Bandai release schedule

As I recall, the original Incredible Cross Sections book had the TIE Boarding Craft as a small illustration in it (maybe in the hangar on the Star Destroyer page), i.e. showing it as the same configuration as a TIE bomber.

You are correct. Simple explanation: the TIE Boarding Craft has bomber-style solar panels and the TIE Command Shuttle has outward-flared solar panels. Easy-peasy, Japanesy. So in R1, it would make sense that the ships accompanying Vader's Tyderium shuttle would be boarding craft rather than command shuttles.
 
It maybe that the Model makers had some fun without telling anyone and then destroyed the Film Model (or simply turned the wings back the other way round) so no-one would notice until after production.

So im thinking it was either some fun the model makers had or it was supposed to have inverted wings (maybe a last minute choice) but in the rush of film making (and this ship was done fast.. in the late 70's) the documentation of it got overlooked and it got lost in time. The Film model still exists, its the TIE Bomber with the wings turned back the right way around.

TIE Command Shuttle is a good one, all SD captains might have had them.

Im definately having a Captain Needa's shuttle variant if Bandai make a TIE Bomber.
 
A question for the experts. The Bandai "001-Star Destroyer" (mini kit) is listed at 111 mm (4.37 inches) in length if I'm interpreting their site correctly:

http://bandai-hobby.net/sw/jp/products/vm.html#vm001

That said, how long would a Super Star Destroyer (Executor) be if it was in scale with the current "001-Star Destroyer" kit?

Taking sizes from wookiepedia, IMPclass SD (1600 meter) vs Executor ( 19000 meter ) I calculate a size of about 1,3 meter at a scale of roughly 1:14410
 
And if you noticed in Rogue One - when Vader's shuttle is on it's way to board Raddus' flagship, it is flanked by two TIES and two TIE bombers - because they were being used as troop transports as well - just as the drawing above indicated.

This is likely something Pablo H will need to officially clear up at some point. There is the TIE Bomber, the TIE Boarding Craft (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE/br_boarding_shuttle), and the TIE Shuttle (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE/sh_VIP_shuttle), though Wookieepedia seems unaware that the model in TESB had the reversed solar panels when standing in as Needa's shuttle. So either they haven't looked close enough or they're ignoring it as a variant.
 
ESB-NeedaShuttle_Board-1T.jpg
ESB-NeedaShuttle_Board-Crop4.jpg
http://www.makmodeler.com/?tag=tie-shuttle
 
A thought: considering the footprint size of actual kits (also considering the next BB-8 in 1/2 scale), no kit exceeds the horizontal size of 24-25cm (ok, apart the 1/48 motorized X-Wing, but it seems like a single experiment). This is evident for the Tie Striker and the U-Wing: the first is in 1/72 (and 1/144) and the second, slightly bigger, only in 1/144.

Maybe THIS is the rule (and limit) of Bandai SW production: like someone have said, they have done a marketing choice. Small models=more models on the shelf, and, more important, inexpensive models=more models sold. After all they are specialized in Gundam models, pretty vertical.... Indeed vertical size seems less compelling (big Stormtrooper height is 30cm and BB-8 1/2 will be 33,5cm).

If this theory is correct, we could predict what will be the scale of future models... for example, Tantive=1/500, B-Wing=1/72 (1/144 would mean 11cm, too small), and so on.
I hope that this "rule" is only the beginning: after tons and tons of sold items, maybe they will get the guts up to propose their best sellers in a larger scale.
 
A thought: considering the footprint size of actual kits (also considering the next BB-8 in 1/2 scale), no kit exceeds the horizontal size of 24-25cm (ok, apart the 1/48 motorized X-Wing, but it seems like a single experiment). This is evident for the Tie Striker and the U-Wing: the first is in 1/72 (and 1/144) and the second, slightly bigger, only in 1/144.

