyde (Hasbro), Andrew Scribner (deco artist)
- Part of the second wave of Transformers: 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., predominantly at Five Below stores.
- This mold was also sold in the Transformers Chronicle line (see below), 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
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- Trailcutter (Deluxe Class, 2013)
- Series / Number: 02 / #001
- Accessories: Roof/battle shield
- Known designers: Joe Kyde (Hasbro)
- 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 5 mm handle as well as two 5 mm posts and ports, and can peg onto any of his numerous ports. The 5 mm 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, Shattered Glass Trailbreaker, and Shattered Glass Lockdown.
- 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 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.
Generations (Japan)
- Trailbreaker & Hoist (Multi-pack, 2013-11-30)
- ID number: TG-27
- Accessories: Roof/battle shield
- Released in the Japanese Generations lineup, Trailbreaker is a redeco of Thrilling 30 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.
Kre-O
- Dragon Assault (Beast Force Figure Pack, 2013)
- Set number: A2234
- Pieces: 42
- Accessories: Logo brick, wrist-blaster
- The Kre-O Beast Force "Dragon Assault" set includes a Trailcutter Micro-Changer Kreon who can be rebuilt into a 4-wheel-drive truck, or as close as you can get at that size. Extra detailing is provided by customer-applied stickers.
- The set also comes with a brick-built Grimwing.
- Trailbreaker (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2014)
- Collection: Age of Extinction Collection 2
- Accessories: Logo brick, double barreled pistol
- Part of the sixth regular assortment of blind-bagged Micro-Changers, Trailbreaker (apparently Hasbro was finally able to reclaim the name) is a Kreon minifigure that can be rebuilt into a pickup truck. While clearly based on the Generation 1 character, the details of his deco are much more based on the live-action movie style of bot. He sports the Constructicon helmet.
- Unlike prior Micro-Changer assortments, this series does not have any sort identification code for the bags' actual contents, meaning you'd best be good at the feel-though-the-bag method.
- This assortment was originally slated to be a Toys"R"Us exclusive, but US stores dropped the line before its release. It was still available in Canada, Australia, and Chinese/Asian markets. In 2015, the Collection appeared in US Dollar Tree stores, with a price tag of a whopping $1 a pop. They didn't last long.
- Kreon Class of 1984 (Kreon figure set, 2014)
- Set number: B0090
- Voted: Class Clown
- Accessories: Clip-on turbine
- This version of Trailcutter (again named as such) has much more detailed toy-based tampographs than his prior versions, save for his (shiny) cartoon-based face.
- 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.
Combiner Wars
Aren't I the popular one?
- Trailbreaker (Deluxe Class, 2016)
- 5 OF 5: Sky Reign
- Accessories: Axe, double-barreled gun/fist/foot
- Known designers: Mark Maher (deco artist)
- 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 5 mm 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. He can also combine with any Unite Warriors Voyager class figure or even into one of Legends Godbomber's legs. While the front hood/windshields are needed to be folded as kneecaps for his leg mode, the piece also had a tendency to dislodge if he collides to Optimus Prime/Motormaster's and Hot Spot's protruding foot while the legs are being swiveled in his standing position, unless the leg joints are bent down to lessen the problem.
- 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 vol. 2 #40 (Combiner Wars part 2), "The Possible Light". In Canada, Latin America, and Europe, he was available in different types of multilingual packaging including a character card featuring his comic book cover/package art instead. He and the last three waves of Combiner Wars Deluxe and Voyager figures later also showed up at TJ Maxx in the USA at reduced prices with the collector card.
| Combiner Wars mold: Offroad | ||
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Version 2:
Version 3:
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Unite Warriors
- Lynxmaster (giftset, October 29, 2016)
- ID number: UW-EX
- Accessories: Axe, double-barreled gun/fist/foot
- Unite Warriors Trailbreaker is a redeco of his Combiner Wars toy in a color layout based on his original toy (except with a blue visor) and some additional painted details such as a painted bumper. He was only available in a TakaraTomy Mall-exclusive Lynxmaster multi-pack.
| Combiner Wars mold: Offroad | ||
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Version 2:
Version 3:
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War for Cybertron: Earthrise
- Trailbreaker (Deluxe Class, 2020)
- Hasbro ID number: WFC-E34
- TakaraTomy ID number: ER-EX 13
- TakaraTomy release date: November 28, 2020
- Accessories: Arm-mounted gun, canopy
- Earthrise Trailbreaker is a retool of Hoist that converts from a robot into a camper truck. He sports a new head, pelvis and gun attachment, and a new backpack that replaces Hoist's towing apparatus with a canopy, which contains a flip-out shoulder cannon and radar scanner for his robot mode. The canopy comes detached in-package, and has a 5mm post sculpted inside it, allowing Trailbreaker to wield it as a shield. It also has a hole on top to store his gun attachment in vehicle mode. It's possible to wedge the gun under his hood between his arms using one of the 5mm ports on his forearms, although this causes the weapon nozzle to poke out offcenter in front from under the hood.
