UltraHawk TDF UH-001

Ultraman or more accurately Ultra Seven, a Japanese iconic series launched in 1967, with so many movies, toys, and TV shows it is on par culturally with our own Star Trek and Star Wars franchises. The UltraHawk 001 is one of a multitude of impressive crafts that proliferate the shows/movies, it is a cool looking vehicle capable of separating into three distinct jets, and combined or apart helps combat the forces of EVIL! While Fewture has an upcoming release of Ultrahawk 001 in late spring 2010, this beauty was released in 2000 by none other than Bandai.

Notice the box’s old school utilitarian cardboard design and inside every piece is carefully surrounded in bubble wrap and protected. It has a beautiful front graphic and the Metal Mecha Collection emblem.

Recent posts on the Max Factory’s Dragonar-1 review have vented and discussed die cast content vs. Max Gokin label. This item, part of the “metal mecha collection,” is true to life, it is 90% metal…all chogokin glory, only plastics parts are number 1’s small wings and black engine boosters!

The plane also separates into the three die-cast components, just like the movie and its Fewture brother!

The plane has the beautiful lines of a much more expensive chogokin and wonderful detailing; every plane has a clear plastic pilot canopy.

So what’s the catch? All metal, sharp detailing, clean lines, and even comes with a functional stand…. Well, as I found out the hard way, and you savvy collectors probably knew before you clicked on this review, 1/350 scale equals the size of a two year old’s fat blue crayon!

See how a Sharpie dwarfs the item, I am sorry to say and admit, I had no idea. What can I say, eBay pictures are misleading, I bid a dollar without doing any real research, I am so naive with that darn scale system it is criminal, or just not as lucky Lane Meyer’s younger brother? It became a scene from a classic movie, six-year old saves eighty box tops from the back of a cereal box that shows a young child riding a beautiful candy apple red bike down the street in all of its metal and chrome glory…only to have the mailman deliver this huge box and after you remove eight tons of packing materials, all you get is a small plastic bike only a mouse named Ralph could ride. In keeping with the above narrative, my seller for some reason shipped it in box that was 16 inches by 12 inches. I grabbed the box, and was worried by its complete lack of weight, the tape had split open…so I plunged my hand inside, grabbed something the size of a cellphone, took out the black Bandai product box, and laughed hysterically for five minutes.

When I had stopped laughing, I endeavored to respect its lines, heft, and craftsmanship. I had paid only 1 dollar plus 15 dollars shipping, so clearly the idea of a pencil craft was very obviously foreshadowed. However, I normally collect nothing smaller than eight inches, so I have no idea what to do with the darn thing…other than hope I invent a giant ray…oh well..it is 90% metal, that is something.

If you want a cute little item, know that Metal Mecha Collection equals Mini Metal Collection and bid accordingly. if anyone got the childhood allusions please post your guesses.