Star Wars X-Wing Pilot

 The Star Wars X-Wing Pilot and I go way back- Kenner's original 3.75" figure from 1978 was one of the first of that scale I had. He wasn't my favorite Star Wars figure back then, but as an adult I have a much greater appreciation for his detailed sculpt and bright orange flight suit. This post will showcase the figures of that character in my collection.

When I found Epic Heroes Series Force Strike X-Wing for ten bucks shipped from some warehouse closeout seller on eBay, I knew I wouldn't find a lower cost option for the fighter anywhere again. Its wing expansion function is clunky, constantly causing the wings to pop off when opening them into attack position, and there's no lights and sounds, but it looks a lot like the Kenner version I had as a child. I might not have bought it at the original retail price of $30.00, but it makes a great display piece for my X-Wing Pilot collection, and it even came with a figure.

I got this 12" Gentle Giant Jumbo X-Wing Pilot (Luke Skywalker/Red Five) on sale from BBTS, the second version of this figure that comes with a removable helmet, blaster, and two lightsabers- far superior to the first release. This is the only Gentle Giant Jumbo figure I have, but I'm absolutely mad for them! Yes, his hair is already scuffed from squeezing the helmet on, but there's no way I was going to leave him in the package and not take him out to play with. I love the options on this figure!

That Gentle Giant figure was based on the O.G. Kenner 3.75" X-Wing Pilot figure, of course, two well-loved samples of which I have in my current adult collection. Mine are outfitted with modern reproduction blasters and lightsabers. 

I also have a 1:6 scale Kitbash Custom X-Wing Pilot based on the original Kenner 12" Luke Skywalker outfitted with a later '90s flight suit and custom reproduction lightsaber. I bought a few custom figures from the same seller, this one priced very attractively. He removed the foam from inside the helmet to fit this earlier figure better. The earlier 12" Star Wars figure bodies were basically Ken/Barbie dolls with little in the way of useful articulation, but the faces were so much nicer.

X-Wing Pilot Luke Skywalker with my other kitbash custom Return of the Jedi Luke Skywalker:

... and my Kenner Luke Skywalker with the Gentle Giant X-Wing Pilot ...

...and finally, the display of this small collection in my home! There's not a great deal of room for expansion, but I'm satisfied with this. 2027 will be the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, so I'm feeling a lot of nostalgia for it ahead of this milestone- a movie that had an impact on our culture that's hard to quantify.

More Later- May the Force Be with You!