Astro Magnum / Shockwave: Visual ID Guide: PRONTOSAURUS 3

PRONTOSAURUS 3
PLASAURUS - Dinosaur Robot
Sludge Dinobot
Bootleg Transformer

Prontosaurus 3 - Plasaurus line 1985

Another famous English translation/misspelling issue: Brontosaurus became Prontosaurus, thanks Taiwan! Prontosaurus 3 originally came to us from the Takara Diaclone line of Dinosaur Robo 3. Dinosaur Robo gave us several dinosaur robot transforming figures, a Brontosaurus was one of them, third (3) in the line. That same Brontosaurus would later be released as Hasbro's G1 Dinobot Transformer - Sludge.

G1 Sludge Dinobot with Plasaurus Prontosaurus 3 (Robot Mode) comparison.

Darker red chest than a Sludge Dinobot

prontosaurus 3 bootleg swoop transformer

Plasaurus Prontosaurus 3 - (Dinosaur Mode with wings)

Plasaurus Box front - blue/purple grid pattern.

prontosaurus 3 ko swoop transformer 1980

Top of the box gives the transformation instructions.

Gorgeous back of the box with original artwork.
Here we are introduced to all four figures:
1 Tyuannosarus
2 Triceratops
3 Prontosaurus
4 Stegosaurus

"Tyuan"... really? Made in "Taiwan". Hah!

Photo Credit: Richard van Kampen

Great photo of 4 Stegosaurus from the Plasaurus line.
Grateful to Richard for capturing this piece of rare collecting history!

Tyuannosarus and Triceratops mold sculpts appear to be exclusively unique to the Plasaurus line. Both figures come with wings as well... super wow!

Grimlock and Slag Dinobot type figures with wings - sweet!
Grimlock aka Tyuannosarus comes with front wings and rear wings which almost look like single big wings but they are not.

Photo Credit: Greg Campbell

Only known photographs of the winged Tyuannosarus Grimlock figure.
In this sample we see the lower wings but the top wings are missing.
Figure is more of a gold/brown color vs. the grey box photography.

UPDATE:

Triceratops 2: Currently the only known pictures of this figure. It is the same mold as Prehistory Animal, however, there are adapters mounted to the side of the figure. The adapters have sockets for ball joint wings to be inserted. Regrettably this figure does not have it's wings but we can still see a broken chrome piece of one wing and how it used to work.

Close up of the adapters and a broken off chrome wing ball joint.

Box end with 'Dinosaur Robot'
Box also says "Item No. 40880"

(Above) Plasaurus Prontosaurus 3 - (Dinosaur Mode)
Prontosaurus 3 figures were released in both winged and non-winged versions.
Plasaurus Prontosaurus 3 is obviously of the winged variety. Plasaurus Prontosaurus 3 is comprised of a primarily brown/bronze colored body with gold wings.

(Below) Other versions/lines of winged Prontosaurus 3 figures may come with alternative chest, body and/or wing colors.

Silver body version but still gold wings.

Brown/bronze body color but with a yellow color chest variant.

Plasaurus Prontosaurus 3 is not a unique figure, it can be found in other lines like Prehistory Animal, Les Robots Dinosaures, etc. What is unique and uber rare is the 'Plasaurus' box!
Happy hunting and collecting to all!