"Jungle Camouflage" Optimus Prime with Real Working Flame Thrower & Enhanced Weaponry

After two weeks of work, here is the reveal for my interpretation of Optimus Prime if he were to engage in army jungle warfare. Move over John Rambo!

This version of Prime was inspired by my two & a half years of National Service and the subsequent 13-year reservist cycle as a M113 Armoured Vehicle Driver. A M113 s is like a tank but without the tank turret and is used in the Armour formation to carry Armoured Infantry troops.

So, it was a fitting version of Prime and I’m sure many guys who have served in the military can relate to it. In fact, I think any one who has friends or family serve in the army can relate to this Prime.

I have given him enhanced weaponry including a real working flame thrower made from a Buster Prime smokestack blaster. For the additional weapons, I have intentionally chosen to use human weapons to fit the army theme.

Details of paint job and modifications

1. 3-tone metal finish for exo-skeleton. Deliberate non-chrome/ shiny finish for tactical reasons.
2. 4-colour Tropical Jungle Camo for all panels and head. A smoke wash gives it the gritty realistic look.
3. Detailing of exo-skeleton, piping, wires, lights and panels with copper, gold, red, yellow, blue & green colours
4. Headlights, backlight, tail lights and all small blue lights changed to red lights as per military tactical lights. Added two red Swarovski crystals inside the two hip lights.
5. Replaced hands with TFTM articulated hands

Weapons

All weapons are attached to the figure using concealed rare earth magnets.

1. Real working flame thrower blaster. A Buster Prime smokestack blaster was modified with a brass barrel, glow plug igniter that is powered by a 2 x AA battery pack disguised as the flame thrower tank. The battery pack attaches to the top back of Prime with 2 rare magnets. The magnets are attracted to the batteries inside the back of Prime so no magnets are attached directly to Prime.
2. 0.5″ Browning Machine Gun with ammunition link belts fed from an ammo box attached to Primes left forearm via magnets.
3. Shoulder-mounted Anti-tank Rocket Launcher attached via magnets to the battery pack.
4. Two side-arm pump action military shotguns that fire FRAG-12 High Explosive Armor-Piercing (HEAP) ammunition. The shotguns are attached via magnets embedded in the shotguns and behind Prime’s toolbox/ step. Extra HEAP shells are strapped on Prime’s right forearm.

Additional FRAG-12 High Explosive Armor-Piercing (HEAP) ammunition strapped to Prime’s right forearm panels

Notice the pump-action military shotguns as side arms on the side of Prime’s thigh

This is the battery pack disguised as the flame thrower blaster’s fuel tank that is mounted on the upper back of the figure

Here is a demo video of the real working flame thrower blaster in action. Watch it below on YouTube here.

Look forward to the Battle-damaged and weathered version of this figure.

Just to put this custom figure in perspective for non-Transformers fans, here is my “Jungle Camo” Prime with the original toy side by side.

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