

Ah,    the X-Wing Fighter! If you played with Star Wars figures and had one    vehicle, chances are it was this one. And chances are, if you still  have   it today, you've lost the wing guns. That's okay, someone is  always   selling spares on Ebay.
The X-Wing is one of the first  Star Wars   vehicles to come out, evidenced by the "12-back" cards from  the first   figures that advertised it. Although not truly to scale (the  nose is   stubby and it is a little too small compared to the figures -  if you   look at the movie) no kid really noticed. They were just  excited to have   something to fly around the room and shoot at things.
The   X-Wing  featured wings that could open (press down R2's head) and  close  (move  the blue toggle switch next to R2) and electronic shooting  noises  and  light (other blue button next to R2). Of course, toy  technology  being  what it was, the noises weren't movie-authentic, but  then again,  what  kid truly cared? The front landing skid could be put  down or up,  and the  cockpit could be opened or closed to accommodate  one figure.   Unfortunately, Luke in X-Wing outfit was the only X-Wing  pilot made in   the original line. There wasn't even a Wedge until the  new line, and he   starred in all three movies!
The initial  X-Wing was molded in   white, but in subsequent releases for ESB and  ROTJ, it was molded in   gray and included battle-damage decals. The  black wing guns could be   taken off to simulate it getting damaged or  whatever scenario your   little mind could imagine.
Why  should you get this vehicle?  Five reasons:
1. It's the  X-Wing!  You get a TIE Fighter and you're all set for one hell of a  dogfight.
2. The first vehicle-designed figure came out for THIS  vehicle.  Hell, the TIE pilot didn't even come out until ESB.
3.    Yes, it sucked that you couldn't put your R2 figure in the socket,  but   you just had to love pressing that head to make the wings go up  and   down. Up and down. Up and down.
4. Electronic action!  A light!   Bitchin' flame decals, I mean, battle-damage decals!
5.   Even  though the emphasis was on the wing-guns, they still managed to   add the  torpedo-launchers as a detail on the underside. Yeah, I didn't   notice  this either for quite awhile after having it.
Backstory:
The   Incom T-65  X-Wing was a versatile fighter for the Rebel Alliance (all   the designers  for it defected to the Rebellion rather than let the   designs fall to  the Empire). Precursor fighters can be seen in Episode   III: Revenge of  the Sith, in the opening battle. Unlike TIE fighters,   X-Wings possessed  both shields and a hyperdrive (for quick hit-and-run   sorties), and  proton torpedo launchers. It also had a socket for   astromech droids to  help with navigation and ship operations. The   X-like wings could be  closed or locked open (s-foils, short for   "stability" or "strike" foils)  for various maneuvers. Variations of the   X-Wing were in operation for  quite a while, and, of course, was the   vehicle instrumental in  destroying both Death Stars.
Want more?  Its  Wookieepedia article
177th in alphabetical order
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
X-Wing Fighter (SW)
Posted by
Ben
at
1:28 AM
 
 
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1 comment:
Mine turned all yellow. :(
Kenner's white plastic tended to do that.
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