Think about it.

a) Colours are perfect. It doesn't seem likely that the bright turquiose blue / bright orange/red / navy blue / grey and black would match; but they do, and they match perfectly. This is probably the best of the G2 colours.
b) The gimmick (Two toys, the gattling missile launcher) are enough to sell the toy, leaving the toy's other many facets to be discovered by the purchaser.
c) One need not be a fan of robots to enjoy this toy (the stealth bomber vehicle mode by itself is amazing fun).
d) The robots are completely posable.
e) Smokescreen's transformation is the ideal transformation. Has there been a transformer jet with less undercarriage junk ever since? Maybe Masterpiece Starscream, who else?
f) Outfitted with incredible amounts of weaponry (it comes with 14 missiles!)
g) Combination gimmick is fun, and the triple change is a nice bonus feature/

and most importantly

h) Both toys OOZE personality; one can make out the personality of big brute Dreadwing and Smokescreen without any major TF storytime having been devoted to them. (BW2 excluded)

I wanted to add that the Japanese comic that accompanied these two is one of the most gorgeous pieces of TF artwork ever done, but that's purely subjective on my part.

(Some old pics I took of him a LONG time ago)

I agree it is a wonderfull pair.
I would love to see the duo redone.

Cyb Thundercracker?

Energon Starscream.

He was probably my most wanted and favorite toy from G2. Which really says a lot since back then I generally didn't care about characters who were not in the cartoon.

Oh god. When I whas a kid I played this to peices. Seriously. It shattered. No other toy I ever owned where played with that much and I whas devastated when I lost the missiles and couldn't use the awesome launcher.

If I could I would some day want to own a complete one.

I only wish I had the RID Smokejumper version. I remember being highly disappointed when it didn't reach Canada. (Being of a suspicious brown persuasion post-9-11 world meant I didn't want to drive across the border, and I didn't know who to trust in online shopping back then). I would still buy them on sight, but not for the price that they reach in Akihabara.

Yeah, gotta agree with all the good points. The toy is really good. I don't think I have passed on any release of this toy to date.

It is indeed a superb and fun toy. I've always liked it.

This mould is one of my favourite of all time.

Fortmax and I were talking about him the other week.

The only problem with the mould is, of course, that Smokescreen's arms are misassembled. His forearms (But not his tail fins, mind you) are on the wrong sides, so they don't fit in EXACTLY right and his thumbs are on the wrong sides. It's a simple matter to correct, though.

Fort Max pointed out one of the most amazing things about this toy is how it uses its engineering to have more features -- how it capitalises on its own design. It's amazing.

All the launchers share the same missiles -- unlike, say, Laser Prime who also has a miriad of launchers that all work differently and all have different missiles. ALL The missiles on Gen2 Dreadwing/Smokescreen are interchangeable, yet he also has three COMPLETELY DIFFERENT METHODS of deploying the missiles.

Dreadwing can carry Smokescreen's weapons -- and Smokescreen can mount his guns in a CRAPLOAD of places. Try:
*In his hands.
*On his legs/the side of his jet mode.
*One launcher mounded on the TOP of his jet mode thanks to a rivet hole being made the same size as his fist holes.
*On the undersides of his arms by using his guns' targeting sights.

Dreadwing is a Powermaster done right, basically. He's incredible. I love all the FEATURES they packed into him. It's like they couldn't stop themselves. "His wings are too boring... let's put bombs there!" "Let's make his legs TF into tank treads through SPRING LOADED PUSH-BUTTON ACTION!" "He needs light piping too!" "And his gattling gun should be on an articulated pivot!" "Oh! let's give him a CRAPLOAD of articulation while we're at it!"

Late Generation 2 was like that. Hasbro and Takara were just throwing EVERYTHING at the toys and hoping it worked.

--Boltax.
(Sometimes it DIDN'T work... coughcoughLaserRodscoughcough.)

Oranges and blues are complimentary colours. Why would you think they'd not match?
But yeah, I think this toy would be a lot of fun back in the day. Like dakka, you need moar missles, always, no exceptions. This is the most I've ever seen on a single toy. I also prefer, usually, non-humanoid facial features (G1 Grimlock, BW Depth Charge) and these guys' heads are neat looking.

The specific orange is incredibly bright and just doesn't look good except as a highlight - which is exactly the purpose it serves on this. Furthermore, it clashes a bit with the turquoise; but it's ok because (again) it is just highlights and minor details.

I never realized how interesting the colour scheme was until recently. It is incredible that turquoise is made to look dark and moody through the masterful colour selections on this toy.

There's a reason I have all 4 (?) versions of this mold.

Randy

4 versions?

G2 Dreadwing / Smokescreen
Japan BW BB / Starscream
RiD Dreadwind / Smokejumper

The only other use of this mold that I'm aware of is the unreleased and highly prized G2 Megatron / Starscream.

You have that one too?

Robot Masters had Gigant Bomb and Smokesniper.

