MPC Vader's TIE: raised panel lines?

[robn1]

ERTL bought MPC and reissued their older kits, so the ERTL Star Wars kits are the same as the earlier MPC ones, no changes other than plastic color in some cases.

 

[Magoscher]

[QUOTE = "nkg, postagem: 5054579, membro: 165929"]
O TIE Fighter do MPC Vader original foi um dos primeiros kits que eu já fiz - talvez o quarto mais ou menos. E lembro-me de amá-lo, além do ajuste estranho, principalmente porque era realmente surpreendentemente preciso. Especialmente comparados aos kits Falcon e X-wing. Mas eu me lembro que ou lutador TIE havia levantado como linhas do painel. Alguém se lembra disso?

Também me lembro de ler uma resenha dizendo como foi incrível, uma vez que veio com linhas de painel gravadas. E estar meio que surpreso, já que o meu obviamente não. Alguém por aí que pode confirmar ou negar essa memória antiga?

- nkg
[/ CITAR]

Helo nkg !!!

Percebi isso apenas no ano passado, quando montei meus kits para cortar como cabines e transformar os pés da ATST ESB Studio Scale ...
Fique surpreso com isso e decida tirar essas fotos que compartilhou em um grupo no Face Book e, como encontrei este artigo aqui, não pude deixar de exibir também ...

 

[SirSandalot]

Forgive me if I'm a pain in the ass, but as a collector I need to get this right. Collectors will understand, right? Sometimes it's a mental disorder more than a hobby.

Having seen the differences in Vader's TIE Advanced between the international and the american version, and as someone who has worked with both versions of the x-wing kit (currently working on the international MPC kit, built the ERTL kit like 5 years ago), should I conclude:

-That international MPCs are different from the american MPCs in some greeblies (apart from the obvious raised/recessed panel lines). Especially the rear end piece of the X-Wing (the sherman tank). I can upload pics if someone's interested, 'cause it's quite different.

-That ERTL continued making the american version of the MPC kits, but the international versions are exclusive to the MPC era. Then, ERTL distributed the american version worldwide. At some point they changed or got rid of the pilot figurine, or so I've read somewhere, in the latest ERTL kits. I don't remember my ERTL figurine, and since I sell stuff to buy more stuff, I no longer have access to it.

-That the ESB and ROTJ MPCs are the american version so you shouldn't use the international MPC version if you were to replicate them and wanted to be screen accurate, but you could use the ERTL and get away with it since the only difference is gonna be in the interior of two wings (the ERTL logo cast on the plastic, who cares) and maybe the pilot (really who cares).

-The last conclussion I can't confirm would be quality. Is there really any difference? Did ERTL do some maintenance to the molds or changed the manufacturing process improving the casting? We know they changed the color, and the kit was around for 30 years so I wouldn't discard that. Or is it that international MPCs were worse than the american MPCs for whatever reason at the Canadian factory? Or did I just get a really, reeeally bad kit (seriously, really bad) of the international MPC?. Well I guess the first question should be: is there even a way to know, anyway?

 

[Laspector]

I was relatively happy with my Darth Vader TIE Fighter kit when I got it as a kid in 1979 or 1980, despite the obligatory problems with gluing all the bits together. Lots of seams and whatnot.

I ended up dismantling it and redoing it, though. I added fibre optic lights to the cockpit, brass tubes with LEDs for the cannons, and even a small loudspeaker through which I could play pew! pew! laser sounds. I entered it in a contest in a local hobby shop, where I didn't win because SF models were in the military model category, and all the elaborate models made by adults won.

Then I got this book (well - the US original printing of it), and was completely puzzled by how the reviewer singled out the more expensive recessed panel lines as being a feature of the kit, when I didn't have them!

Decades later I think I have a little insight as to the discrepancy.

View attachment 1294384

DUDE!!! I still have this magazine!!! Bought it waaaaay back when. Good book!

 

[nkg]

Percebi isso apenas no ano passado, quando montei meus kits para cortar como cabines e transformar os pés da ATST ESB Studio Scale ...
Fique surpreso com isso e decida tirar essas fotos que compartilhou em um grupo no Face Book e, como encontrei este artigo aqui, não pude deixar de exibir também ...

Thanks for those great photos! It's good to see the comparison - and that it isn't my memory that's failing, but there really was a TIE fighter kit with raised panel lines!

Machine translation:

Obrigado por essas ótimas fotos! É bom ver a comparação - e que não é minha memória que está falhando, mas realmente havia um kit de caça TIE com linhas de painel elevadas!

 

[robn1]

I'm not aware of changes to pilot figures or any other changes between MPC and ERTL, other than plastic color and box art. I bought several of the ERTL Vader TIEs in the 90's with the clear "flight display" base, other than the base they are identical to the early MPC.

 

[nkg]

 

[Magoscher]

Thanks for those great photos! It's good to see the comparison - and that it isn't my memory that's failing, but there really was a TIE fighter kit with raised panel lines!

