B-wing Fighter (Vehicle) - TVC - Vehicles (Exclusive)

The Vintage Collection’s B-wing Fighter (Vehicle) is a very exciting release. While it doesn’t have as spectacular of a paint job as the Power Of The Jedi version from long ago, it’s exciting for many other more important reasons. For the first time since 1984, the sleek vehicle comes to collectors in retroactive packaging that hits home in some very powerful ways. Kmart, the vendor of choice for this exclusive vehicle has proudly set aside ample shelf space to welcome this vehicle in time for the 2011 Fall season. But it’s our bet that the vehicle will sell through before it even has a chance to face the holiday crowd. While we don’t think the paint job comes close to the beautiful POTJ version, it doesn’t mean that it’s bad either. Hasbro has definitely taken some shortcuts with the paint operations this time around, but the updated tooling should becomes the point of greatest interest for you the collector. And between the classic looking packaging and the updated tooling, perhaps those are reasons enough to consider this release the definitive option for your collection to date.

The B-wing Fighter (Vehicle) is a rework (repaint) of 2008’s TLC Dagger Squadron B-wing Fighter vehicle. Cast in “Original Trilogy” colors obviously for this release, the vehicle is completely based on its appearance from Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi. When compared to the 2001 POTJ B-wing Fighter, the 2011 TVC B-wing Fighter (Vehicle) is quite clean (but not completely without some dirt). Hasbro hasn’t abandoned battle-damage completely. There is some very nice weathering throughout the ship’s hull. The blue-gray extremities of the vehicle are a bit colorful in our opinion, but we suppose Hasbro has mirrored it after the reference material they have access to from Lucasfilm, Ltd. Gone are the very dark carbon scoring marks and the decorative red circles are all whole and come without any brokenness as seen on the 2001 version. And a final dirt wash that sticks in every last nook and cranny is not present here either. It may be a little bittersweet to sacrifice a stunning paint job for updated tooling and classic packaging, but the choice is yours. But if we were to be completely honest, as much as we love the paint job on the 2001 version, The Vintage Collection release is infinitely better.

Despite wanting some small differences in the way the ship was decorated, the vehicle is markedly improved as far as the finer sculpting details. Hasbro carried forward the updated cockpit to include gears and steering devices. Plus, the interior of the cockpit is loaded with lots of colorful buttons that serve as the various controls of the ship. And just like the 2008 TLC Dagger Squadron B-wing Fighter, the 2011 version comes with interchangeable cannons; one set for the collectors and the other set for the kiddies with firing projectiles. The duality the vehicle offers the collecting public is pretty cool. They’ve done it for 2010’s SW [SOTDS] Luke Skywalker’s Snowspeeder and they’re doing it again here. It’s great flexibility for a vehicle to have because authenticity doesn’t get sacrificed for playability. This is wonderful for a toy company to include in their products. The Kmart exclusive B-wing Fighter (Vehicle) is a very exciting release if you want our honest opinion. We would like to get a few for our personal collection, especially since we’re banking on the rumored extended B-wing battle sequence deleted scene from Return Of The Jedi getting released on Blu-ray.