STAR WARS Merchandise Episode - 2

[David Hingtgen]

Pretty much that---ESB has been widely available for decades.  And I swear the SSD studio model was the most "elusive" one of all, for a very long time. ESB itself was about THE only reference to use.  Even in "the age of the internet" there wasn't much for quite a while, until they finally "hauled it out of the warehouse and put it on display in London", like a decade ago, and that was the first time it was ever really photographed since ESB.  (and Lego STILL got the proportions all wrong).  Most models/games prior to that had it way too skinny. Many still are, based on how "popularized" the long, skinny SSD look was.

As "main ships from SW" go, it wasn't until recently (as things go) that we REALLY knew exactly what all the shapes/details/measurements on the SSD were. 

But the engines have always been red. 

[tekering]

13 hours ago, David Hingtgen said:

As "main ships from SW" go, it wasn't until recently (as things go) that we REALLY knew exactly what all the shapes/details/measurements on the SSD were. 

But the engines have always been red. 

Bandai did their homework...  

[David Hingtgen]

I was just going to post that, as I watched a review of it right before going to bed last night.  They put it right on the box art...

[Dobber]

Poe’s new X-Wing. I’m probably in the minority for really liking the T-70. I find it a nice update to the classic T-65 while paying homage to McQuarrie’s original and Orange is also my favorite color. So I like this 

Chris

[tekering]

3 minutes ago, Dobber said:

I’m probably in the minority for really liking the T-70.

 

Not at all, Chris.  The orange is quite striking, and the T-70 is a perfect design for the Vintage line.  It's even a new sculpt, larger and more accurate than earlier releases (yet still awkwardly disproportionate).

However, it retails for $100...  

...and doesn't even come with a pilot figure!  

[Chronocidal]

That's the kind of thing I would wait and see if it hits the bargain bin like the Walmart exclusive Tie Fighter recently.  I don't really regret paying retail, because it's a beauty, but the quality of the product is not worth that price, especially when they still insist on using that stupid spring-loaded "battle damage" gimmick to attach the wings.

I probably harp on the T-70 design more than is fair, and it looks great in some cases.. just not once the wings open.  I think with a little work, they could have even made the split wing design aesthetically pleasing, but they made them so uneven that the lower wings just look like guns mounted on sticks.  I always found the symmetry of the classic X-wing one of its best aesthetic features, and I wish they had just stuck with the original McQuarrie design.

I'll be very curious to see what they tweak about the Y-Wings and B-Wings for the last movie.

[Knight26]

That is definitely a better looking toy then the last one, but I still HATE the T-70.  The wing/engine split is just way too awkward and they really didn't address one of the X-Wing's biggest flaws, the poor visibility.  I loved the two seat "Mud-Hen" X-wing concept.  With a little more refinement it would have been far better.

The biggest refinement I would make to that one would have been to blend the engines into the fuselage more and give it a subtle LERX.

[David Hingtgen]

8 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

I'll be very curious to see what they tweak about the Y-Wings and B-Wings for the last movie.

B-Wing still nothing revealed (beyond trailer) but we do have a side-view of the Y-Wing (lower right):

[Dobber]

25 minutes ago, David Hingtgen said:

B-Wing still nothing revealed (beyond trailer) but we do have a side-view of the Y-Wing (lower right):

Cool! Where is this from David? I like the little changes made to the Y-Wing and I still LOVE the T-85....that thing looks like a Beast! Too bad it was only on Resistance. Maybe we’ll get lucky and it’ll make an appearance in Ep. 9. X-Wings always sell so who knows. 

Chris

[David Hingtgen]

The new "fake Haynes manual" coming out:

http://www.theforce.net/v3-story/frontStar_Wars_Rebel_Starfighters_Owners_Workshop_Manual_Preview_185148.asp

If we're lucky, it'll have full entries for the new B and Y wings. 

[Dobber]

9 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

That's the kind of thing I would wait and see if it hits the bargain bin like the Walmart exclusive Tie Fighter recently.  I don't really regret paying retail, because it's a beauty, but the quality of the product is not worth that price, especially when they still insist on using that stupid spring-loaded "battle damage" gimmick to attach the wings.

