Sandstorm (G2)
From Transformers Wiki
| The name or term "Sandstorm" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Sandstorm (disambiguation). |
- Sandstorm is a Decepticon Seeker from the Generation 2 portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.
Sandstorm is a Decepticon jet who (presumably) specializes in desert warfare. He battles the Autobots over energon and that's... that's sort of it.
Contents |
Fiction
Ask Vector Prime
In the Battle of Sherman Dam in Primax 096.0 Beta, the Seeker Sandstorm tried to run off with energon cubes. Mirage and Sideswipe tried to stop him. Ask Vector Prime, 6 September 2015
Generations Selects Special Comic
Sandstorm was accompanying Megatron during the latter's bid for the Selectors' freedom. When the Dinobots arrived, he was shot in the chest by Snarl's reflective spikes. Volcanicus comic 2
Toys
Generation 2
- Sandstorm (Decepticon Jet,
1995)
- Accessories: Presumably 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles, 2 fists (left & right), 2 wings (left & right), 2 tail fins, front landing gear, sound effects box
- Sandstorm was to have been a desert camo-themed redeco of the Generation 2 version of Ramjet, tranforming into an F-15 Eagle with wings that seem to be inspired by the prototype F-16XL. As a Ramjet redeco, he presumably would have had spring-loaded firing missile launchers, and perhaps a sound effects box that would have been mountable above his engines.
- He was revealed a long time after the end of Generation 2 by a series of prototypes (see "Notes" below) and concept art (up top); the art was labeled with an assortment number that indicates he was intended to be 1995 product shipped alongside Blackout. It is very likely that these toys were killed very early in the development of 1995 product, given the lack of "finished" samples and that Hasbro was trying to shift the line away from reminding people of the old line too much at this point.
 Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Generations Selects
- Decepticon Sandstorm (Voyager Class, 2020)
- Series: War for Cybertron: Earthrise
- ID number: WFC-GS21
- Accessories: 2 rifles
- A Generations Selects add-on to Earthrise, "Decepticon Sandstorm" is a redeco of Ramjet, transforming into a modified F-15 fighter jet with cranked-arrow delta wings based on the F-16XL prototype. He is now cast in a desert camo deco, and has a shark face marking on his nosecone. As one of the Coneheads, Sandstorm features a new headsculpt based on the original Conehead design, though it is a faux piece not formed from the actual nosecone.
- While the null-rays can be wielded by his pair of hands, it's almost impossible for him to properly hold them due to the size of his forearms.
- The figure's design and transformation scheme are heavily based on the 2006 Classics Starscream mold (and its subsequent retool of Ramjet), while adding points of articulation the earlier figure did not have such as pivoting ankles, a more expressive ball-jointed head, and hinges that allow the wings to fold backwards on his legs in robot mode.
- Care must be taken when transforming Sandstorm, as the paint on the tip of the head can rub against the inside of the jet's nosecone. Despite being a Generation 2-inspired redeco, Sandstorm has G1-styled Decepticon logos on his wings. Believe it or not, this is genuinely consistent with original Generation 2 Seeker toys.
- Like all other uses of the mold, Sandstorm has a missing molded panel-line detail on the right wing hinge that is supposed to curve in towards the body of the jet. The reason for this missing detail is likely due to it missing from the metal mold itself. The unpaintable plastic used to make Sandstorm's forearms and hands has also been reported to yellow over time.
| Earthrise mold: Starscream | ||
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Version 1:
Version 2:
Other versions:
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Notes
- Sandstorm's artwork, under the ad hoc name "Desert Ramjet", floated around the internet for some years, having originally surfaced from the same collection of ex-Hasbro employee memorabilia that yielded "tiger" Grimlock and Blackout.
- In 2007, a physical mock-up matching the "desert Ramjet" art came to the fandom's attention via a pictorial review done by Transformers fan and rarities-hunter Maziar Shahsafdari for his website TF-1.com. However, the existence of Sandstorm as a named character separate from Ramjet was not revealed until a labeled copy of the artwork was printed in the 2011 Transformers Vault collector's book.
- In 2012, it was revealed that Sandstorm was much further along in production than the fandom had previously suspected when a deco-less test shot was discovered on the Chinese auction site TaoBao (from a seller also possessing loose Generation 2 Stunticons, Protectobots, and a production colors Blackout).[1] The test shot (shown above) differs from the package art and mock-up by possessing two shades of tan, black missiles, and a tan head, though the color layouts between the three line up otherwise.
- A thematically similar hand-painted redeco of the Starscream mold (in jungle colors) is also known to exist, having been found in an auction on eBay in 2007. Whether it was meant to be Starscream or a new character like Sandstorm is unknown.
- In addition to that, there's another Ramjet redeco in sky blue colors. Whether this would have been Ramjet or a new character in Generation 2 is unknown, but in 2023, Hasbro would use the deco as the Legacy: Evolution character Cloudcover.
- Jesse Wittenrich described the Wings Universe character Breakaway as a roundabout homage to Generation 2 Sandstorm: as movieverse Breakaway shares a toy mold with movieverse Thrust, G1 Breakaway would share a color scheme with the Conehead Sandstorm.
