Bloodletter Jr. was a heavyweight walking robot which competed at the 1996 US Robot Wars competition. Built by Phillip T. Putman, it fought a one-off demonstration battle against the similarly-categorized Rex, only to lose after overheating and shorting out its main battery.[2] The match itself was briefly highlighted in the American Robot Wars 1996 and American Robot Wars Final 1996 VHS releases, the clips mostly drawing attention to Bloodletter Jr.'s smoky defeat.
Philip Putman contested the inaugural US Robot Wars competition in 1994 with the original Bloodletter, the inaugural Lightweight Melee champion.[3]
Design[]
Likely the largest and heaviest competitor from the 1996 event, Bloodletter Jr. was a six-legged walkerbot weighing over 200lbs (approximately 90.7kg). Based around a chassis made out of square aluminum tubing, it was powered by two 'huge gearmotors', but otherwise had very little armor or weaponry. Bloodletter Jr's armament consisted of two long spikes at the front, though its 'slow lurching gait' hampered both the robot's damage capability and its maneuverability across the arena floor.[2]
Robot History[]
1996 US Championship[]
As one of two heavyweight walkers participating in the 1996 US competition, Bloodletter Jr. fought Rex in a one-off battle showcasing this category.[2]
Though towering over its opponent, it quickly proved the more cumbersome of the two as it tried to move across the arena. Several moments passed before Bloodletter Jr. finally encountered Rex, not too far from its starting position. There, Rex grabbed hold of its left spike, which initially succeeded in causing the latter to be lifted off the floor. Bloodletter Jr. slowly began pushing back, but the high current drawn through its electronics caused it to overhead and begin smoking, while Rex eventually broke free.[2][4]
Flames flicker from the top of Bloodletter Jr.
The two walkers continued their jostle, with Bloodletter Jr.'s ground clearance being breached by Rex's jaws. Rex tried to lift Bloodletter Jr. up from beneath the spikes; Bloodletter Jr. reared up in its counter-attack. By this point, the smoke pouring from Bloodletter Jr.'s electronics box had thickened, eventually developing into a small fire coming from the top of the machine. Bloodletter Jr. continued struggling for mobility, lurching forwards and sideways in an attempt to block Rex's movements, until it suddenly became immobilized.[2][4]
Bloodletter Jr. (right), about to be extinguished by a Robot Wars crewmember
Burning and melting insulation caused the wiring inside Bloodletter Jr. to sag and short out the main battery. Seconds later, a bigger, thicker cloud of smoke erupted from the overheating battery, prompting a crewmember to extinguish Bloodletter Jr. shortly after the match reached its conclusion. Rex was declared the winner of the Heavyweight walker demo.[2][4]
Results[]
| BLOODLETTER JR. - RESULTS | ||
| 1996 US Championship | ||
| Other Battles Heavyweight Walking Robot Demo | ||
| Walker Battle | vs. Rex | Lost |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 0
- Losses: 1
Series Record[]
| Events | Bloodletter Jr. Event Record |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Entered with Bloodletter |
| 1995 | Withdrew with Obelus |
| 1996 | Walker Battle |
| 1997 | Entered with Destructomatic |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 'ROBOT WARS ® Photos', US Robot Wars website entry on Bloodletter Jr. (archived May 2 1997)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 'BLOODLETTER JR', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ http://runamok.tech/whowon/RobotWars94.html
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 'Robot Wars 1996: Bloodletter Junior versus Rex (Walking robot demo fight)', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), December 23 2018
External Links[]
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