I probably harp on the T-70 design more than is fair, and it looks great in some cases.. just not once the wings open.  I think with a little work, they could have even made the split wing design aesthetically pleasing, but they made them so uneven that the lower wings just look like guns mounted on sticks.  I always found the symmetry of the classic X-wing one of its best aesthetic features, and I wish they had just stuck with the original McQuarrie design.

I'll be very curious to see what they tweak about the Y-Wings and B-Wings for the last movie.

Funny enough, the asymmetry of the T-70’s S-foil split is one of the things I like most about them. Lol! Different strokes. 

6 hours ago, Knight26 said:

That is definitely a better looking toy then the last one, but I still HATE the T-70.  The wing/engine split is just way too awkward and they really didn't address one of the X-Wing's biggest flaws, the poor visibility.  I loved the two seat "Mud-Hen" X-wing concept.  With a little more refinement it would have been far better.

The biggest refinement I would make to that one would have been to blend the engines into the fuselage more and give it a subtle LERX.

Sorry  Knight, don’t like that at all.

Chris

[Dobber]

3 minutes ago, David Hingtgen said:

The new "fake Haynes manual" coming out:

http://www.theforce.net/v3-story/frontStar_Wars_Rebel_Starfighters_Owners_Workshop_Manual_Preview_185148.asp

If we're lucky, it'll have full entries for the new B and Y wings. 

Sweet!

The Ep. 8 Awings are pretty nice too. The art department did a good job, IMO, with updating old designs. The just really failed when it came to NEW creations like the transports and Bombers. The Ep. 8 Resistance bombers wouldn’t have been so bad if they did anything. Maybe have them fending off swarms of TIE’s for a bit but there was just too many of them. Then the start taking hits but shrug it off for a bit until finally being overwhelmed. Instead they couldn’t even take 1 hit! Dumb

Chris

[Knight26]

4 hours ago, Dobber said:

Funny enough, the asymmetry of the T-70’s S-foil split is one of the things I like most about them. Lol! Different strokes. 

Sorry  Knight, don’t like that at all.

Chris

To each his own, but I like how it turned the X-Wing into more of bomber, hence the Mud-Hen reference.  Had they combined it with a new dedicated fighter, like an E-Wing I think it would have been awesome.

The mid-chord wing split of the T-70 drove me nuts, still does.  While it gives a thicker wing over all, the much shorter chord of the wings would result in all kind of torsional stress from the wingtip weapon emplacements.

[Chronocidal]

1 hour ago, Knight26 said:

To each his own, but I like how it turned the X-Wing into more of bomber, hence the Mud-Hen reference.  Had they combined it with a new dedicated fighter, like an E-Wing I think it would have been awesome.

The mid-chord wing split of the T-70 drove me nuts, still does.  While it gives a thicker wing over all, the much shorter chord of the wings would result in all kind of torsional stress from the wingtip weapon emplacements.

See, that bomber X-Wing fixes what I think is the biggest problem of the T-70: the lower wings look like sticks.  They don't look like wings anymore, and the lasers are just kinda hanging out under the ship.

Individual designs aside though, I'm mostly just disappointed that they haven't designed a single original ship for these new movies that I give two shakes about.  They're all either hackjobs of OT designs, or the ugliest monstrosities this side of pouring glue in a box of spare parts, and shaking it to see what comes out.

[Hikuro]

I haven’t been keeping up on releases on Oct 4th. There a lost somewhere of what’s coming out besides a black series Luke Skywalker helmet?

[tekering]

On 9/24/2019 at 11:14 AM, Hikuro said:

I haven’t been keeping up on releases on Oct 4th.

Most of this has been decoded for us on YakFace.com.

[sh9000]

[Sildani]

Oh geez... which of those is going to be more collectible...

[sh9000]

I’ll get a Mandalorian in regular black packaging buy if I see the Target version then I’ll get that one too.

[Chronocidal]

On 9/19/2019 at 4:39 PM, David Hingtgen said:

B-Wing still nothing revealed (beyond trailer) but we do have a side-view of the Y-Wing (lower right):

I'm a little late on the uptake, but I just realized.. this actually looks like it gets the A-Wing's size correct.  Estimating based on the Home One hangar deck matte shot, the A-Wing is roughly as wide as the Y-Wing's nose section is long, and this diagram is the only direct comparison I've seen so far that ignores the "9.6 meter" length that so many sources fall back on.  It's only half as long as an X-Wing.

