However, the rest of the model was accurate, finished in two tone grey with Gold Squadron markings around the cockpit. Unfortunately, the model had solid engine pods rather than the rear half of them being skeletal in form. This type of craft was similar to a bomber, with a front mounted cockpit, and a central hull attached to a pair of engine pods. The Y-Wing Starfighter is so named for its approximately ‘Y’ shape when viewed from above. Unfortunately, the wings do not work, with the model in permanent attack mode, although the cockpit hatch opens and the front landing skid folds down. The engines are painted dark grey, and there is a plastic cannon on each wingtip. The Galoob model is an excellent representation of the starfighter in the film, and is painted in an accurate light grey with red squadron markings on the fuselage and wings. The X-Wing’s main feature is its four wings that open up with a ‘scissor’ action when flying at speed the wings are folded together flat, and when in attack mode, the wings open up into an X-formation, firing with a laser cannon on each tip. The X-Wing Starfighter is an interceptor craft used by the Rebel Alliance, and is roughly equivalent to an Earth fighter plane. All models, except for the ground vehicles, were packaged with a plastic stand. This first series of vehicles came packaged on a circular card with a dome-shaped clear blister. In Europe the models were distributed by French company Ideal. What was most impressive was that the models were almost entirely diecast, and some were quite heavy considering their small size. All of the models had at least one type of working feature, mostly opening cockpits, folding landing gear and rotating guns. The models were very nicely finished, in accurate colours and with detailed tampo printing. Much smaller than the Kenner models, most of them were around 7cm in length, although the size and shapes varied widely. Like the earlier Kenner models, these were not made to a constant scale which is understandable, as the vehicles in the Star Wars films could range from motorcycle size to (literally) planet size. These were about twice the size of the plastic Micro Machines, but were sold under the same brand, possibly to capitalize on its popularity. By this time, Galoob held the Star Wars franchise, and were producing a wide range of merchandise to tie in with the release of the re-mastered Star Wars: A New Hope. One of these was a new line of diecast Star Wars Micro Machines based on the first film. This model was not successful, and the company did not return to metal vehicles until 1997. Galoob entered the diecast market in 1988, with a model of the USS Enterprise from STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. There were also several licensed models, including Star Trek, Star Wars, James Bond and Indiana Jones. These proved enormously popular with kids, and a huge range of different types of vehicles were made not just cars and trucks, but trains, aeroplanes, ships and spacecraft. In the 1980s and ‘90s, Galoob produced the popular ‘Micro Machines’ range of tiny, slightly cartoony, plastic-bodied vehicles. Founded in 1957, Galoob had initially been an importer of Japanese battery-powered toys, until the late 1970s when the company moved heavily into licensed products, briefly becoming the third-largest toy company in the USA. It wasn’t until 1997 that further Star Wars diecast models were produced, this time by San Francisco-based toy company Galoob. These models were made as tie-ins with the first two Star Wars films, but none were made for Return of the Jedi, as Kenner found that action figures were more lucrative than diecast vehicles and concentrated on their figure range. They were large models with diecast and plastic parts. The first series of diecast Star Wars models was made in the 1970s by Kenner ( click here). It remains the highest-grossing sci-fi film franchise and has an enormous cult following. Mike Pigott looks at this range of miniature diecast vehicles based on the classic series of Science Fiction films, made by American company Galoob.Īll readers will, no doubt, be familiar with the extremely popular Star Wars franchise of sci-fi films which started with Star Wars (retrospectively titled A New Hope) in 1977, and its sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).
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