Leader Class Optimus Prime anyone? I know, I know, it’s about time right. Well I had one hell of a time opening him up in order to swap out the yellow LED in his head for a blue one! I found the problem tho, it’s a metal pin located just under his torso that you have to tap out in order to unscrew him. The ends were covered by melted plastic so I didn’t even know it was there for the longest time and thought they glued him together! Once he’s opened it’s a mess of wires, springs that suddenly fall out in your lap, and loose pieces that come flying out. That’s the only way to get his head open unfortunately and it’ll take you a good 2 hours to re-solder and put him back together. I didn’t even touch the chest-lights because they were behind what looks like 5 layers of moving parts, springs, and wires.
Prime got the treatment, boy did he! I created a sword for him using the clear-orange ammo-case for some 22 bullets (it was thicker than a CD case), cut styrene for the metallic siding, and a chunk of Scorponok’s tail because it had just the right size and shape. There’s two rare-earth magnets in the base of his wrist when you flip Prime’s hand inside as if you were going to turn him into truck mode. The two magnets in the base of the sword connect directionally to the wrist and hold that sucker on TIGHT. You can almost lift the figure up holding the sword. Metal tubing was used for Prime’s removable smokestacks and the whole thing is topped off by my custom paint apps. Prime has Cybertronian hieroglyphics on his cheeks! And I realized the outside of his forearms needed to be red as well so I painted those. He has basic black basecoat to his robot parts then Mithril Silver drybrushing. I added a wash to sections but mainly he was painted like I do all my figures. I’m working on an ammo-chain for his gun… no, not a Doc Ock tentacle, LOL! I’ll see what else I can come up with.
