Y-wing Scout Bomber - TFA - Vehicles (Class I) (Space)

Armed with proton bombs and laser cannons, this prototype T-wing Scout Bomber uses its rotating engines to provide enhanced maneuverability during flight.

We all have to admit that sometimes Hasbro can really rework some of their vehicles into multiple Star Wars properties. Originally a “Hasbro Concept” for The Clone Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] line, the popular Y-wing Bomber (With Clone Trooper Pilot) has now been re-imagined for the Star Wars: Rebels property and dare we say it seems to work a little bit better this time around? A very hard to find Class I vehicle in 2011, Hasbro has basically completely retooled the vehicle’s central portion to make it a little more fitting for the Rebels characters it is meant to interact with, but also sports a completely new color scheme as well. And this makes us question how we identify sculpt. At what point is it fair to denote something as an all-new sculpt when 75%-90% of it is completely new? Oh well, we will still bill this as a retool, but you should know that it’s mostly new, save for a few recycled parts. In 2011, the Y-wing Bomber (With Clone Trooper Pilot) had an MSRP of $18.99. And in 2015, Hasbro suggests just a few dollars more, which isn’t bad if you think about it by today’s standards. This is especially poignant when you consider the amount of retooling that went into this version. It seems like this may be one of the most fairly priced items in the entire The Force Awakens line. With a retooled “pilot version” of Kanan Jarrus thrown into the mix, there isn’t much else we’d expect for this pretty cool Class I vehicle set.

As we’ve explained, the entire cockpit and cargo section of the Y-wing Scout Bomber is new. If you compare this version to The Clone Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] version, you’ll see that even the texture of the cockpit seat is different. There are of course many similarities, but those with an eye for detail will see just how many differences exist between the two releases. Of special interest, the droid socket area has also seen significant tweaking. To allow for a better fit for Chopper (not included), Hasbro made the floor higher than they did in The Clone Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] release so Chopper’s dome can be seen like any other droid. The only limitations to this is regular astromech droids will have greater difficulties interacting with the 2015 version of this vehicle. As you know, the Y-wing Bomber has two rotating “wings” or “jet propulsions” that each store a snap-in bomb. And then an action feature on the top allows the bombs to be dropped at your request. It’s a simple, but cool feature and adds plenty of extra play value to an already excellent miniature style vehicle. Not many vehicles in the Class I line come with all of these bells and whistles, so we count ourselves very fortunate here. In many ways, the Y-wing Scout Bomber has the spirit and inspiration of The Phantom Attack Shuttle released in 2014’s Rebels line. And between the light gray and yellow colorings, it makes the connection even stronger.

The pack-in Kanan Jarrus action figure looks great, although his legs, on our sample, came bowed and his lightsaber curved. He comes with the standard five points of articulation so kids won’t break off the wrists, which in turn will prevent parents from calling Hasbro complaining they make crappy toys. (That is a long-running jab at Hasbro.) But for five points of articulation, the sculpt is pretty great and the paint operations are a far cry from where there were just a year ago. The details in the costume are wonderful. And although we find it frustrating to see a spectacularly sculpted blaster in his holster that will stay there as it’s all one mold, we admit the detailing is impressive and certainly exceeds our expectations. The sad thing is no one (kids and collectors) will be able to achieve the really dynamic poses this character displays in the Rebels television show. With only five points of swivel articulation, there aren’t that many ways to display this action figure without giving him a very robotic stature. But as a display piece, Kanan Jarrus meets all of our expectations. Well sculpted, well painted and properly outfitted with a lightsaber accessory, there is honestly very little to complain about outside of the obvious desire to see more articulation. For this release Kanan Jarrus received an all-new head sculpt. He is wearing a headset this time around so he can pilot the Y-wing Bomber effectively. The Y-wing Scout Bomber is a great value and has wonderful interactivity with Rebels action figures. And you honestly can’t beat the price.