Mini Review - Fans Hobby MB-22 Sky Flame
Fans Hobby MB-22 Sky Flame comes rocketing into the atmosphere straight from Fans Hobby HQ to my photo desk! I don’t have any personal experience with the original Armada Jetfire, so this is my first time experiencing this design and this version of the character. Let’s check him out!
The Goodies
(+) Great materials! Everything feels solid and sturdy, with strong ratchet joints and robust tabs and clips where needed.
(+) Awesome design! The sci-fi space shuttle mode is high tech and futuristic, while retaining the familiar shape we know and love. The robot mode is huge and heroic looking with his giant wings creating a unique silhouette. The head sculpt is impeccable and the paint work is excellent. This is easily on my short list for great third party head sculpts both from Fans Hobby, and in the broader spectrum as well.
(+) Great articulation and fun play features! Individually articulated fingers, double elbow joints, and minicon ports for added playability. He’s even got a magnetically activated LED featured in his blaster!
(+) Looks great in all modes, whether you want to display him in shuttle mode, robot mode, or the combined powered up mode with Fans Hobby MB-15 Naval Commander!
(+) The combined mode is huge, and creates a whole new look that is unique from the original Naval Commander’s combined mode. The added wings and chest plate make Naval Commander stand out in a display.
The Baddies
(-) The feet could be larger or otherwise more stable. He can be a bit tricky to stand in certain poses, especially in combined mode. A display stand would be recommended for long term display.
(-) The waist connection for the super mode can come un-done easily while trying to adjust the pose, or when trying to activate the ab crunch which is on a very strong ratchet joint. Even adjusting the very strong joints in his legs and knees can cause the waist section to come undone if you are not careful.
(-) Few options for weapon/accessory storage aside from his hands. A forearm mount would have been appreciated to emulate the on-screen appearance.
Final Thoughts
Sky Flame is a solid and fun toy, with only a few nitpicks that could have been improved. If you are a Unicron Trilogy fan, this is definitely going to appeal to you, and if you already have Naval Commander and/or X-Load, you owe it to yourself to complete this trio. I especially love the look and feel of the huge alt mode, and the head sculpt is easily one of Fans Hobby’s best. You can order your own copy of MB-22 Sky Flame directly from Fans Hobby by clicking here!
