Tailspin
From Transformers Wiki
- Tailspin is anAutobotMicromasterfrom theGeneration 1continuity family.
Tailspinis the most impulsive member of theRace Car Patrol.He'll fire his weapons wildly in the general direction of the enemy without a thought for the collateral damage. While out on scouting missions, he'll start fights with theDecepticonforces they were sent to observe, often getting in over his head.Roadhandleradmires his enthusiasm, but often has to remind Tailspin about the objective of their missions.[1]
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Fiction
Marvel Comics continuity
MarvelThe Transformerscomics
Tailspin and the rest of the Race Car Patrol, along with theRescue Patrol,were tasked with preventing theDecepticonsfrom experimenting on their fellow Autobot Micromasters from theBattle Patrol,previously captured during a scouting mission. They were given explosive charges to destroy the facility where the Battle Patrol were being held, but chafed againstXaaron's orders that did not permit them to attempt a rescue. When mission leader Roadhandler turned to the rest of the team for their opinion on the situation, Tailspin said what they were all thinking: the set-up stunk, and they would follow Roadhandler's lead if he decided to disregard Xaaron's instructions. With the others backing him, Roadhandler braved the installation. Entry to the facility proved a little too easy... Turns out the Decepticons had already successfully reverse-engineered Micromaster technology, and were now using the Autobots to test their new Air Strike Patrol. With a bit of trickery on Roadhandler's part, the Autobots nonetheless managed to liberate their comrades. Although the Decepticons now had Micromaster technology, everyone came back alive.A Small War!
In need of reinforcements,Optimus Primesummoned Tailspin and his teammates toEarth,where they immediately started complaining about having to listen to big gas-guzzlers like him. Prime informed them on a pair of recent news reports involving giant creatures spotted in theNew Jerseyswamps and unusual storm activity consolidating over Manhattan. Believing there was a Decepticon link between the stories, the Race Car Patrol went to patrol the nearby roads. There, they ran intoCecilia Santiago,a reporter who was already investigating recent developments. With her help, they locatedIguanusinNew York City,as he was planting an energy-collecting device on top of theEmpire State Building.A couple of police officers, mistaking them for humans in costumes, attempted to bar the Micromasters' way, forcing Tailspin and his teammates to tie them to nearby lampposts to proceed. While Tailspin had some trouble operating an elevator at first, the Race Car Patrol eventually made it to the building's roof, where they defeated Iguanus and prevented him from collecting any of the storm's energies. After the mission's completion, the Micromasters regrouped at the base of the Empire State Building, where Optimus offered to pick them up, so they could avoid any trouble from the local law enforcement agents. The Micromasters refused Optimus's help, preferring to instead act as an independent unit and deal with such matters their own way. They decided to stay in New York from then on.King Con!
During their stay in the city, Tailspin andMudslingerspent their time capturing human criminals. Then, Roadhandler found a new forum with which to demonstrate Autobot virtues to a larger human audience: the professional wrestling circuit. He quickly achieved fame through this venue, attracting the unwanted attentions of the Decepticons.Lord Zarakeventually arranged to have one of his Micromasters,Storm Cloud,to face off against Roadhandler in the ring. To ensure a Decepticon victory however, Zarak planned to take some human hostages. Cecilia saw through this ploy and had Tailspin, along with the rest of the Autobot Micromasters, keep an eye on Roadhandler's fanclub. Tailspin andHighjumphelped save the group from getting abducted by the Decepticons, and Roadhandler was able to emerge victorious without worry about casualties.The Interplanetary Wrestling Championship!
Later, Tailspin and the Race Car Patrol accompanied Optimus Prime on a mission to retrieve vital battle plans fromChainclaw,who was serving as a courier. When Chainclaw was intercepted and captured by the DecepticonDealer,Tailspin argued for shooting them both out of the sky, quoting a protocol that allowed for such a sacrifice. Optimus Prime dismissed this course of action, saying that an Autobot must always consider other options. One such presented itself immediately, as Dealer then radioed Optimus and offered to sell the plans back to him for 5000 energon units. Optimus agreed to the Decepticons' terms, and turned to the Race Car Patrol for volunteers on the exchange. Another Autobot namedDoublepopped up, claiming to be Chainclaw's escort seeking to redeem himself on his failed mission. Optimus allowed Double to go through with the mission, but grew antsy when there appeared to be a delay on his return. He did come back, badly damaged and carrying Chainclaw, claiming that the Decepticons had ambushed him and taken both the plans and the energon. Angered by the betrayal, the rest of the Autobots present vowed to deal with the Decepticons themselves, and charged into battle againstScorponok's troops, holed up in a nearby building.(Double) Deal of the Century!
