TECHNOBOT COMPUTRON

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Computron

Computron is the combined form of the Technobots composed of the following toys:

TK-01 Afterburner

TK-02 Nosecone

TK-03 Strafe

TK-04 Lightspeed

TK-05 Scattershot

Afterburner

Afterburner's robot mode forms the basis for both limb modes. Remove the gun and fold the arms to the sides to start

Arm Mode: Fold the head forward to form the Scramble City connector. Plug a fist into the robot's feet.

Leg Mode: Plug a foot into the hole in the robot's feet.

The instructions show Afterburner serving as Computron's right arm. When in arm mode Afterburner can mount both of his vehicle mode weapons as extra firepower for Computron. I put the Plasma Pulse Cannon on the top of the arm with the Incendiary Missile Launcher underneath.

Nosecone

Nosecone's robot mode is the basis for both his limb mode. Start each of them by folding the lower legs back 180 degrees, folding the arms to the side and re-attaching the missiles.

Leg Mode: Plug a foot into one of the holes at the bottom of the toy.

Arm Mode: Fold the head forward to form the Scramble City connector. Fold the drill back into place. Plug a hand into the hole on the bottom of the toy.

Nosecone usually serves as Computron 's left leg. Nosecone is capable of becoming a longer limb if you leave the robot legs folded out: there are 5mm peg holes at either end of the leg. I prefer the more compact version.

Strafe

Strafe's construction is unique amongst the Scramble City/Special Team combiner limbs: he lacks a fold out peg. The connection for both modes is done through the head with the body's articulation moving it round. Start from jet mode for each limb configuration, but fold the robot head out so it points out the front.

Arm Mode: Fold the head down so it points out under the jet. Peg a fist into the rear of the jet.

Leg Mode: Fold the wings down and peg a foot into the rear of the jet.

Both modes allow you to keep the light-pulse blasters attached. The instructions show Strafe as Computron's left arm where the light-pulse blasters look good sticking out the top of the shoulder.

Lightspeed

Arm Mode: Use the car mode, but pull the front of the car - from in front of the front wheel - forward and up to reveal the peg hole. Peg the fist in. Fold the Scramble City connector out from under the car.

Leg Mode: Use the robot mode, retract the legs and swing the arms to the sides of the body. Fold the feet backwards. Peg a foot into the bottom of the toy so that the Computron foot is facing out of the same side as the front of the robot.

The instructions show Lightspeed serving as Computron's right leg.

Scattershot

Scattershot forms the central body of the Technobots combined form Computron. Take Scattershot's robot mode, remove the gun and shoulder cannons, fold the arms down to the side and then in so they're along the sides of the body. Bend the lower legs back at the knees. Slide the larger chest plate round the sides of the smaller one attached to the robot. Slide the Computron combined robot head like a helmet over Scattershot's head.

The four smaller Technobots then attach to Scattershot to form Computron, with one of the arms holding Scattershot's gun. It's important to note that even though Computron's western boxset pictures the combined robot holding two guns, only one is supplied in both the boxset and the individual Scattershot.

Similar colours used throughout the toy give Computron a cohesive feel, while the advanced limb vehicles make decent arms and legs that don't look for the most part like there's obviously bits of vehicle hanging off. All the limbs can incorporate their vehicle weapons in this combined mode, with Strafe looking
especially good with his attached. The vehicle weapons for the other three toys all have 5mm pegs (Strafe's does to, but his have an extra notch) so Computron can use these as hand weapons. My only complaint is I'm not sure that the red face on the brown head quite works white or silver would separate the two more. Articulation is limited as is usual for these combined robots: The shoulders and hips turn and that's it.

Computron works for me. Love it.

Computron was sold in the US or the UK in 1987 either as the individual toys listed above or in a box set.

The Japanese Takara version of Computron was called Computicon. He was made up of the following Japanese Transformer toys:

C-86 Scattershot

C-87 Nosecone

C-88 Strafe

C-89 Lightspeed

C-90 Afterburner

Computicon was also sold as a giftset numbered C-91. These toys were first sold in 1987. I have a Masterforce leaflet showing them to still be available into 1988.

Computron's Japanese name is Computicon. It's odd seeing the -con suffix, usually associated with the Evil Decepticons, on a heroic toy. In Japan the factions have different names: The Heroic Cybertrons and Evil Destrons. The -tron suffix there is generally associated with the Destrons (Megatron, Galvatron) so the name for Computron changes.

Computron has never been re-released or repainted in either Japan, the US or the UK. However at one point he was rumoured as a repainted boxset for the Beast Machines toyline to supplement the Vehicon forces.