Mmmmm.... die-cast metal...

**mogomra** · 03-06-2003

The Kenner die-cast vehicles were some of my favorite toys as a kid, but it took me until now to start tracking down the Galoob ones. After winning a couple of lots on eBay, here are some of my picks:

Federation Tank - Cool rolling action, nice paint job and detailing. The downside to this one is the soft PVC that the gun turret is made from. The barrel tends to droop.

Royal Starship - The landing ramp and astromech hatch are a tiny eyesore, but the shiny paint job and solidity of this piece outweigh this. Plus the landing gear is pretty accurate.

Millenium Falcon - Rotating turrets and sensor dish, it has landing struts so you don't need to display it with the stand, excellent all around. I can live with the fact that the proportions of the cockpit don't look quite right.

Death Star - The jewel of the lot for me. It feels like a little metal raquetball in your hand, it looks perfect, and they even figured out a way to work in an action feature (the oscillating laser dish). Unfortunately I found a bad defect with it: if a small object ends up being inserted into a certain part of the seam that connects the two halves, the thing explodes.

Not much "high-impact plastic" in any of these, which is a good thing all around. I have another lot of Episode 1 die-casts coming to me which includes the Republic Cruiser and Sith Infiltrator. I'll post the reviews to this thread when I get them.

Any die-cast favorites around here? Any non-Galoob die-cast items that you guys like? I really love the ERTL metal Naboo Fighter kit, and am tempted to check out the Hallmark Slave 1 ornament.

**good shot jansen** · 03-06-2003

the a-wing and snowspeeders are two of my fave galoob die-casts. the features are identical to waht was offered on the action fleet, and as you indicated about the falcon, due to their landing gears, they don't need to be displayed on the stand.

the sith infiltrator is also a great one, loaded with all the same features as the action fleet.

**JediTricks** · 03-07-2003

DC is one of my favorite SW lines of all time. I'm actually still missing the Y-wing but I have the painted x-ray version to make up for that for now.

I like the X-wing even though the wings are permanently locked open, the whole fuselage just looks so cool - I like that part better than any other toy version out there.

Although the snowspeeder is one of my favorite ships, I kinda turn my nose up at the DC version because the canopy is a little too squat for my tastes. I like the one I have, but it is far from my fav.

I really dig the Sith Infiltrator, but I ended up removing the landing gear because it just doesn't look so great.

I've always wanted to saw off those landing legs on the Falcon, I bought an extra one when they were on mega-sale a while back just for such customizing, but after cutting less than 1/4th of the way through one leg, I put that project on the back burner because I haven't found anything that can cut metal this thick precisely enough.

Other "honorable mentions" would be the Landspeeder, TIE Bomber, and Sandcrawler.

My favorites of the whole line would have to be one of these three though:
- the Death Star, the paint job alone just takes the cake, the accuracy of the shape and the toy's heft are just gravy;
- the TIE Fighter, because it's the only really accurate version of this ship in any toy line ever;
- and Slave I with its pivoting wings & guns, sculpted Boba pilot, killer paint job, and nifty stand holes for landed or flight display.

BTW, I also have the Ertl die cast Naboo Fighter and even though I didn't bother painting the figures & cockpit, I really like the design of this toy. I wish they had been able to sell these so they could have put out a die cast X-wing model and more SW ships.

**mogomra** · 04-29-2003

I finally got one of the die-cast Republic Cruisers. Love it, especially the three orange tic-tacs that pop out of the back when you throw the switch.

All-time fave is still the Death Star, though.

**mogomra** · 04-29-2003

I'm surprised there hasn't been any buzz about this on the forum:

http://starwars.com/collecting/news/...s20030428.html

**good shot jansen** · 04-29-2003

i've reserved one, but at $300.00 bucks a pop it is a bit pricey. i can't wait to see photos of it.

the fact that the hull comes apart to allow for a peek inside is definately a feature that i look forward to.

**SID** · 04-29-2003

Hey GSJ I reserved one them badboys too!

I 've been a member of the Code-3 collectors club about 5 years now and have collected 65 pieces of 1:64th scale diecast fire and rescue vehicles over the years and the attention to detail and quality finish of the product gets better every year, from what I'm hearing from my contacts at Code-3 the Star Wars replicas their going to produce will be top of line!

I was also told the M-Falcon will be limited but the brass at Code-3 have not decided exactly how many will be produced.

**JediTricks** · 05-01-2003

I like the DC Rep Cruiser better than the AF version actually, the metal just feels better but also there's more of a sleekness to it, subtle but vital.

I wish I could afford that Falcon, but at $300 the chances of that are almost non-existant. I'll ogle one some day if I'm lucky though, but I think even for something as great as this, I can't afford more than $50.

**jeddah** · 05-02-2003

Originally posted by mogomra
Any die-cast favorites around here? Any non-Galoob die-cast items that you guys like? I really love the ERTL metal Naboo Fighter kit...

I have it, made it, painted it (very accurately, I may add

). It would replace my entire fleet of AF N1s which are squar inaccurate horrors.

Has anyone found a good product that can return the metal alloy to its original lustre?

jeddah

**JediTricks** · 05-03-2003

Dang it Jeddah! Now you made me go over and look at my N1 model just to find out that the chromy bits are tarnished! Ignorance IS bliss. I would assume a gentle brass polish or tarnish cleaner would work, but it might strip the chrome off so test first before going all out.

BTW, "squar"?