RZ-1 A-wing Interceptor
Kit: A-wing Interceptor
Mfg: Bandai
Scale: 1/72nd
Of all of the many ships in the Star Wars universe (and trust me, there are a lot,) my favorite design is definitely the RZ-1 A-wing interceptor. From the first moment I watched it in Return of the Jedi as it went careening into the bridge of the Emperor's Flagship, I became an immediate fan. Sure, it isn't as iconic as an X-wing or as prolific as a Tie Fighter, but this plucky, little interceptor immediately earned my admiration and respect.
Even with its very limited screen time, the A-wing became embedded in my brain as the sleek, sexy, F1 race car of the Rebel Fleet. Unfortunately, when I was a lad I never got a chance to build a kit of this subject. My local hobby shop and toy store, never had one on the shelves. That was fine, since I usually stuck with World War II aircraft and Cold War jets, but I kept the A-wing on my Model Bucket list.
As the years went on, I still maintained a healthy admiration for the little ship and when Bandai began pumping out Star Wars model kits I knew my time had come. The A-wing Interceptor was my 1st target in the Bandai line. After a good 25+ years, it was finally time to build that awesome ship.
Now, back in the 90s, most of the Bandai kits that I built were based Anime series like Patalabor, Tekkaman, Neon Genesis and of course Gundam. Even though, none of these shows were well known here in the U.S. that didn't stop me from trying to get my hands on as many as I could. I have to admit, I built a lot of these subjects and loved every moment of assembally.
Fast forward to 2016, I find out that Bandai is producing Star Wars kits. Based on my earlier experiences, I figured that these models would probably be great in both fit and function, but I needed to see for myself. I can happily report that after eight YouTube episodes and a completed A-wing, I can confirm that these kits are in fact, awesome.
Even with its very limited screen time, the A-wing became embedded in my brain as the sleek, sexy, F1 race car of the Rebel Fleet. Unfortunately, when I was a lad I never got a chance to build a kit of this subject. My local hobby shop and toy store, never had one on the shelves. That was fine, since I usually stuck with World War II aircraft and Cold War jets, but I kept the A-wing on my Model Bucket list.
As the years went on, I still maintained a healthy admiration for the little ship and when Bandai began pumping out Star Wars model kits I knew my time had come. The A-wing Interceptor was my 1st target in the Bandai line. After a good 25+ years, it was finally time to build that awesome ship.
Now, back in the 90s, most of the Bandai kits that I built were based Anime series like Patalabor, Tekkaman, Neon Genesis and of course Gundam. Even though, none of these shows were well known here in the U.S. that didn't stop me from trying to get my hands on as many as I could. I have to admit, I built a lot of these subjects and loved every moment of assembally.
Fast forward to 2016, I find out that Bandai is producing Star Wars kits. Based on my earlier experiences, I figured that these models would probably be great in both fit and function, but I needed to see for myself. I can happily report that after eight YouTube episodes and a completed A-wing, I can confirm that these kits are in fact, awesome.
Construction Report
Let me start out by saying that Bandai makes excellent models. Their ability to engineer kits that are both detailed and intricate, yet extremely simple to build is unrivaled in this market. I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed by any of their kits.
While building the A-wing, I didn't have any fit issues. I didn't have confusion at the instructions. The parts were flash free, cleanly molded and right on the money. Assembly went along without any issues. From the cockpit to the cannons, this kit just flowed, from one step to the next.
Much like my old 90's Gundam kits, certain aspects of the Bandai A-wing give it an almost toy like feeling. Yes, it has stickers for markings and it has some gimmicky laser bolts for the guns muzzles, but these are all optional. Bandai has included parts and pieces that gives this a very legitimate, fine scale vibe. You have the option to use actual decals instead of stickers, you can paint and weather the kit, instead of keeping it molded in colored plastic. There are some really nice details in the landing gear areas, the cockpit and the engines. This kit can be enjoyed by modelers of any skill level and that is a beautiful thing.
Not only do you get a very nice A-wing, you also get a stand to showcase the A-wing in flight and a bonus Turbo Laser tower that attaches to the A-wing's stand. Of course it is WAY out of scale, but it is still a nice addition. Even the clear engine parts are designed with the potential of lighting them with LEDs. This kit is truly awesome.
Final Thoughts
Let me start out by saying that Bandai makes excellent models. Their ability to engineer kits that are both detailed and intricate, yet extremely simple to build is unrivaled in this market. I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed by any of their kits.
While building the A-wing, I didn't have any fit issues. I didn't have confusion at the instructions. The parts were flash free, cleanly molded and right on the money. Assembly went along without any issues. From the cockpit to the cannons, this kit just flowed, from one step to the next.
Much like my old 90's Gundam kits, certain aspects of the Bandai A-wing give it an almost toy like feeling. Yes, it has stickers for markings and it has some gimmicky laser bolts for the guns muzzles, but these are all optional. Bandai has included parts and pieces that gives this a very legitimate, fine scale vibe. You have the option to use actual decals instead of stickers, you can paint and weather the kit, instead of keeping it molded in colored plastic. There are some really nice details in the landing gear areas, the cockpit and the engines. This kit can be enjoyed by modelers of any skill level and that is a beautiful thing.
Not only do you get a very nice A-wing, you also get a stand to showcase the A-wing in flight and a bonus Turbo Laser tower that attaches to the A-wing's stand. Of course it is WAY out of scale, but it is still a nice addition. Even the clear engine parts are designed with the potential of lighting them with LEDs. This kit is truly awesome.
Final Thoughts
As a kid, Bandai had a very impressive list of selling points for their models. Not only were these kits robust and well engineered, they didn't require any glue or paint. They came molded in color, with clearly illustrated and very colorful instructions. They used stickers instead of decals, (which for a kid is excellent news, by the way.) They could take quite a beating without breaking or snapping apart. They were designed in such a way that you could actually play with your finished models. That was unheard of in the fine scale hobbies. These kits were poseable, colorful and looked epic on your display shelf. For a young boy, every step with these kits was super fun.
Fast forward to today and my modeling tastes have changed a, yet the Bandai kits still appeal to me. It isn't just for kids or younger builders. No, this kit possesses enough detail to give a more advanced builder a ton of options. If you want to super detail this kit, you can. Go crazy! The nice thing is, even after you are all done, the kit will still retain that "fun" factor that Bandai instills in all of their kits. And after an imaginary flyby, past all of your other finished kits, it will look great on the shelf.
If you are so inclined, I have the full build series on my YouTube channel and the images of my progress are on my Facebook page, so feel free to check them out.
Until next time, I hope you enjoy your kits and thanks for stopping by.
~GB
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