There were also the Robot Masters versions. Sold separately for the first (and only) time, I believe.

Awesome set. I use to have the BW2 Starscrem and BB release and loved it to pieces. Only problem with it is that the stickers were pretty lousy...

Isn't it just the RiD versions that can (accidentally) combine with Armada Megatron? Or can the Robotmasters versions do it too?

All of them should be able to combine with armada megatron, I mean unless there was some remolding or something between BW2 and RID.

But I no longer have G2 and never had BW2 to see if there any differences....

Quick question though did the instructions that involved armada tidal wave with armada megs plus dreadwing/smokescreen ever show up online?

I really need to pick up a Smokesniper but I can't justify paying more for him than what I paid for Gigant Bomb. ;-;

The only real mold differences were with the missiles/launchers. The gatling mechanism was redesigned so that the missiles locked into place, instead of sliding around freely. The missiles thusly had an extra, thin "point" molded to the back of them. Additionally, a small ridge was molded onto the fins of the missiles, so that they clipped into RiD Dreadwind's wings more securely.

Then the Robotmasters versions shrunk the fist holes (and remolded the gun handles and Smokesniper's leg sockets accordingly), so that the robots could also wield the strange translucent weapons that came with many of the Robotmasters releases.



The G2 release is by far my favourite colourscheme of any of the releases. The black and dark blue make the duo far more imposing, while the vibrant teal and red really pop against that otherwise dark backdrop.

On all subsequent releases, "Dreadwing"'s lighter colour head really downplays the robot's menace.

And the unreleased ATB Megatron/Starscream threw even more gimmicks at the toy in the form of glow-in-the-dark missiles.

Dammit, G2. You ended too early.

I only own the RiD version, but even accounting for color differences, I think "perfection" is a little high. The missiles never like to stay on the big guy's wings, dropping off if I so much as look at them wrong (turning him into tank mode tends to incur an unintentional Death Blossom effect).

The landing gear on Dreadwing has always been a "why did they bother" thing for me too... not like this guy's going to spend a lot of time on the ground (in jet mode, anyway) and he certainly wouldn't takeoff and land using his missile launcher in place of a front wheel.

I'll grant those are minor things in the long run, and the first may be exclusive to the particular figures I've owned (I've had the RiD version twice now). He's definitely one of the better figures, and maybe I'm just not as enamored of him as some here, but I'd like to think there are figures that have been as good/better in the last 15 years.

Such was how things worked before the advent of hard-and-fast pricepoints. They just threw as much in as they could and figured out the appropriate price (like Laser Prime) as opposed to knowing the limits of the price point and squeezing in as much (or as little, if the character sells itself like Prime or Megatron) as possible. If I recall correctly, Takara designers still bemoan that change, specifically the plastic weight limits or something like that.


I don't believe that's true.

G2 Dreadwing/Smokescreen is definitely one of the pinnacles of Transformers, but he's not perfect. For instance, getting Dreadwing to stand on his own is a bitch half the time since he has no heel spurs to balance out the amount of weight from the wings and gatling cannon. The arm shields also love to break since they rely on pressure. Smokescreen is a work of art, though.

Deluxe Jetstorm.

I agree with you. That's why I have every deco of this mold ever made! (well, except the Megatron one, but that's basically BWII Starscrem/BB)

Yeah when I said I had all 4 it was G2, BWII, RID, and RM. I probably like the G2 version the best. But they're all really nice.

I did like how Smokesniper was angry at Lio Convoy for comparing him to BWII's Starscream.

Randy

I need to get these two molds sometime.

I'm also a fan of this mold. It really makes you wonder where G2 would have gone if it hadn't been canceled.

There was. RID Dreadwind has a new screw hole or something that allows one of Megatron's Mini-Con hardpoints to peg into him. I have no idea whether Gigant Bomb retains this.

I've got BB/Starscream and Gigant Bomb/Smokesniper, and I love them both. The combining feature is neat, they've got a load of cool weaponry, the big guy's a credible futuristic tank and a neat Stealth Bomber, and they're both just fun toys.

I wouldn't say they're perfect by any means, nor the pinnacle of TF design, but they're really solid for what they are.

Yeah, they were one of the best things G2 had to offer, and there combining ability is something we almost never see. There robot modes do not hold up as well as newer stuff we've gotten since Beast Wars and after though.

Randy

No one linked to the wiki yet?

Here ya go. This explains the remolding that allowed the combination, and at the bottom of the page you can find the combination instructions. Personally, I felt it didn't hold for beans and looked like crap, but trying it out was a fun way to kill an hour or so.

The wiki is actually a little unclear as to whether Gigant Bomb/Smokesniper can combine with Arm Megatron/Galvatron.

All I have is the RID Dreadwind, no Smokejumper.

And for some reason, the right knee is loose and he won't stand very well.

Have you tried tightening the screw?

