Erector (Transformers)

Erector is a fictional character in the Transformers series introduced in 1989. He was nominated as a fan's choice for the Transformers Hall of Fame in 2011. He is sometimes called "Autobot Erector" for trademark purposes by Hasbro, and is called Cragun in Japan.

Transformers: Generation 1
Erector is described by his on-card biography as being reluctant to destroy things. His crane converts into a battle station with photon cannon and a machine gun battery.

The biography for the Japanese version of the character, called Technical Commander Cragun, depicts him as head of the development team on Cybertron, who can turn waste into weapons.

According to Hasbro designer Joe Kyde Erector's colors were the inspiration for the 2008 Decepticon Mudflap toy, who is also a yellow crane.

Reception
Erector was named the 4th top unfortunately named Transformer by Topless Robot.

In 2011 Erector was one of five characters nominated for Hasbro's "Transformers Hall of Fame" by fans, the others being Jazz, Shockwave, Grimlock and Waspinator. According to the new biography published by Hasbro he used to be a Constructicon who lost out on membership to Hook.

Animated series
Erector appeared in animated form in a commercial for the Micromaster toys, where he and a lot of other Micromaster attacked a large Decepticon by crawling up his leg.

Condor Verlag
In a story called "By their Blasters you shall know them ...!" from Transformers Comic-Magazin issue #12 by German comic publisher Condor Verlag Optimus Prime instructs Backstreet, Bumblebee and Ruckus on how to identify Autobots from Decepticons in battle using the Ark's computer. Erector is one of those he displays to the Autobots.

Dreamwave Productions
Although Elector did not appear in regular fiction of the ongoing Transformers comic book published by Dreamwave Productions, he did get a page devoted to him in their More Than Meets The Eye biography series.

Toys

 * Generation 1 Micromaster Transport Erector (1989)
 * Erector was an original mold who was never used again. A Micromaster Transport, he came with a large transforming trailer that turned from crane to gun emplacement.


 * Generation 1 Micromaster Transport Cragun C-339 (1990)
 * Erector sold in Japan under the name Cragun a year after his US release.