Machine translation:

Obrigado por essas ótimas fotos! É bom ver a comparação - e que não é minha memória que está falhando, mas realmente havia um kit de caça TIE com linhas de painel elevadas!

nKg You very welcome...

 

[Magoscher]

Forgive me if I'm a pain in the ass, but as a collector I need to get this right. Collectors will understand, right? Sometimes it's a mental disorder more than a hobby.

Having seen the differences in Vader's TIE Advanced between the international and the american version, and as someone who has worked with both versions of the x-wing kit (currently working on the international MPC kit, built the ERTL kit like 5 years ago), should I conclude:

-That international MPCs are different from the american MPCs in some greeblies (apart from the obvious raised/recessed panel lines). Especially the rear end piece of the X-Wing (the sherman tank). I can upload pics if someone's interested, 'cause it's quite different.

-A ERTL continuou a fabricar a versão americana dos kits MPC, mas as versões internacionais são exclusivas da era MPC. Em seguida, a ERTL distribuiu a versão americana em todo o mundo. Em algum momento, eles mudaram ou se livraram da estatueta piloto, ou pelo menos eu li em algum lugar, nos kits ERTL mais recentes. Não me lembro da minha estatueta da ERTL e, como vendo coisas para comprar mais, não tenho mais acesso a elas.

-Como os MPCs ESB e ROTJ são a versão americana, portanto você não deve usar a versão internacional do MPC se os replicar e quiser ter uma precisão de tela, mas você pode usar o ERTL e se safar, pois a única diferença é estará no interior de duas asas (o logotipo da ERTL fundido no plástico, quem se importa) e talvez no piloto (realmente quem se importa).

-A última conclusão que não posso confirmar seria qualidade. Existe realmente alguma diferença? A ERTL fez alguma manutenção nos moldes ou mudou o processo de fabricação, melhorando a fundição? Sabemos que eles mudaram de cor, e o kit existe há 30 anos, então eu não descartaria isso. Ou será que os MPCs internacionais eram piores que os MPCs americanos por qualquer motivo na fábrica canadense? Ou acabei de receber um kit realmente muito ruim (sério, muito ruim) do MPC internacional ?. Bem, acho que a primeira pergunta deveria ser: existe mesmo uma maneira de saber, afinal?
[/CITAR]

Ooh SirSandalot Eu adoraria ver as diferenças por trás das asas X, você poderia nos mostrar? Obrigado!!!

 

[SirSandalot]

Ooh SirSandalot Eu adoraria ver as diferenças por trás das asas X, você poderia nos mostrar? Obrigado!!!

I sure can! I took screenshots from a youtube video for the ERTL pics and primed in black is my international MPC that I'm currently in the process of painting.

This is the rear end plate ("the Sherman tank") of the X-Wing. As you can see, it's a completely different piece. I used red circles to point out all the differences, and numbers to make comments.

1. Those greeblies look more round in the MPC int. version, but as I said I no longer have access to the ERTL so I'm not 100% sure.
2. Those greeblies are raised in the int. version, like little bubbles. In the ERTL they are flat. Also the size and placement are different.
3. Youtube videos don't have the best definition but I'd say the int. version has a lip on that greeblie that is nonexistent in the american version. Also, the diagonal line goes up to the top of the box in the american version, but it ends on the side of the box in the int. version.

1. The whole upper deck is way more flat in the int. version, and not as sharp.
2. That edge lost a ton of detail.

At least one of those three greeblies was like half the size in the ERTL version.

And that's it. There are probably more differences but I couldn't find more pics of the ERTL so...

Hope it helps someone some day.

 

[Magoscher]

Ooh SirSandalot, thank you very much for your attention !!!
It was really cool to see these differences and I realize that I have the American version I hope to get the international version one day ...
Very interesting all this ...
Big hug!!!

I sure can! I took screenshots from a youtube video for the ERTL pics and primed in black is my international MPC that I'm currently in the process of painting.

This is the rear end plate ("the Sherman tank") of the X-Wing. As you can see, it's a completely different piece. I used red circles to point out all the differences, and numbers to make comments.
View attachment 1296689
1. Those greeblies look more round in the MPC int. version, but as I said I no longer have access to the ERTL so I'm not 100% sure.
2. Those greeblies are raised in the int. version, like little bubbles. In the ERTL they are flat. Also the size and placement are different.
3. Youtube videos don't have the best definition but I'd say the int. version has a lip on that greeblie that is nonexistent in the american version. Also, the diagonal line goes up to the top of the box in the american version, but it ends on the side of the box in the int. version.
View attachment 1296690
1. The whole upper deck is way more flat in the int. version, and not as sharp.
2. That edge lost a ton of detail.

View attachment 1296691
At least one of those three greeblies was like half the size in the ERTL version.

And that's it. There are probably more differences but I couldn't find more pics of the ERTL so...

Hope it helps someone some day.