Yeah. Both the leg screws, in fact. But the joint remains loose and his right knee needs to be bent inward slightly to keep him from falling over.

EDIT: Okay, I tightened them a little more, on both legs.

But the lack of heels really kills this toy, upsetting the balance makes it fall over...

I never really remember having balance issues with mine. Maybe I just had him tilted a little forward or something.

Even so, I remember in 1999, I had traded them for G1 Rodimus Prime and Kup. That lasted about a week, before I decided I wanted them back (and he was more than willing to trade again since at the time, the G1 figures were way more valuable).

IMO G2 Dreadwing is one of the most underrated Tf around.It would be otherwise if only G2 cartoon series could ever hit the TV screens.

Always liked the triple-changer and poseability.simply classic

The big guy's lack of heel spurs is what does him in.

Oh, and while I know he was planned to be released as Megatron during G2, why not as Soundwave? Soundwave never had a good G2 toy, and at least the shoulder cannon and having a little minion thing would enough resemblance for most.

All versions of this mould are slightly different due to the gattling cannon.

The G2 versions's missiles don't lock into the cannon.
The Beast Wars II version was remoulded WITHOUT modding the missiles, so that the missiles lock into the launcher.
Then the RiD version was modded AGAIN -- with new missiles, and new lock-in-place in the launcher... the new missiles also had feed lines so now there's a 'proper' way to feed them into Smokejumper's launchers.
Then the Robot Masters version was modded AGAIN to make the missiles lock into the cannon. This time each missile has TWO Feed lines!

I prefer the versions where the missiles lock in, to be honest... even though the G2 version still has probably the best colours.
--Boltax.

G2 Dreadwing/Smokescreen is one of my favorite molds of the era (the other being Laser Prime) and one that I'll be keeping when I sell off most of my G2s.

Still thinking about getting the BW SS/BB version sometime (the Sonoking version that you can get on ebay easily).

I dunno if I would define them as the pinnacle of TF design, but they certainly exemplar all the best qualities between the two except for one:

Waist Articulation. More and more, I am finding that having a waist swivel really sets a figure above the cut of a lot of contemporaries.

In terms of design perfection, I would be tempted to pick some personal favorites like E-Barricade, or Classics Rodimus.

I have to join in on the love for them, They're such a great pair of toys. And I apologize profusely for the dust, and this is them after cleaning them , But I have a reason for not touching them. (I should just box them up)



I didn't realize until I was transforming him into robot mode that I had his treads wrong.


It saddens me that Dreadwing is always left out among the triple changers, his modes might be simple but they work.


A great pair of Decepticons, they look great together (Well, they should after all.)


Here's why I haven't touched them in years, the plastic on main hinge that holds his chest, head and arms onto the rest of him broke on his left side, if the right one breaks all he'll be good for is his vehicle modes, if they would even hold together.


I did a close up of Dreadwing, I couldn't leave out Smokescreen. (Blurry though, bleh)


Well Swoop, what do you think of them? Look at them, so hopeful.


He approves! Swoop would gladly fight them any day! They're so happy too.


So I'm wondering, is there a agreed upon "Best" version? Or is it personal preference for color and locking missiles or sliding?

The majority seem to prefer the Japanese BW version. I say booooring.

The falling-out-missiles thing is a bit irritating, admittedly, but I don't believe waist articulation is at all relevant or important in regards to the enjoyment factor on these toys. It isn't an Armada Megatron situation; you can do plenty of cool stuff even without it.

Glad to see that plenty of people appreciate the greatness of Dreadwind. The combined vehicle mode is cool to this day.

Well, I personally prefer the Robotmasters versions, between the colors, the ability to carry the Robotmasters weapons and the locking missles.

My favourite is the RiD version -- the locking missiles, the nice subdued colours.

Plus it's my first ever version of the mould.

I love all four versions, though... and I just recently got the Beast Wars II version! Yay!

--Boltax.
(I wish its missiles glowed in the dark.)

How would you even get waist articulation onto them? I don't think the design really allows for it.

Personally, I find thigh swivels far more useful than waist swivels.

I have the BWII versions (Paint a TF black and purple and I will likely buy it...but the lovely yellow missiles and eyes are the capper, in this case, adding great flash and visual contrast to him) and the Robot Masters, which I feel tread a nice line between the less bright and the more colorful releases of these dudes. They're quite spiffy; I think the lavender (?) accent color is one of my favorite parts.

Gotta love those original colors, though. I may not be a big-time G2 fan (My collection consists of...Laser Prime reissued...and....uh, Laser Magnus), but even I have to respect that scheme, as it's very eye-catching.

I still want 'em as Darkwing and Dreadwind, to be honest, even with the nice Classics versions out there.

I never meant to imply the lack of a waist hurts these guys, far from it. I was just pointing out it is one of the very few features they lack that contribute to a TF's awesomeness.

My pick is the RM version for the best, but I have a massive soft spot for the original G2 Deco.