Oh wow, you’re right! I wasn’t aware they had frames that kind of look like this. Then I read on the TFWiki that when a bot gets put into this position/job, they actually move your spark from the original frame to this one… a spark transplant…

do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to make a Cygate sparkling????ANYWAYS here comes a special boy

Meet Whirligig!! He’s a aerial cadet who recently finished his academy training under Jetfire and Jetstorm.

Whirligig is a bit clumsy in the air, but what he lacks in grace he more than makes up for with his strength and speed. He’s not one for violence, and hopes that his training will land him on a rescue team or maybe a research expedition. While he waits to hear back from his applications, he’s currently working as a,,,mailman. Tailgate says it’s a SAFE and honorable job while Cyclonus just laughs quietly to himself as he watches his behemoth of a son spinning circles in the air trying to catch loose packages he accidentally sneezed out of his compartments.

He’s got his Carrier’s softhearted spark and the same natural born talent with blades as his Sire (though he prefers to stay away from those, someone could get hurt!)

Despite Whirlie having a slightly rocky relationship with his Sire being on and off probation after his amnesty trial, he will always support Cyclonus even if he does have a few big blow ups in therapy. He’s always been more of a momma’s boy anyways. The day he was told he was too big to sit in Tailgate’s lap, he sobbed for only 10 hours.

He’s named after his ‘big lanky weirdo’ of Godsire, Whirl, who always brings him fun trinkets he makes as part of his own therapy process. Whirl Jr. can only keep so many of those same trinkets in her own room so she’s MORE than happy to share the love w Whirlie!

Whirligig’s altmode is smth similar to a Supermarine Spitfire and he’d be voice by Donnie from ROTTMNT!

bonus doodles:

I don’t think there’d be an appreciable difference if Tailgate had been rescued by the Autobots, aside from TG possibly not meeting Cyclonus as early on!

in the “regular” way it goes down, the Autobots and the Decepticons have agreed to an armistice (because Rodimus became Acting Magnus and is way better at it than Sentinel) and part of that armistice agreement involves allowing certain Decepticons to visit Cybertron. Cyclonus is one of the Decepticons allowed on Cybertron for reasons of negotiation. He’s extremely listless though, and since most of the negotiation is focused on other members of high command he has a lot of free time. At one point he decides to do some flying (ostensibly to memorize the map of Cybertron for later use) but when he flies over the Mitteous Plateau, he finds Tailgate - who has an Autobot badge. He saves Tailgate mostly out of apathy, thinking it doesn’t matter either way (this timeline is already apparently ‘wrong’ anyways since it’s unlikely to lead to Galvatron’s creation), and according to the rules under armistice he delivers Tailgate to his fellow Autobots who then get him all fixed up.

hehehehe! no, Tailgate doesn’t only speak in squeaks - I just find the idea of him making squeaky-toy noises super duper cute. they’re kind of just his natural reaction noise <3

Tailgate having to deal with suddenly being big, Decepticon-big. having to relearn how to be inside buildings and using his claws and learning how to fly and the horrible yawning emptiness of being connected to Unicron itself, having that terrifying, draining power running through his circuits. even as it gives him strength and drive, it saps him of everything else in return; he struggles to feel anything, anything from tactile input to his own emotions. unfortunately, the emotion that comes easiest to him is anger.