Saga TIE Fighter

[JEDIpartner]

Was wondering if anyone has gotten their TIE Fighter yet?

It appears mine is on a delivery van as type! I cannot wait to get home to this baby. My first standard TIE!! I've wanted one since I was a kid. I'm glad I waited since they re-tooled the cockpit.

Watch this space for my review. Will post it this evening when I get home... if I did get my shipment! :)

[JEDIpartner]

Sorry about the delay in getting this review on-line. Between customising the "Panickin" Speeder figure and painting flowers on the broccoli that came with Wedding Padme and life just getting in the way... I didn't have the time. Anyhow... here it is!

First of all, let me say that I have been without a TIE Fighter since I was a kid. I had the Millennium Falcon and the Death Star playset and parents said "you have enough big Star Wars toys!" So, here we are 25 years later. I'm glad I waited.

Secondly, let me state that this is about the best version of a standard TIE that has ever been produced.

Some may complain that the electonics have been removed but that has helped this sculpt immensely. The retooling of the cockpit is wonderful. They finally removed that annoying block where the battery compartment was housed. In its place now are the proper ion thrusters and port. The only thing that was not removed was the detailing where the LED on the original mould existed. It isn't a big probelm to me as I have become accustomed to seeing it there on the TIE Fighter toys. The "battle damage" from the original sculpt remains intact. The solar panels still fly off with the push of the buttons. Ahh... it warms my heart to see the old-school styling! :happy:

The colour of this version is a slightly bluer hue in comparison to the recent TIE Bomber, which is more grey. Even though the wings have not been rescaled as we had all wished, it's still a great toy. There is no carbon scoring or blast damage applied to the hull but, if this version does as well as the Wal*Mart TIE Bomber did, another generation of this toy may appear with such markings.

The pack-in pilot is identical to the one packaged with the TIE Bomber and, most likely, the TIE Interceptor, which I didn't get.

The fact that this little gem has made another appearance is fantastic. It gives those of us who never got the TIE a chance to pick one up. The fact that the cockpit has been retooled gives the ubercollector a reason to pick another one up.

Grade: A (It would have been an A+ if the solar panels had been rescaled)

[JediTricks]

"Secondly, let me state that this is about the best version of a standard TIE that has ever been produced."

Have you ever encountered the Galoob Die Cast version? IMO, that's the best version of all time, it even has the properly-sized solar panels. I'd like to know if your above statement includes that toy or not.

[Sentinel18725]

"Secondly, let me state that this is about the best version of a standard TIE that has ever been produced."

Have you ever encountered the Galoob Die Cast version? IMO, that's the best version of all time, it even has the properly-sized solar panels. I'd like to know if your above statement includes that toy or not.

It looks wonderful. The diecast line was a little overlooked IMO, but it was still great. I love the packaging in these TIE's. If they are going to do a TIE Interceptor, how about a Baron Fel with removable helmet in packaging. That would be great!

[JEDIpartner]

"Secondly, let me state that this is about the best version of a standard TIE that has ever been produced."

Have you ever encountered the Galoob Die Cast version? IMO, that's the best version of all time, it even has the properly-sized solar panels. I'd like to know if your above statement includes that toy or not.

No... I'm referring to the versions of the standard TIE Fighters in this scale alone. Of course better TIE models/toys have been made in various lines... :happy: I'm only reviewing 3.75" scale and drawing comparisons to other lines would be like comparing oranges and tangerines. ;)

[JediTricks]

Ah, thanks for clarifying. I'm on the fence about this piece, I may buy it, but I won't be all the way happy till I get solar wings that are in the proper scale. I'm a "stickler" that way. :D And yet, "toys is toys" to me. ;)

Oh hey, your comment about other TIE fighters in the 4" scale reminded me, does this one have the lift-out seat? The POTJ TIE Interceptor didn't.

[jpak001]

Thanks for the review! I wish they had rescaled the panels too, but I'm still looking forward to getting this one! :D

She's gonna go up and hang with the rest of the Imperial fleet in my office. Now if only they would make a Tie-Defender! (never happen :cry: )

[JEDIpartner]

This unit no longer features the lift out seat of the earlier models. The seat is basically the original sculpt but "bolted" to the floor of the cockpit. I never found that feature to be necessary so I am kinda glad that it was removed.

