Slightly OT: AMT/Ertl Die-Cast Models vs. Titaniums

[Warstar]

I know JT has the Jedi Starfighter, but does anyone have the Droid Tri-Fighter Die-Cast AMT/Ertl model kit? If so, how does it compare to the 6" Ultra Titanium version?

Also, does the AMT/Ertl die-cast model JSF have a stand?

I have seen pics of 3 AMT/Ertl Die-Cast ROTS ships now (Anakin and Obi-Wan's ROTS JSF and the Tri-Fighter) Are they making any more?

How accurate is the ROTS JSF model anyway, JT? Please let me know.


I like ships in this size

[JediTricks]

I don't own either the Titanium Ultra Droid Tri-Fighter nor the Ertl DTF, but from my observations neither look worth it, they both have sorta soft sculpts and this way-over-the-top silver overspray, I think the advantage the Ertl one has is a lack of screw-holes at the top but even that could be wrong - I think it indeed has a stand. I don't think you can go too wrong with either if you don't have the Hasbro figure line's version but you can't go too RIGHT either.

The Ertl JSF sculpt is very accurate from what I can tell except for the way the cockpit window meets the canopy, there's an extra bit of plating between them. Also, the colors are superior to the movie version in that it's darker, and R4-P17's body is white instead of red. Oh, and the backs of the cannons don't have the hose/pipe that angles into the fuselage, very minor.

[sicqnus]

For those interested in the purchase of the AMT or Revell kits, here is a link that might be helpful :

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/cfsto...category_id=88
http://www.starshipmodeler.com/cfsto...category_id=11

[JediTricks]

My comment about the JSF cockpit window and canopy, I'm not so sure about it now, I think Ertl did get it right and I was seeing it wrong in the movie version, having seen the stills of it I'm correcting myself. So, it's even more accurate than before. Buy it now, the cockpit itself is worth admiration.

[Warstar]

Sweet- thanks for the links!

I scored a Droid Fighter model on Ebay- $18.98 shipped

The seller, toybliss.com, actually has some good deals sometimes (he's the one I got the 4 Titaniums from for cost, too, even with shipping- which I got today! So- just waiting for KH to catch me up )

Now I just want the 2 JSF's and I'll probably get them from those links if I don't find them local soon

[Warstar]

Over this past Spring Break I got the Die-Cast Tri-Fighter model and first let me say it is- BY FAR- superior to the Titanium Ultra one. The details, the sculpt- even the heft and feel of it are just AWESOME! I am at work or else I would post comparison pics but I WILL post them later tonight in this thread.

The model has NO silver over-spray on it at all- it looks like a mint, pristine ship. I think you saw a painted version JT, as this version is just "regular," so to speak.

The construction was a bit awkward though, as there are three different and distinct wings though they all look alike. The first time I got the ship together I accidentally reversed the 2 bottom wings so that the missiles attached going upward instead of downward, so I had to take it apart again and fix it. Thing is, the instructions don't mention these wing differences or even picture them at ALL- you kinda' gotta do it by feel (there are some slot/constuction differences on the ends but if you miss the missle holes like I did the first time you're screwed).

The globe and the covers for it on the model can turn on 3 different axis'- which is just COOL- especially compared to the Ultra Tri-Fighter which is just one big blob.

The model, however, is NOT a toy- the missiles can fall out easily (unless you glue the holders into place- which I am tempted to do) and the nose cone comes off easily (unless glued in). I did model cement in the little wing cannons since they fell out of their internal wing slots too easily and were easily skewed unless glued in (making the guns crooked)

All in all, though, I am VERY happy with the model of the Tri-Fighter, and I am hoping I can score both JSF's locally or else on Ebay CHEAP. If the Tri-Fighter is any indication of how cool the JSF's will be, I'm really stoked to find them.

Look for comparison pics later

[Warstar]

Here we go with the first batch of comparison pics. It was not too long after I took these that I realized I put the model's missles on the bottom WRONG, so I fixed them after this. Either way, as you can see, the AMT/Ertl Die-Cast model Droid Tri-Fighter is slightly larger and looks a LOT better than the Ultra Titanium one

Enjoy

[Warstar]

A couple more shots of the inner "ball" (both the blue parts and the ball rotates on the Ertl Model- and the whole thing spins on the center axis) and the missle attachment parts and stands

(Like I said- the Ertl missle here is attached wrong but I only found out after checking the instructions thoroughly again- so this is not how the missle is supposed to look attached but you get the idea of the parts involved)

All in all, I prefer the model

[JediTricks]

Cool review and pics WS, sorry I steered you wrong. I wonder what was up with the one I saw at my comic shop with the silver paint. Sucks about the screw holes showing just like all the other versions but I can't say I'm surprised, and this looks pretty good about it, not too blatant. I gotta admit, the Titanium one photographs in your shots a little better in terms of paint, I'm surprised as it's the first time it's caught my attention in a positive manner.

That's cool about the ball brain turning on 3 axes, the Ultra one looks like they just scaled down the one from the 4" figure line. I wish there was detail you could see turning inside though, that'd make it cooler to turn.

Sucks parts come off easily, the Jedi Starfighter doesn't have that.

[Warstar]

Well, after I fixed the Tri-Fighter missles they no longer came off that easily- the design keeps them in rather well. Figures I'd put it together wrong then complain about it, eh?

Yeah, the paint job on the Titanium does look a lot better than one thinks, but the model is clean probably so more paint can be added. If you saw a model with silver paint on it that WASN'T clean and was still Mint-In-Box let me know- I'd be willing to buy it from you if you see it again- I'm interested for variation purposes of course

(That and I like the model )

I'll post pics of the JSF's when I get them