X-Wing (thing)

Class: Starfighter

Model:                   X-Wing 1978 LP/Special Offer, 1979, 1981
Designer/Manufacturer:   Kenner Toys
Crew:                    One "Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot" 3 3/4" 
                         figure (or beefier/sexier Fisher Price Adventure  
                         People guy jammed into the pilot seat)
Weaponry:                Four black plastic Laser Cannons 
                         - detatchable for repairs or 
                         One red LED in nose (triggered by 
                         button behind droid's head)
                         (Luke also has a blaster pistol but 
                         shouldn't fire it while flying).
Propulsion System:       Hand, occasionally supplemented by 
                         Gravity
Speed Rating:            15-20 kph by hand, terminal velocity 
                         if dropped from roof
Maneuverability Rating:  75 (80 if wearing Converse All-Stars)
Power Generator:         2 AA batteries, although batteries often
                         removed to store blaster pistol
                         or M&M rations in battery slots.
Navigation System:       R2 or R5 astromech droid - although 
                         it was molded into the plastic
                         and couldn't turn its head, limited 
                         navigational effectiveness.
Hyperdrive:              1 box Captain Crunch, 3 cups milk, 
                         4 hours cartoons
Shielding:               Multi-coloured stickers (red and yellow) 
                         on fusilage and wings -- could be 
                         peeled off or scorched as damage sustained
Targeting Computer:      Shrill noise when laser cannon button depressed
Special Features:        S-Foils (wings), pop into "X" position when 
                         droid's head pushed down.

The Kenner X-Wing was the standard Starfighter in the Kenner Rebel Alliance line between 1978 and 1981. As one of only two fighters first available in 1978-79, it was the mainstay of backyard dogfights and hit and run operations. Like its counterpart, the Tie Interceptor it employed LED laser cannons and 2 AA batteries. Unlike the Tie Interceptor, its wings opened into an X-shape when the hidden button was depressed. (By contrast, the Tie's "wings" would fly off -- a significant design flaw that caused it to lose most engagements).

; There were several types of X-Wing. The 1978 version was the first, featuring the "LP" logo (short for "long play") in the lower right corner of the box. 1978 also so the release of a "Special Offer" version of the toy, which came with Free Luke Skywalker and Han Solo figures. 1979 saw the X-Wing virtually unchanged, except for the box, which now showed a "Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot" version instead of the original "blond" Luke figure. The original design continued until 1982, when it was replaced by the "Battle Damaged" version which contained "scorched" decals that could be applied. In the words of Ron Salvatore, toy collector, on www.toysrgus.com:

...if you were like me, you applied them and then immediately decided you hated the way they looked. And I can tell you from experience, the things weren't designed to be temporary-- to get them off, you had to literally scrub the toy down, removing not only the offending battle damage decals, but the standard ones as well. Then you were left with a vehicle that had no decals at all and you had to beg your dad to paint the vehicle's stripes on with cheap model paint. So, basically, you were left with the tackiest looking X-Wing Fighter imaginable-- one with smudgy stripes and haphazard red and yellow finger prints. But I'm not bitter.

It was also grey rather than white. An unproduced "Power Sparks" version was also prototyped (but with little tiny figures). The orignial X-Wing was pressed back into service in 1995 as a part of the Star Wars Vintage line, but aging pilots led to its speedy retirement.