Transformers Masterpiece Streak Part 3

Transformation masterpiece
A look at the transformation design of Takara Tomy's Transformers Masterpiece MP-18 Streak after spotlighting its vehicle mode in the previous posting.



The transformation starts from the underside of the car.


By grabbing at the wheels, the arms are hinged outward for 90 degrees.


A pair of tabs beneath the engine blocks, which connect to a pair of peg slots behind the elbows keep the arms secured to the underside of the car.


The connected arms are split apart.


(Left) Either arm is bent backward for 90 degrees, until the wheels are facing to the top side of the car.(Right) Using the double hinge elbow joint, either arm is rotated outward, and straightened.


By poking it from beneath, the central bar on the hood is lifted.


The small divot represents the minor connection point that the bar piece must "punch" through to be separated from the hood.


The bar piece, windscreen, and front section of the roof is lifted upward.


Back to the underside of the car, the dark red abdomen plate is flipped downward for about 90 degrees.



Streak's head, together with the neck base it's connected to is hinged upward, and pass the square space left by the bar piece.


The panel with the side mirror on either side of the car is bent downward.


The small divot represents the minor connection point that the side panel must get pass for it to be folded downward.


By adjusting their double hinge joints, the two side panels are bent inward until they sit inside their designated slots beneath the neck base.For such small parts but with rather tough double hinge joints, adjusting the side panels can take a bit of time, especially within such tight spaces as well. ^^;


The door is opened.Shown on the right is the pair of tab and slot that kept the door locked in vehicle mode.


After the door is hinged outward for 90 degrees, it's bent upward for about 45 degrees.As you can see, the door's joint is actually made of clear plastic. ^^ This is a very considerate design feature to reduce the joint's visibility in robot mode. ^^


With both doors properly adjusted.



Progress so far for Streak's transformation. ^^


The chest section is rotated downward, but before the upper body is fixed in place, some adjustments are needed for the arms.


The shoulder blocks are rotated upward until the shoulder joints are facing the top side of the robot's body. The shoulders are kept in their original position (with the wheels facing backward) while the shoulder blocks are being rotated.


The shoulders have been rotated in place.


A pretty large tab on top the abdomen plate is locked into a slot beneath the hood the secure the entire chest assembly.


The arms are rotated downward.


There are a few more steps involved to transform the back section, but the most major part of Streak's upper body is done. ^^


The pair of black bars beneath the rear section of the car are hinged upward for 180 degrees to form the heels.The exhaust pipe on the left bar is one of the few minor parts that distorts the overall symmetry of Streak in robot mode. Interestingly, all the"combo-breakers" (XD) are mainly on the legs (fuel cap, sunken antenna).

A pair of plates in the middle are lifted.


The rear car section is split down in middle in half.


The back fender is loosened, and pulled away from the rear windshield.


The double hinge ankle joint of Streak is somewhat exposed after the step above. ^^


(Left) By using the double hinge joint shown above, the rear fender is rotated downward.(Right) Using another joint between the ankle and the rear fender, the latter is bent upward to form Streak's foot. The small plate that helps to fill out the space between the rear bumper and the shin needs to be adjusted manually.


The rather complex, but very interesting multi-hinge ankle joint as seen from behind the leg. ^^


The large silver plate is rotated forward and up to form the inner side of the foot, the door window is hinged downward.


Conveniently, the tab that used to lock the car door in vehicle mode now helps to hold the door window in place, while the straight peg that secure the rear fender to the rear windscreen is now working as a stoppage point to prevent the heel from bending backward. ^^It's great to see that some of the vehicle mode connection points have their functions in supporting the robot mode. ^^


Using the double hinge knee joint, the lower leg is swung downward.


Comparison between a transformed leg and one that is still folded up as half of the rear car section.


The exact steps are done to transform the other leg.


The basic humanoid form of Streak is done, but there are a few more steps needed to complete the entire transformation. ^^


The entire back assembly is hinged downward.


The black central bar piece is folded inward for about 180 degrees. The pair of missile launchers are flipped upward, and positioned beside Streak's head.


A tab at the front edge of the windscreen corresponds to a slot behind the missile launcher's hinge joint to lock the back assembly in place.


The missile launchers are extended.


The completed missile launchers.


The lower body is rotated at waist level for the legs to face the proper direction.



All done for Streak's transformation.



A relatively large tab on the rifle handle can be pegged into the slot on Streak's palm, allowing Streak to hold Disperser Rifle very securely. ^^


The roof connector piece for the rifle can be accessed a lot easier in robot mode than in vehicle mode as shown in the previous posting. ^^


Using that connector piece, Disperser Rifle can be mounted on Streak's back, ...


... leaving the robot without any handheld weapon. ^^;
More images of Streak in robot mode in the next posting. ^^