At theTransformers' party forChristmas1989,Tailspin sat on a bottle and raised a (tiny) glass.The Transformers#250 cover
Transformers Comic-Magazin
Tailspin and the Autobot Micromasters battled against their Decepticon counterparts in New York City.New York — A City Sinking in TerrorThey later fought the Pretenders while defending oil deposits in Alaska.The Transformers' Grand Hour: Headmaster of the Dimensions
Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity
Zonecartoon, manga, and story pages
WhenVictory Saberinitiated the "Zone Project", the Race Car Patrol helped rebuild PlanetMicrointo Planet Zone. To counter this threat,Violengiguarbegan conquering planets in order to create his ownDecepticon Zone.The Race Car Patrol and all otherMicromasterteams were then sent on patrol across the galaxy, specifically to planets where their unique skills could do the most good.Zone Part 1
WhenKing PoseidonandTrypticonattacked the aquatic planet ofWall,the Race Car Patrol team were deployed to defend it. With the aid of CommandersOverload,Erector,Missile BullandSkywave,they emerged triumphant.Zone Part 3
The Race Car Patrol were one of the numerous Micromaster teams that helped defend Planet Zone from theNine Great Demon Generals.Unfortunately, they were not able to preventOverlordfrom stealing the planet'sZodiacenergy capsule.Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!Transformers: Zone
When thePowered Mastersflew off to theTenth Planetfor their showdown with Violengiguar, all the Micromaster teams took command of Zone and vowed to keep it safe in their Commander's absence.Zone Part 10
Legendscomic
In 2038, Tailspin was on Zone when it was invaded by the forces ofViolengiguarandUnicron Neo.Along with a number of fellow Micromasters, he swarmed the possessed body ofDai Atlas,distracting the Decepticon spirit inside until heavier weaponry could be brought to the battlefield.LG-EX Big Powered Prologue Part One
2005 IDW continuity
Tailspin was one of the legions ofDead UniverseGorlamites who pursuedHardheadandNightbeatonGorlam Prime.He survived to confront Hardhead with theJhiaxus-controlled Nightbeat in the planet's subterranean tunnels, but failed to prevent the Autobot from escaping into the Dead Universe.Spotlight: HardheadTailspin also attempted to stopArceefrom pursuing a weakened Jhiaxus. He failed but his fate was left unknown.Spotlight: Sideswipe
Beast Wars: Uprising
During theGrand Uprising,Tailspin was a Micromaster POW captured by the Resistance off theMithril Sea.He was forced to fight in a new version of the Games against his fellow Micromaster captives.Safe Spaces
Commercial appearances
Tailspin was among the many Autobot Micromasters unleashed byOptimus Primethat managed to infiltrate the Decepticons' lair and muck up the place.Micromaster Patrols commercial
Toys
The Transformers
- Takara ID number:C-334
- Released in the sixth year of Hasbro's USTransformerstoyline(fifth year in European markets), Tailspin transforms into a bluePorsche 962 racecar.Tailspin isgang-moldedwith Swindler, sharing the same plastic colors.
- He was only available in a four-pack with his teammatesFree Wheeler,Roadhandler,andSwindler.
- Together with theAir Strike Patroland theOff Road Patrol,the Race Car Patrol was released by Hasbro in late 1988 (basically, a case of "next year product" being released at the end of the old year), in packaging that differed from the "proper" 1989 Micromasters' redesigned packaging (silver cards and boxes featuring an all-new "Transformers" logo) by retaining a variation of the faction-specific color-coded gradient background on the card and featuring a unique "Micro Transformers" title in a variation of the old, pre-1989 "Transformers" logo. This same basic packaging design was also used for Canada (albeit bilingual English/French) and parts of Europe (bilingual French/Dutch, and Italian-only packaging distributed byGiG). However, arunning change variantof the French/Dutch version featuring the later 1989 packaging design also exists, and most likely a similar version (in English-only packaging) was also released in the United Kingdom alongside similar versions of the Air Strike Patrol and the Off Road Patrol.
- The Race Car Patrol was released a year later as part of theZoneportion of Takara'sFight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformersseries, with no notable changes from theHasbroversion.
Notes
Foreign names
- Japanese:Spinchange(スピンチェンジSupinchenji)
- French:Tête-à-Queue(Canada, "Head-to-Tail" )
- Italian:Proton
- Hungarian:Örvény( "whirl" )
