Tailwind

ALLEGIANCE: DECEPTICON
SUB-GROUP(S): MICROMASTER AIR STRIKE PATROL
FUNCTION: AERIAL TRACKING
“Revenge is sweet, victory is sweeter.”

First Appearance: Transformers 223
Significant Appearances: Transformers 223, 233, 238, 240-245, 250, 302

Tailwind is the quietest member of the Air Strike Patrol. While the others take great enjoyment from their espionage missions... gleefully relishing the punishment they mete out to Autobot foes, Tailwind prefers to keep quiet and keep to the back of the group. Tailwind is a committed over-achiever, dedicated to succeeding at any cost. However, unlike his fellow patrol members, he bides his time, secretly plotting to take command when he feels the time is right.

Abilities: The Air Strike Patrol rank among the savviest and most capable of Decepticon air warriors. Together the team are renowned for their “fly, spy, and fry” technique of stealing information and blasting their targets. Tailwind can transform into an Earthen “A-10 Warthog” aircraft with a maximum speed of 1,200 km/h. In aircraft mode, Tailwind is armed with a nosecone-mounted multi-directional machine gun.

Weaknesses: Tailwind is the slowest flier of the Air Strike Patrol. Because of his quiet nature compared to the others he is much less trusted and, as such often left behind if a mission fails.

Commentary

The Air Strike Patrol were first released in 1988 (on card, the same style as the other Transformers from 1988, with the original style Tech Specs meter) and re-released the following year in silver packaging to match the Micromaster Transports and Bases). In Japan, the Air Strike Patrol were actually Autobots. Tailwind was known as “Wind Rim”.

Tailwind’s mould was recoloured into Hot House, an Autobot Micromaster.

The Air Strike Patrol first appeared in issue 223 of the British Transformers comic in the black-and-white “Aspects of Evil” story and their origin story appeared a few weeks later in issue 232-233’s “A Small War”. These brief appearances were the only times the Air Strike Patrol were featured.

Marvel US’s issue 55’s diabolical “Interplanetary Wrestling Competition” introduced the Air Strike Patrol to the American audience. Despite their apparent years of air raids and war experience according to their toy’s tech specs, the Air Strike Patrol here wear overcoats and hats and wrestle Autobot Micromasters in a ring that is clearly capable of holding several tonnes of robot mass. By the time Simon Furman took over scripting the American series, the Air Strike Patrol had a bit more depth to them and they played a more useful role in the “Pretender Classics” storyline.

History

The Air Strike Patrol spent many years training in the Mercury Swamps of Cybertron, building their reputation as one of the most successful Decepticon Air Strike teams. Their reign of terror over the Autobot Resistance lasted for thousands of years.

Thunderwing discovered that the Autobot Resistance had developed “Micromaster” technology—a way of downsizing Transformers to conserve fuel. The Decepticon Leader stole the technology and applied it to many Decepticons, including the Air Strike Patrol.

The Air Strike Patrol came under the employ of Megatron (still operating underground) and were sent to Earth on a mission to infiltrate Scorponok’s troops. Under the command of Scorponok, the Patrol first undertook a mission to undermine the Autobot name before paving the way for Megatron’s (ultimately unsuccessful) return to power.

The Air Strike Patrol remained on Earth only to come under attack first from the Autobot Rescue Patrol and then from a group of human mutants known as the Neo-Knights.