Also, saw Amazon has the 1/5000 star destroyer in lit, and unlit versions.  Tempted to spring for the lit version, but the photos of it make it seem like the holes drilled for the fiber optic strands are enormous.  Could be a scale thing, since the ship isn't that big, but it's kind of off-putting.

Edit:  Actually, considering the sale price, I might go for it.  Decent discount at the moment that brings the two kits much closer in price.  Too bad it's kind of small, but I think I'm okay with the size, since it'll be easier to display.

https://www.amazon.com/Bandai-Hobby-Destroyer-Lighting-Limited/dp/B07NQSRZG5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=bandai+star+destroyer&qid=1569602494&sr=8-1

Edited September 27, 2019 by Chronocidal

[Black Valkyrie]

 

https://www.taghobby.com/archives/404365

https://www.taghobby.com/archives/404345

https://www.taghobby.com/archives/404317

 

[Dobber]

Here’s a more complete lineup of Bandai’s upcoming kits. With pictures. Mostly just recolored repops.

https://www.bluefinbrands.com/blog/post/star-wars:-the-rise-of-skywalker-model-kits

Chris

 

[Kelsain]

Huh, I’m digging the new paint job on the X-Wings.

[electric indigo]

17 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

Also, saw Amazon has the 1/5000 star destroyer in lit, and unlit versions.  Tempted to spring for the lit version, but the photos of it make it seem like the holes drilled for the fiber optic strands are enormous.  Could be a scale thing, since the ship isn't that big, but it's kind of off-putting.

As I take it, the holes are drilled wider from the inside of the parts to make it easier for undirected light to pass through, hence no need for fiber optics.

You can take a look at the instructions at Hobbysearch:

https://www.1999.co.jp/image/10592754

[vlenhoff]

I want at least a Mandalorian. So i can have Jango, Boba, and... the mandalorian...

[sh9000]

[peter]

Looks like Luke has lipstick

[sh9000]

Sold out at Hasbro Pulse.  I’ll get it at Dorkside.

[Knight26]

On 9/27/2019 at 3:24 PM, Dobber said:

Here’s a more complete lineup of Bandai’s upcoming kits. With pictures. Mostly just recolored repops.

https://www.bluefinbrands.com/blog/post/star-wars:-the-rise-of-skywalker-model-kits

Chris

 

From additional pictures I saw, it looks like the X-Wings, at least are all new molds.  Typical of bandai they have different runners and pieces for the different colors.  ALso, and I will want to check this to be sure, the wings look a little thicker.

[sh9000]

[Dobber]

Oooh I may have to get that Wedge.

Chris

[Mog]

Even after upping the scale to six inch figures, Hasbro’s still hit and miss on nailing Mark Hamill’s likeness.

[tekering]

14 hours ago, Mog said:

Hasbro’s still hit and miss on nailing Mark Hamill’s likeness.

Really?  I think the new figure nails him.  

[Chronocidal]

On 9/28/2019 at 3:03 AM, electric indigo said:

As I take it, the holes are drilled wider from the inside of the parts to make it easier for undirected light to pass through, hence no need for fiber optics.

You can take a look at the instructions at Hobbysearch:

https://www.1999.co.jp/image/10592754

Got my kit over the weekend, and can confirm the holes are drilled wider from the inside.  If it doesn't make the holes too big though, I might actually take a needle file to them and cut out square corners for a lot of them.  The little round holes just don't look right.  (Would also help to have a yellow bulb, rather than blue-white.)

The bonkers part though is that they included the bulk of the windowed sections in both solid and clear plastic... with the holes drilled in both.   I would have much preferred to just use the transparent pieces, and scratch off paint where I wanted lights to show through.

Also, the box is obnoxiously huge.  It's probably about the same footprint as the PG Falcon, but a quarter of the thickness.  Don't know why they didn't make it more compact, and thicker, because there's really a ton of room inside for no particularly good reason.  I'm probably going to save the cover art, but ditch the box and store the parts in something easier to store in my closet.

[Knight26]

That Wedge is a must for me.