The year 1990 was a strange year for me collecting-wise. Like most people around this time, I was growing out of action figures. I'd get back into them a few years later, but that would be things like McFarlane Toys, Playmates Star Trek: TNG. and Star Wars. Transformers wouldn't enter my brain after 1990 until
Beast Wars started, and that didn't really endear itself to me. 1990 would, of course, be the last year for new US G1 releases. Oddly, the only thing that I remember from that year are Action Masters. I owned the Astro Squad and the Hot Rod Patrol, but they always seemed to be 1989 figures to me. Now that I'm on my quest to finish the Micromasters and US G1 in general, it's time to get some of these 1990 guys. Enter the Construction Patrol.
There's something about construction vehicles that just say "Transformers" to me. Maybe it's the Constructicons. Perhaps it's the guys like Quickmix and Landfill. Whatever the reason, I just always seem to equate construction vehicles with Transformers. This means that the Construction Patrol is right up my alley.
Takedown is the Construction Patrol leader. He's a red cement mixer, just like Quickmix. He has more of a realistic design than Quickmix.
I have to say, I didn't think that I'd like Takedown as much as I did. Really, the entire patrol is much cooler than I originally thought.
Next up, we have my favorite figure form this squad, Neutro. Bonecrusher was always my favorite Constructicon, and Neutro seems like a worthy successor to the bulldozer Transformer title.
Neutro features a very striking looking robot mode. The pistons from the back of the scoop add a nice look to the shoulders. The colors are pretty 90's, but I like him.
Crumble transforms into a crane truck, just not one that I've ever seen. It kind of looks Cybertronian, I suppose.
I'm not really sure how Crumble is able to walk with one insanely large foot. Or one insanely small one, depending on your point of view. Surely that can't be efficient.
Finally, we have Groundpounder, and he's an earth mover. He looks like Scoop, but tiny. Maybe I can find someone to 3-D print some mini Nebulons for him.
Groundpounder's transformation has the added step of flipping his head up, which is pretty cool for a Micromaster. Extra steps are always welcome.
You know, with so many characters to choose from, I'm always surprised that the focus is almost always on the same few. While trying to find anything on these guys, I really couldn't find anything. Sure, there was an appearance on Gorlam Prime. Maybe a background cameo in
Regeneration One. Then again, there are a ton of construction vehicles. A LOT. Maybe that played a part in the Construction Patrol getting ignored?
