*FINALLY*
My huge Galaxy Force order was dispatched from HLJ 14/02
With customs 27/02
Delivery attempted 01/03
Sorting office visited 02/04
Sorting office visited again 05/04, and claim made
Card through door 31/03
Item collected 04/04
First Aid is a Deluxe sized version of Armada Red Alert. Vehicle mode is broadly similar - though a little longer with the hint of the robot head sticking up through the cab. Put his Earth planet key (Cybertron #d26w) into the back of the vehicle and the rear sides pop out flipping up 2 cannons.
Transformation is a truly wondrous thing. Fold the front and the back of the car downwards, fold out feet and heel spurs, fold in the back wheels and then lock the 2 together to form the legs and the feet - the struts connecting to the front form the inner upper leg, and the struts towards the back form the outer leg. VERY clever, and not something I can recall seen being done before. Fold the rear of the car down to form the back pack, the arms up from the front doors and pop the head up.
Robot mode is compact - about 2/3 of the size of Nitro Convoy. Again a pretty faithful version of ratchet down to the welder on his left wrist. The shins hide a hammer head and a claw which can be attached to the end of this. Articulation at ball jointed shoulders and a very high mounted elbow. There are joints at the hip and knee, but it's only fore and back due to the construction of the legs from the TF. The hips can be spread somewhat widening his stance. His eyes are formed from a clear red visor which is lightpiped.
Overall: Quite simple in places, but clever transformation and a good reduced size version of an older toy.
First Aid was available in Japan as Galaxy Force toy GC-11 - released the same day as Nitro Convoy (Override) who formed his case brother when Red Alert was released in Cybertron's Deluxe Wave 2 in the US. This assortment was not released in the UK. Red Alert was also available boxed as a Wal*Mart exclusive together with a repaint of Minicon Dirt Boss and a Tint Tin container for the Minicon.
It's an interesting and original colour scheme.
Cannonball - like his antecedent - was not released in the UK.
Crankcase is based on the G1 Triggercon - this mould has some common ground with it's general shape and the pop up cannons making the use of the Crankcase name a good choice - G1 Crankcase is pictured on the same page as him in Generations 2009 v2. The main colour of the toy is a mid blue (for the white) which is similar to the blue used on the G1 character. A Haz-Mat operations (Hazardous material) logo is on each door. The clear plastic has this time been moulded in orange. Transforming to robot mode reveals that most of the dark blue on Red Alert is now mid blue too with the exception of the upper legs and panels on the waist which are grey. The hand, arm welder and attachments remain black. The key is now a clear purple version of the Sideways/Unicron key with a silver Decepticon symbol painted on it.
It's not a bad repaint at all.