Comparing it with the Transformers Thundercracker box (left), you can see the smaller artwork on the Diaclone version (right) and slightly different colours of the robot art itself, but other than a mirrored pose and some changed details, almost the same. Also, the angle of display is different for the Diaclone jet and the use of styro as opposed to Hasbro bubbles is a big difference as well. Now compare the Diaclone box to the box and insert from the later Transformers Thundercracker box from Takara in Japan and you will see many more similarities in terms of layout:

Now the Diaclone F15 styro insert...

It is practically identical to the later TF release in Japan, except for the fact that the TF had the styro space for the Diaclone driver removed from the top right section of the insert. This was of course because Transformers did not come with drivers as their Diaclone predecessors did.

This was only the second Diaclone driver I had seen at the time, and the other one I had had long since lost its magnetism. So this was a real novelty, I left the guy hanging to the side of my computer for ages! Also, red is a particularly nice colour for a Diaclone pilot.

The jet itself is stunning. The colour is different from TF Thundercracker. It has a...sort of...green tint to it. And it's a little more sparkly. It is of course closer to a pre-rub jet than the rubsign jet I'm comparing it with in the pictures above and below. It has a totally smooth canopy which I personally think is more pleasing to the eye, and it has single-tabbed fists. In the following pics we have the rubsign TF Thundercracker on the left and Japanese Diaclone F15 Acrobat on the right:

Something unique to pre-tf jets and Mexican jets, the nosecone is hard plastic, not rubber. And in the case of this particular toy, it causes some problems. The added weight of the nosecone makes it hard to pose it in robot mode without the chest swinging back. Also in jet mode, the nose doesn't always stay up.

Another thing to note is that this toy has no copyright markings whatsoever. The Japanese Diaclone Starscream has no copyright markings either. This trait is also apparent on the very first Thundercrackers that were released in the US under the Transformers line which were cast using the same mould as the Diaclone.

The launchers......fire. MAN do they fire. Although nothing I've seen yet beats the Stingray launchers. Probably because the stingray missiles are smaller and lighter than all the others I've had.

Now onto some accessory comparision pics. Diaclone on the left, rubsign TF on the right.

The main wings:

A few clear differences here. Unfortunately, again, the difference in colour hasn't really come through in my picture, but the extra sparkles do. First thing of note that caught my eye only when Ilined the 2 wings up for the picture: The Diaclone wing (from top of pic to bottom) is longer. For lack of better terms, the pointy bit is pointier. The peg on the Rubsign TF wing is longer. Pre-rub TF wingpegs would be similar to the Diaclone. The decals on the TF wing are...solid? The Diaclone ones are transparent and a good deal thinner. I don't really need to over- explain this, the differences in the pic are clear enough I think.

On to the tailfins:

Again, the differences here are pretty obvious. Mainly the material and content of the decals differ here. The Diaclone ones are like a thin film on the surface of the plastic whereas the TF ones are thicker and more 'solid'. The Diaclone fin has the 'F-15' text whereas the TF fin does not.

The rudders:

This picture is of the underside of the rudders. Difference in peg size (again the Diaclone peg is smaller) and difference in molding seen in the bottom left corner of each rudder. The Diaclone has the 'solid' variety of rudder and the rubsign TF has the 'hollow' rudders (Most pre-rubs have solid rudders but hollow variants exist also with small pegs).

The launchers:

Ah. A pic where the colour difference is a little clearer. Of course, the main thing here is that the Diaclone launchers really do launch the missiles.

The missiles (TF top, Diaclone bottom):

In this pic better than most can the difference in colour of the two toys be seen. When a TF accessory is placed with the Diaclone, the difference stands out quite a bit more. See here:

Can you spot the odd accessory out? ;)

Here is a pic of the Acrobat F15 stickersheet courtesy of Himawari:

Some closing thoughts. The Diaclone version to me is a very different toy. It comes with more gadgets and bits, it looks nicer, the boxart is superior, and it has a certain prestige about it. Plus it's the original, and therefore...the daddy ;)

The TF Thundercracker however has a personality all its own. He has a techspec, he's sentient, his whole existence is coloured by our TF memories, childhood links and bonds to TFs and sheer love for the whole Transformers...thing. He's Thundercracker, and everybody loves Thundercracker right?

But all in all, I'd have to cast my vote with the Diaclone F15. It's just a really really special toy presented in excellent fashion.

All the best
Maz