December 2019
Released in the fall of 2019 as a part of Hasbro/Star Wars’ Triple Force Friday promotion, this vehicle is the third X-wing fighter for Resistance pilot, Poe Dameron and the first of his to belong to Hasbro’s The Vintage Collection. And like other X-wings released under The Vintage Collection banner this one is larger in scale than the value line that Hasbro released starting in 2015.
It has a lot of great features, details and play value with one or two faults. Let’s take a look:
The dominant colour on the vehicle is a matted orange with a dirty white paint used elsewhere. It’s a great combination and is reminiscent of the flight suit of the Resistance (and Rebel) pilots. The dirt wash used is incredible and gives the ship a very used appearance. Not only is it used in cracks between plating but it’s splattered on in other spots and even drips down like an oil stain inside the droid socket.
This version of the X-wing toy uses a pair of buttons that control opening and closing the wings. Unlike past X-wings that either had a fixed R2 head that when pushed down would open the wings or a rear mounted lever that didn’t quite work well, Poe’s new X-wing has a simple open button and a close button that are camouflaged behind the droid socket and seem to work effortlessly. The wings snap open and don’t sag like previous models had a tendency to do
The cockpit is similar to past Vintage Collection X-wings with a removable control panel and a control stick. In this case the stick even has a “calculator” moulded to it, similar to what ILM did in the Original Trilogy by using kitbashed Texas Instrument calculators.
The droid socket has been updated from past models to include a clever way of allowing either an R-Series or a BB unit to ride behind the pilot. A “collar” is removed from the droid socket and either type of droid is placed inside. The collar then fits over the droid’s head, keeping it snuggly in place. One drawback though is that the BB units found at Disney Parks are larger than the Hasbro versions and won’t fit in the socket.
The X-wing features a new approach to landing gear which are still hidden behind panels but now feature articulation which allows them to unfold from storage. The drawback is that they are fairly flimsy and are difficult to keep in place.
Also on the underside is a storage compartment that holds a short ladder. Once the ladder is removed it can be fitted into two small holes under the cockpit, as seen in the films. It’s a fun feature but the ladder is rather flimsy and pliable and could easily break off in the holes it fits into.
Neither of these features are deal breakers if the X-wing is going to be displayed and not touched, but it’s not good from a play value angle.
One very cool thing about these compartments and panels is that Hasbro added moulded detailing to the inside of the compartments and on the inside of the panels themselves. Hasbro has even added detailing inside the droid socket. Look at the bottom of this compartment and you’ll find the “footprints” of a three-legged astromech. Awesome. There is also a removable panel on one of the engines that reveals more of this amazing detailing. It’s a great idea for diorama builders looking to have technicians and pilots working on their fighters.
Except for a few missteps this is a great Star Wars vehicle to own and is another winner in the growing list of excellent vehicles in the Star Wars Vintage Collection line.
Mike Tarkin.com 