Maybe THIS is the rule (and limit) of Bandai SW production: like someone have said, they have done a marketing choice. Small models=more models on the shelf, and, more important, inexpensive models=more models sold. After all they are specialized in Gundam models, pretty vertical.... Indeed vertical size seems less compelling (big Stormtrooper height is 30cm and BB-8 1/2 will be 33,5cm).

If this theory is correct, we could predict what will be the scale of future models... for example, Tantive=1/500, B-Wing=1/72 (1/144 would mean 11cm, too small), and so on.
I hope that this "rule" is only the beginning: after tons and tons of sold items, maybe they will get the guts up to propose their best sellers in a larger scale.

That pattern does not hold true for the Bandai kits for Yamato though- those capital ship models in 1:1000 scale are over a foot long and the Domelaze is over 28" long (although it does divide into halves for storage).
 
God I really hope the "something big coming later this year" teaser wasn't referring to the BB-8 1/2 scale

Unlikely that the representative from Bluefin was referencing the 1/2 BB-8 model as Bluefin only has the U.S. license for vehicle models. The 1/2 BB-8 wouldn't be one they can distribute within the U.S. so I think it's a safe assumption he's referring to a vehicle model.
 
I'm not at all surprised by Bandai starting with smaller kits overall. I don't know how many years the Yamato line has been on the market, but it's a good deal longer than Bandai has had a Star Wars license. Big molds cost BIG money. You don't invest huge molding costs on risky large models for a product line in its first year or two on the market. By iterating quickly on the smaller kits, Bandai can prove out the market (keeping in mind that they did not have access to the US market until *this month*), while also keeping Lucasfilm's confidence that they can execute well on the license (and, thus, keep it).

If the Bandai kits continue to do well, and do well with their new US distribution, I'd expect the chances of larger kits to significantly increase.
 
A thought: considering the footprint size of actual kits (also considering the next BB-8 in 1/2 scale), no kit exceeds the horizontal size of 24-25cm (ok, apart the 1/48 motorized X-Wing, but it seems like a single experiment). This is evident for the Tie Striker and the U-Wing: the first is in 1/72 (and 1/144) and the second, slightly bigger, only in 1/144.

Maybe THIS is the rule (and limit) of Bandai SW production: like someone have said, they have done a marketing choice. Small models=more models on the shelf, and, more important, inexpensive models=more models sold. After all they are specialized in Gundam models, pretty vertical.... Indeed vertical size seems less compelling (big Stormtrooper height is 30cm and BB-8 1/2 will be 33,5cm).

If this theory is correct, we could predict what will be the scale of future models... for example, Tantive=1/500, B-Wing=1/72 (1/144 would mean 11cm, too small), and so on.
I hope that this "rule" is only the beginning: after tons and tons of sold items, maybe they will get the guts up to propose their best sellers in a larger scale.

If I promise to display all my built models vertically, will that persuade Bandai to make larger scale kits?
 
Unlikely that the representative from Bluefin was referencing the 1/2 BB-8 model as Bluefin only has the U.S. license for vehicle models. The 1/2 BB-8 wouldn't be one they can distribute within the U.S. so I think it's a safe assumption he's referring to a vehicle model.


A couple of possibilities beside a Falcon and an SD would be a Death Star or a Tantive IV
 
I doubt the legs will be solid. Use ultra thin magnet wire and run the wires inside the leg to the foot where your button cell hides! Or, you could make a removable hull panel and hide everything inside the body. Hold the panel in place with tiny magnets. That's what I did on my lighted Bandai Falcon.

Easy!:D

Frankly, having built Real Grade Gundam models with fully articulated hands that fit into a 1cm cube, and knowing that Bandai's pulled similar a similar joint-molding stunt on the Battle Droid, I have every reason to believe the AT-AT's legs will be fully articulated AND molded in a single sprue for ease of construction.
 
I saw some of the Bandai kits at a local hobby shop in the US. TIE Interceptor, Poe X-Wing, Red Leader 2 pack, and A wing. The single ships are about $25 and the 2 pack about $31.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
 

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