Fairchild Robo MR-47
This model was originally designed in Japan by Bandai and released for their Machine Robo Series line as Fairchild Robo*. By this time Tonka's successful rebranding to 'Gobots' and US distribution saw the now more established name 'Bad Boy' applied and adopted for the Australian Machine Men release; predominantly to benefit from the Challenge of the Gobots cartoon. In contrast to what became the norm the Gobots character name was not picked up for Bandai's Robo Machine distribution in Europe where Bad Boy was instead named 'Tank-Bust'; often printed without the hyphen. Multilingual Robo Machine cardbacks displayed both Fairchild A-10 and Tank-Bust in the name section. The name Tank-Bust was shown as 'Tank Buster' in the 1987 Bandai Robo Machine retail catalogue so it's possible Tank-Bust may have been a miscommunication. The 1992 Robo Machines re-release saw the figure sold under the name Tank Buster.
* Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is the real world aircraft the figure's design is based on.
Further details are below, on the Series 1 Index and for more in-depth reading see the Toy Line History page.
Region Codes Used: JP Japan / US United States / CA Canada / AU Australia / EU Europe
NOTE: Region codes only shown where items were known to be released. This list is accurate yet likely incomplete.
Gobots 55 Series 2 US/CA Tonka 1984
Gobots 55 Series 2 US/CA Tonka with 3-D Sticker 1985
Machine Men AU Bandai (reduced stickers from MR version) 1984*
Robo Machine RM-47 EU Bandai 1984*
Robo Machines Series 2 EU Bandai ('RM Army' stickers) 1992* **
Machine Robo Series MR-47 JP Bandai 1984*
* Machine Robo Series or modified for Robo Machines extra sticker sheet issued with this release.
** Robo Machines: this version looks fine in alt mode however the robot mode shows the poor build quality of the 1992 re-release Robo Machines line. Unlike its predecessor Robo Machine version the Robo Machines release feels cheaper, doesn't meet at the seams as well (note the side of head gap) and the recast front wheel is too big to retract into the nosecone fully resulting in the chest standing out partly blocking the face.
Prototype with broader chest, larger payload (white), variant head sculpt, wider stance and while not clear, there is a gun below the nose cone. This prototype was used for Robo Machine and Machine Men cardbacks.
