Aerialbots

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The Aerialbots (called Airbots in Japan and Aérobots in France) are a group of five Autobots that transform into aeroplanes and combine to form the giant robot Superion. They were introduced into the Transformers toyline in 1985 and sold as a Superion gift set, and then sold separately in 1986 in most department stores (e.g., Toys R' Us, Sears, Kay-Bee Toys). Their archenemies are the Decepticon car team the Stunticons.

The five Aerialbots are:

  • Silverbolt (Concorde) : The leader. Afraid of heights. It was due to the fact he was built from a low-altitude transport, as opposed to the spacecraft his comrades were made from. Optimus Prime gave him command of the team so that his concern over the well-being of the others would take precedence over his irrational fear. As a result, it was a while before the others accepted him as their leader. Motto: Don't look down, look straight ahead. He was voiced by Charlie Adler.
  • Air Raid (Air Rider in Japan) (F-15 Eagle) : The most impulsive member of the group, he likes to fight Decepticons right up close, Motto: If you look first, you may not leap.He was voiced by Rob Paulsen.
  • Fireflight (Firebolt in Japan) (F-4 Phantom II) : A reckless flyer, pays no attention to the safety of others as he can get easily distracted by the vistas he sees below while in flight. Motto: When I'm flying, no enemy is safe - nor friend.He was voiced by Jeff MacKay.
  • Skydive (F-16 Fighting Falcon) : A theorist, would rather research and study battles than fight in them, though he is the fastest and most skilled flyer among the Aerialbots, and one of the most skilled flyers among all Transformers. Motto: Only by studying the past can we win the present.He was voiced by Laurie Faso.
  • Slingshot (Sling in Japan) (AV-8B Harrier II) : A self-centered, loud-mouth braggart who likes to take credit for others' work. It's his way of compensating for his severe confidence problems. Motto: I'm even better than I think. He was voiced by Rob Paulsen.

Contents

[edit] Animated Series

They were created on Cybertron around the same time as the Stunticons as a countermeasure to the new Decepticon car team. They are the Autobots' first combiner team, and when merged to form Superion, also considered their strongest combiner. Unlike the Decepticons' combiner team, the Constructicons, their configuration is comprised of five transformers instead of six, or also known as Scramble City Combiner. Their first appearance comes in the two-parter Key to Vector Sigma, pts: 1 & 2. They were created to combat the Stunticons. During the fight, the Autobots were badly overpowered by the Stunticons when the newly-formed Aerialbots arrived and battled them. The Stunticons were no match for the Aerialbots and their aircraft alternate-modes, but once they merged and formed the Decepticon Menasor, things got out of hand. However, the Aerialbots had their own combination; soon they too formed their own combiner, Superion, to combat Menasor. The two battled, but Menasor began to take the upper hand. Menasor was about to land a fatal blow to the Autobot when Omega Supreme arrived, and helped Superion to defeat him, forcing the Stunticons and the Decepticons to retreat.

The Aerialbots and Stunticons squared-off again, later in the episode Cosmic Rust, where Superion defeated Menasor in a Combiner v.s. Combiner rivalry. Later on, in the episode War Dawn, they were sent back in time 9 million years ago by the Decepticons in an attempt to lose the Aerialbots forever in the dawn of time. At first, they question the motives of the early Autobots. But after a series of events, and seeing Megatron's cruelty in the past, they witnessed death of a young Autobot named Orion Pax, who was rebuilt by Alpha Trion as their leader, Optimus Prime. They become convinced, and finally accept the ways of the Autobots.

Skydive and Slingshot
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Skydive and Slingshot

In the episode The Rebirth Part 1, the Aerialbots are put into stasis lock by the Decepticon Sixshot. As the Decepticons arrive and invade Cybertron, they encounter the Aerialbots, who are patrolling the planet. Galvatron orders Sixshot to deal with them, and he easily takes down each of the five Autobots using a different alternate mode. Using the Aerialbots' parts and components, the Decepticons were then able to construct a super engine to move the planet Cybertron.

In the episode "War Dawn", the Aerialbots are transported back a couple of million years through time. Here they meet a very young Alpha Trion and his friend Orion Pax. At a factory were Orion Pax worked the new Decepticon leader "Megatron", whom Orion Pax idolized for his ability to fly, critically injures him during a raid. With the help of the Aerialbots, Alpha Trion rebuilds Orion Pax in to the new Autobot leader "Optimus Prime". After easily defeating and starting a life long rivalry with Megatron, Optimus and Alpha Trion send the Aerialbots forward back to there own time. Greeted by the present Optimus, they refresh his memroy of the role they played in his creation.

[edit] Dreamwave Comics

The Aerialbots had a very different origin in Dreamwave comics, being a group of Autobot jets from Cybertron, they were part of an experiment to duplicate the combined form of Devastator. Later they came to Earth, refomatted into Earth-style forms.

Upon the awakening of Optimus Prime in Dreamwave's first Generation One mini-series, the Aerialbots were among the Autobots summoned by Optimus to rescue the remaining Autobots, who had been turned into mind-controlled weapons of mass destruction by a human arms dealer. During a subsequent battle with the Decepticons in San Francisco, the Aerialbots, merged into Superion, sacrificed themselves to stop an incoming nuclear missile, launched by rogue elements in the U.S. military to eradicate both factions of Cybertronians in one fell swoop.

Later, it was revealed that parts of Superion, including his head, were recovered by the faction of the U.S government that also recovered Scourge, hinting that they were possibly trying to rebuild him.

[edit] Transformers: Generation 2

The Aerialbots were re-released in new colors for Generation 2. Additionally Air Raid was the name given to a new Autobot Cyber-Jet toy later in the line, seemingly the same character as the Aerialbot.

[edit] Transformers: Energon

Energon Treadshot (Air Raider)
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Energon Treadshot (Air Raider)

A group of five Autobot combiner jets formed a giant robot called Superion Maximus. Although they had different names in the US, their Japanese names were the same as the Generation One Aerialbots.

[edit] Transformers: Universe

Characters named Air Raid, Fireflight, Skydive and Silverbolt all appeared as Autobots in the Transformers: Universe series, but no direct connection is made between them and the original Autobots bearing those names. Although Silverbolt is established to be the Silverbolt from Beast Wars and Beast Machines, the others received no biography and may or may not be the same characters. Air Raid in particular is a recolor of his Generation 2 Cyberjet mold, so he may be the same character.

A recolor of the Japanese exclusive Sixwing was released in Transformers: Universe, whose new name is Superion. Many of his component Micromaster Autobots are named after the Aerialbots, except for Slingshot. In addition two other Micromasters are named Storm Jet and Ro-Tor.

The Transformers: Energon toy of Storm Jet, Windrazor and Terradive were repackaged in Transformers: Universe packaging, but no changes were made to the toys. They have not appeared in any Transformers: Universe fiction.

[edit] Micro Transformers

The Micro series of Transformers contains a repaint of Micro Jetfire painted red and named Fireflight. According to Hasbro sources at Botcon 2006 this toy was originally intended to be called Powerglide, but they can't get a trademark on that name.

[edit] External links

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