- A radar dish for his vehicle mode, based on the one used in the Transformers episode "More than Meets the Eye, Part 2," was sold separately as part of the Earthrise Centurion Drone Weaponizer Pack set. In robot mode, it's possible to store the radar dish inside his chest cavity, although it will rattle around freely.
- Due to supply chain disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, Trailbreaker and his fellow Deluxe wavemates were first found in Singapore before wave 2 was released in any market worldwide.
- His map piece is unlabeled, but contains part of Cybertron and one of its moons.
- This figure was redecoed into Legacy DK-3 Breaker, while the original use of this mold was also used to make Generations Selects Lift-Ticket.
Masterpiece
- Trailbreaker (2022)
- ID number: MP-56
- Accessories: Three robot faces, blast effect, gun, multi-nozzle gun, fist, parabolic antenna, non-chromed grill
- Known designers: Kōjin Ōno (TakaraTomy)
- Masterpiece Trailbreaker is a cartoon accurate version of the character, who transforms into a Toyota 4WD Hi-Lux camper truck (notably, being the first Masterpiece figure to use the Toyota license.)
- Among Trailbreaker's many accessories are two different truck grilles - one chromed, the other matte. He also comes with a "parabolic" radar dish to mount on his truck mode, and a wrist-mounted multi-nozzle forcefield generator, both from "More than Meets the Eye, Part 2". Other robot accessories include a fist to replace the gun if you so choose, a blast effect, and three faces: a neutral one, a screaming one, and a confident one. His truck mode has an opening hood and doors. This figure also includes optional decals that obscure part of the cab door windows, in order to represent the toy-accurate design (which occasionally appeared in the cartoon) where the shoulder joints run through those windows.
- Trailbreaker is shown on the box photography to have extra outward joints at the shoulders, which are there... Unfortunately, they're blocked off by an engineering oversight where the round bottom edge of the upper arm joint doesn't account for the square block in the shoulder around which it's supposed to swing. Unscrewing the back of the upper arm panel and slicing off the colliding corner of said block unlocks the joint. Trying to force it otherwise stands a good chance of snapping the upper arm off.
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
- Trailbreaker (2014)
- 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 his wiki article's opening paragraphs.
Transformers Trading Card Game
- Private Trailbreaker, Infantry-Fortification & Defense (2019)
- Wave 3: War for Cybertron: Siege I
- Rarity: UT
- Card Number: T24/T48
- Stars: 10
- Private Trailbreaker, Infantry-Fortification & Defense is one of forty-eight double-sided character cards available in Wave 3 of the Transformers Trading Card Game, War for Cybertron: Siege I.
- The card's art reuses line-art from the Transformers Legends mobile game, and is based on the Thrilling 30 Trailcutter toy. The line-art for Alt Mode was drawn by Dan Khanna. The artwork is recolored seemingly to match the aesthetic of the Siege toyline's packaging art.
Notes
- Trailbreaker's mold was originally a Diaclone "4WD Hi-Lux", available in three different colors: black, blue, or yellow. The blue version was sold by Takara in North America as the Diakron "DK-3" Car/Robot in 1983, seemingly just a few months before the toy would be rebranded as a Transformer. There is an easy way to tell the black Diaclone 4WD Hi-Lux apart from a Transformers Trailbreaker, though—the Diaclone toy's vehicle mode stickers have a yellow background.
- The Combiner Wars Trailbreaker tooling had a "pretooled" alternate head as Hoist, but this was ultimately not used for any figures.
- Glaringly, Trailbreaker's appearance in the packaging mural for War for Cybertron: Earthrise is drawn according to his Thrilling 30 toy rather than his Earthrise toy.
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 comic 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 2003 Universe Deluxe Class 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 Spychanger Ironhide was released as a Walmart-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. Years later, the Facebook edition of Ask Vector Prime would repurpose the toy as Trailbreaker, restoring the original intent.
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 comic. 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.)