[Jargo]

I have two of the POTF2 TIE fighters as i never had the vintage ones. I have to say that I'm regretting buying them thougfh and now wish i'd waited like Jp. The new rear end is cool looking. I may just end up buying a couple anyway. I'm such a sucker for a resculpt. :rolleyes:

[JediTricks]

JP, I also wasn't a huge fan of the lift-out cockpit, so I'm glad to hear this has been abandoned.

[JEDIpartner]

It never seemed like the mechanism was going to hold up. Anyhow... this really is the best standard TIE (except for the solar panels) in the entire 3.75" scale line. I'm glad it wasn't a simple re-package deal. It's nice that a little more thought and care went into this one.

[yngadult]

Hope to see Vader's next.

[Jaff]

I saw the TIE at KayBee the other day, and although the packaging was very cool, I passed on it. The POTF2 version is good enough, but a new one is not worth the cash for me.

[JediTricks]

I also saw it at KB today and passed. Since they retooled the wings anyway, I can't fathom why they didn't make them closer to being in scale. Also, the figure looked really poor compared to the ones in the TIE Interceptor and TIE Bomber.

[AmanaMatt]

Personally, I am very, very happy with this. Yes, redoing the panels would have been icing on the cake, but as it stands, this is the piece to own for the 3 3/4" version....


Personally, I love the action fleet, Tie, Interceptor, Bomber and Vader's advanced...aside from the screws that are visible on some of the panels, these will alwys been my fav just becase they are the perfect size to me.

[JediTricks]

Well, since it was $9 off with the KB 30% off $30 "sale", I caved and got one. I still dislike the wings, they're too far from the body and too squat, if Hasbro had fixed one or the other that would have been better (both would be great ;)). The main pod is good, I still hope for a better cockpit interior some day tho'. :D The redesigned aft section looks much better although why Hasbro felt the need to mar this feature by slapping their copyright text here is beyond me, looks crappy and makes no sense.

Ultimately, this is still not what I'd consider a great TIE Fighter and thus not worth $30 or even $20.99. I think Hasbro needs to start over and stop trying to recycle molds. If you are a packaged collector though, this is probably a good set for you right now at $21 with a keen box presentation.

[Turbowars]

I picked one up a while ago and it was my frist Tie fighter also. It looks good, but I would have like it to be more gray. Wasn't the frist Tie in ANH gray or was it just the vintage toy?

[JEDIpartner]

The Vintage toy, well... the original issue of it, was white, like the X-wing.

[Hellboy]

I strolled into my local KB the other day and noticed something strange. The TIE Fighter I was looking at was upside down and I immediately thought someone took it out of the package, repacked it upside down for whatever reason, and then returned it to the store. However when I looked up at the top bar where the rest of these were stored (about 14 of them) they were all packed the the same way. How could the monkeys packing these things make such a glaring mistake after they went through the trouble of making such a nice window box? I was wondering if others had noticed this at their KB's :confused:

[arctangent]

this was a real missed opportunity by hasbro. they really should have re-tooled the solar panels to be in a more correct scale. i already have the old potf one and this one is not sufficiently different for me to consider buying it. well done hasbro!

[mark2d2]

This unit no longer features the lift out seat of the earlier models. The seat is basically the original sculpt but "bolted" to the floor of the cockpit. I never found that feature to be necessary so I am kinda glad that it was removed.

It is interesting to note, however, that in the photos on the back of the box this feature does still appear to be present. They aren't kidding when they say that the actual product may vary. . . ;)

Now I've had this toy for a long while. And I totally dig it. I see where many of you are coming from about the wings, but for some reason I just don't care about that. It might be that I had this toy as a kid and so the "cheesy vintage inacurracy" somehow strikes a chord deep inside me. Yeah, that must be it. It's the whole childhood revisited thing. Even with rumours swirling around about a MORE ACCURATE TIE EXCLUSIVE coming in 2004, I have no regrets.

I just really do LOVE this ship.

The updated back is killer. Every now and then -- just out of the blue -- I take it from the shelf where it sits proudly next to my TIE BOMBER and AT-AT -- the only vehicles I have on display -- and fly it around the room or just stare at the back end of it. Beautiful. It looks so cool without the pesky battery thingy. (Though I do secretly long for the glowing red light and irritating ION engine whine of the original.)

I have to give this one a solid A. And next to the BOMBER, it's the best TIE around. I know that Vader's is way more accurate --- I just like this one better.