In Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, the bulk of the Decepticon army/cannon fodder is based on construction vehicles. They’re everywhere, hiding. But in Mixmaster’s case, it’s probably quite difficult to hide from Autobots with the giant Decepticon logos painted on his mixing drum. But when were construction vehicles supposed to be subtle?

You have to hand it to Hasbro. Even with such a small cast of robot characters in the Transformers feature film, they’ve still managed to come up with a supporting cast (in toy form, at least) using vehicles seen on celluloid but not thought to transform. One such member of the non-transforming supporting cast is Incinerator. He does, thankfully, transform in toy form.

In the old days, Ironhide could transform into a little red mini-van. Unassuming and meek, it was an uncharacteristic alternate mode for such a grizzled war veteran, looking more like a delivery van than the Autobots’ muscle-for-hire. Now, in 2007, Ironhide assumes the form of an unashamedly environmentally unfriendly 4×4, and it looks to me like the only things he’s delivering are arse-kickings by the truck load.

Barricade represents a first in the Transformers universe. In a moment of sheer why hasn’t it been done before? inspiration, the Decepticon forces have at last allowed one of their own to transform into a police car.

The Air Strike Patrol was the first of the Decepticon Micromaster Patrols. Released as a carded four-pack in 1989, the Air Strike Patrol consisted of Nightflight, Stormcloud, Tailwind, and Whisper.

The so-called “Special Teams” were the big thing in Transformers in the first half of 1986. Between the near endless hype in the Marvel UK Transformers comic (free inserts, wall charts, collectible cards) and promotions (fold out comic/posters) in toy shops the length of the UK, there was no escape. The new teams, available as sets of five themed vehicle/robots, could combine into one super robot. What made them “Special” was the ability to inter-change their limbs. No wonder the Constructicons felt so out-dated.