Micro Collection Millennium Falcon Vehicle

Photo courtesy Star Wars Collectors Archive

OK so here we go with another great Micro Collection toy! It's the Sears exclusive Millennium Falcon - the third example of the Falcon in Kenner's lineup (the others being the 3 3/4" toy and the diecast one).

I think that this version is even cooler than the 3 3/4" one. It's certainly a lot more rare but the play features are unique as well. You might wonder why there's no 3PO or R2 in the box tableau - that's because the examples I have are still in their baggies (see farther below) and I couldn't bring myself to open them for the pictures, sorry! And crazily enough, this is the only Micro Collection toy or playset that came with the droids figures. Don't believe me?

Of course we've got the dorsal blaster here with gunner's chair, just like on the larger version of the toy. The interior detail stickers are great aren't they!

Now this is a unique feature of the toy - the top hatch. As you'll see in photos later you can use it to stage the rescue of Luke from the weather vane beneath Cloud City. 

There's even a ventral blaster cannon - also unique to this toy version of the Falcon.

It's really a good-looking model of the ship.

Here's that top hatch in action. The figure poses are pretty specific to this scene from the movie aren't they! (note handless Luke)

Here's the two droids in their original sealed baggies. Didn't have the heart to open them, unlike my Jabba the Hutt playset.

All in all a very cool toy (it certainly scales to the figures better than the large version does) but pretty hard to find nowadays and consequently, expensive. You could probably buy a decent boxed large Falcon for the money you have to pay for a complete loose one of these. But for the Micro Collection completist, it's a must.

 

Ewok Assault Catapult Accessory and Ewok Combat Glider

OK, we're back with some more RotJ "last gasp" toys - the Ewok Assault Catapult and Ewok Combat Glider. These were certainly part of the last wave of Jedi toys and were pretty inexpensive back then, attracting parents who wanted to pick up something for their kid but weren't up for the Millennium Falcon or Imperial Shuttle. Retail price on these wouldn't been much more than buying a couple of figures.

First up, we'll look at the Assault Catapult. Like I said earlier, this was essentially a mini-rig... but importantly for the purposes of my own collecting, (unlike mini-rigs) it was actually seen on-screen in the movie!

Here's the toy assembled. Of course it comes with two "simulated rocks" - these are specially made for the toy, as they need to be molded with holes to fit into the spike at the tip of the catapult arm (you'll see).

Thread goes on the hook, which attaches to the underside of the arm.

Only one box shot tableau. You can see how the arm spike fits into the hole in the rock.

Fortunately mine came with the instruction sheet as the toy requires some assembly.

"Pay attention kids!"

Next, here's the Ewok Combat Glider. Again, a low price point here akin to mini-rigs... but unlike mini-rigs, it logged some actual screen time in the battle on the Forest Moon.

Interestingly, this one has a Palitoy sticker. From this I surmise that it would originally have been retailed in the UK.

"Made in Mexico" though! And with all the Kenner USA info too.

Here's the toy in parts. Of course the "boulders" are plastic and simulated, they're different from the rocks that came with the Assault Catapult - these have loops molded in for the thread ropes.

Only one "play" photo on the box and here it is! I have to say, though, that it takes some real dexterity to loop the boulder threads onto the lever piece on the wings, then through the Ewok pilot's hands. I can imagine some parental swearing as their kid made them put this together.

Instructions were also included. A little ratty, but included.

Well that's it for these two. Pretty simple and straightforward toys, designed and built to a price point, but with interesting action features - especially the catapult. These two items were redesigned and reissued in the mid-2010s by Hasbro too, bringing them to a new generation of kids and collectors. But really if you want these there's no reason to settle for the new versions. These were inexpensive when they were new, and are still inexpensive on the collector market.  

Micro Collection X-Wing and TIE Fighter

The two classic Star Wars ships... X-Wing and TIE Fighter. They've appeared in several iterations in the Kenner line - 3 3/4" scale (in two variations each), diecast, and now, Micro Collection! 

Looks great doesn't it? The great thing about the Micro Collection ships is that they seem less... compromised, and more accurate, than the full-size 3 3/4" scale versions.

I think this is due to practical reasons... the larger scale ships have to be a bit undersized when compared to the figures, just for cost. A larger ship requires more material, a bigger box, and a larger footprint on store shelves. All of those things cost money.

But the smaller scale ships require less of all those things, so there's a bit more flexibility to reflect screen accuracy.

Unfortunately the "action feature" of this ship does require a compromise - that large handle sticking out of the ship's behind.

"Lock S-Foils in attack position!"

And here's that pilot outside his cockpit.

Manipulating that handle at the back releases the elastic cord and activates battle damage. And speaking of battle damage... the ship of course includes battle damage stickers with clear backing. They look good.

Instruction sheet.

Here's the copyright information. Made in Macau, interesting eh?

Now the nemesis of the X-Wing - the TIE Fighter. Another really well-done toy, so accurate to the screen version. Battle damage stickers here too. You often find these ships missing the wing stickers as the glue loosens after 40 years... fortunately this example required little work. I was able to make good photocopies of the detached stickers and stick them back on with white glue.

The battle-damage lever is much better integrated here than it is on the X-Wing. It's the button on the back of the cockpit pod. 

Hatch opens at the top, just like on the 3 3/4" version.

Copyright info on the inside of the hatch.

TIE pilot is a bit harder to find. My ship didn't come with one when I bought it years ago so I had to find a loose one, which can be tough. This one came in a lot with a bunch of other Micro Collection figures. I've seen sellers ask up to $45 for a TIE pilot but I got this one for less than that, and it came with a dozen other random figures to boot.

Pressing the button simulates the battle damage.

Instruction sheet is great to have!

Nice detail on the cockpit right?

Here's the two pilots. They look really good.

Not super-visible in the pic but trust me, the figure bases have copyright info, as well as a unique code that identifies the figure and what set it came with. There's a handy list of the figures and their codes on the Star Wars Collectors Archive, here.

Till next time!