Fortress Maximus (Headmaster Base, 1987)

Japanese ID number: C-114

Accessories: Spike Headmaster unit, Cerebros large Headmaster unit, Gasket, Grommet, Photon Rifle, Dual Laser Cannon, Cerebros’s Mini Laser Rifle, Cog’s Laser rifle, Radar Scope, Master Sword (Japanese release only), Cerebros’s sword (Japanese release only)

Fortress Maximus is, by far, the largest Transformers toy produced in the original G1 line, and for over 25 years was the largest Transformers toy produced at all. In robot mode, he stands 22” (or 56 cm) tall, nearly 8” (20 cm) taller than his rival Scorponok. The original retail price was nearly $100 USD. Even decades later, his size is surpassed only by the 24” tall Thrilling 30 Metroplex and its retool as Titans Return Fortress Maximus, and the 27” War for Cybertron Unicron.The toy has two alternate mode configurations, transforming into a relatively compact ”city” mode and a ”battle station” mode as described in the US instructions. The Japanese instructions rebrand the latter as a ”starship” mode and it is the default mode for Fortress Maximus in the Headmasters animated series. Additionally, the 1987 Hasbro toy catalog features a mis-transformed Fortress Maximus in a mode referred to as an ”impenetrable fortress,” essentially consisting of his city mode with the legs splayed outwards.In all modes, Fortress Maximus has a wide array of (non-firing) guns and gimmicks. The right half of his ”tower” has a cockpit that can carry a single headmaster figure, in this case ”Spike” or ”Fortress”. A prison cell is concealed in the left leg, as well a dual cannon/helipad. The right leg has a stepped storage compartment. His torso has a gear-activated spinner for the detachable radar array, a ”control socket” for Cerebros’s ”communications room” mode, and a working elevator that can lift small figures up to be fired down the central ramp by another switch activated launcher. The crank for this elevator ends up in a very unfortunate position in robot mode. The back of either arm carries a long ramp with a sliding launcher.Fortress Maximus’s head is formed by Cerebros and Spike, although Spike is optional. The Gasket and Grommet vehicles can combine together to form Cog. Furthermore, Gasket and Grommet can each be ridden by any large Headmaster Nebulan figure.The Japanese release of Fortress Maximus came with a pair of Master Swords; one for Fortress (Cerebros), a large one for Maximus. It is unknown if the swords were originally planned for the Hasbro version but dropped for price or safety concerns or if they were a Takara-initiated addition to their release of the toy, although the lack of alternate mode integration of such a large accessory (unlike the also very large handguns) points to the latter.Beast Wars Returns Megahead Megatron’s spider-head mode (sans spider legs) can fit into Fortress Maximus’s head socket; though surely a coincidence, it was noted on the card bio.This mold was used to make Super-God Masterforce Grand Maximus, Car Robots Brave Maximus, and Robotmasters ”Cybertron Base”.

1987

Hasbro

038976058206

1987

United States

1987-01-01

G1

Multi Colored Base

~$21.04

2024-01-25

2018-06-08 15:34:20