Transformers Movie 2 Leader Jetfire

A real treat here, TF fans. This figure is abound w/versatility: w/panels that become prime's firearm (in jet charged mode: that's a whole 'nother story altogether!), multiple accessories and a third mode that combines W/leader Optimus, this figure really delivers @ MSRP of 44.99. Although the robot gears and anatomy are eyesore-inducing (aka the phenomenon of "Kibble" as we collectors refer to it), the functionality of Jetfire is more than enough to compensate for it. Has excellent articulation for an item that undergoes a fair deal of transformation (though, in my opinion, Voyager Mixmaster takes the cake for metamorphosis/articulation ratio). The Mech-Alive gimmick is fairly intricate despite its limited range, and the speech gimmick does the trick (however, I thought Hasbro could've strived for more than just a single, eponymous line of dialogue for these leader-class figures).
And lastly, the fusing you can do w/him and optimus is true fun realized: a MASSIVE figure...Read more

Leader Class Jetfire

Robot mode pros:
-He's hunched over, just like in the film and can actually use his cane as a cane. (How neat is that?) Captures the feel of the film character.

-He's rather posable considering all of his gimmicks and combiner pieces being a core component of the figure.

-His face is a nearly perfect representation of the film character. (A really nice job, no seriously.)

Robot mode cons:

-His balance is a bit difficult due to his legs having weak ratchets compared to the voluminous weight of his backpack. (This is where the hunched over look comes in handy.)

-The panels that hide his face for vehicle and combined mode are double ball jointed and they pop off all the time. Becomes rather bothersome to have to snap 'em back in place all the time.

Transformation pros:

-Rather easy, so you (or your kids) won't be terribly frustrated going from one mode or the...Read more

What a pairing! One of the best transformers of all time in the form of one of the best jets of all time! The top of the jet is amazing!
For those of you with limited shelf space, Jetfire is about 18" in jet mode (which is my favorite mode). The highest difficulty rating on the box is no joke, it took awhile for me to transform him. I would point out that it wasn't hard to figure out how to transform him, but the already transformed pieces would keep disconnecting, causing me to go back and repeat steps over again(the five general segments that make up the realistic top of the SR-71 were the main culprits).
I have yet to purchase Leader Optimus Prime, so cannot comment on the combination of the two, but the instructions make it look fairly simple from Jetfire's vehicle mode. I'm a huge Jetfire fan from the G1 days, and although I'm not fond of the engineering of this figure(the robot parts are too obvious under the jet, and the jet parts are too bulky in robot mode),...Read more