TIE Bomber - SW [S - P1] - Vehicles (Exclusive)

TIE Bombers are the prime assault bombers of the Empire. In traditional attacks, TIE Fighters first soften up the target, and then the TIE Bombers come in to finish the job. Their sophisticated targeting sensors enable them to hit specific targets without damaging surrounding areas. This allows them to disable vital areas so the Imperial forces can take control of the crippled vessel or space station. TIE Bombers carry a heavy and diverse payload that allows them to not only attack ships and stations but also perform ground bombing and deploy orbital mines. In The Empire Strikes Back, TIE Bombers are deployed to locate the Millennium Falcon when it hides in an asteroid field.

There isn’t too much argument when Star Wars collectors claim that the most anticipated release from Hasbro in 2002 in the Power Of The Jedi line was the TIE Bomber. It was a first time ever offering in the 3.75” scaled line and was exclusive to Walmart stores. It sold incredibly fast and really didn’t meet initial demand. So Hasbro decided that Walmart should get another stab at this vehicle and released it in a refreshed form in the Star Wars “Saga” line. In less than a year, Hasbro released the same figure in two different line looks and two different paint jobs. It’s quite a feat if you ask us. As you know, the TIE Bomber is an exquisite release. Hasbro’s sculptors paid careful attention to all of the vehicle’s unique features and crafted something that has thrilled Star Wars collectors around the world. From the ingress-egress hatch to the rear thrusters, the design on this vehicle is impressively jaw-dropping. It will remain one of Hasbro’s crowning achievements in the toy line. With a second chance at retail for those that missed it, and a refreshed paint job for those that need one of everything, the “new” TIE Bomber aims to please collectors of all statuses. Hasbro has decided to re-release the same boring pack-in figure, but aside from that we again have very little to complain about here at all. The Star Wars “Saga” TIE Bomber has been executed well to almost perfection and it’s evident that it will remain a staple in the basic figure line for years to come.

The TIE Bomber is an impressive sculpt indeed. That word often gets overused, but it’s aptly applied here. It truly is a sight to behold. Just a cursory glance will reveal detail after detail to you. This vehicle is loaded with an inordinate detail, much like you would expect to see on an aircraft in our real world. The technical layout of the vehicle is stunning and this is a believable toy in the light that it makes sense how these things could fly in outer space. Just the very design of this vehicle is a mechanical wonder in and of itself. And the double body of the TIE Bomber is exquisitely recreated. The vehicle’s left side is where the cockpit and pilot sit and the right portion, properly defined as the ordnance pod, is strictly reserved for the vehicle’s bombing functionality. It includes a bomb port as well as two sections, although you have to use your imagination as you can't open it up. The TIE Bomber comes with three separate clear-with-orange-centers missiles. They are loaded in a special compartment in the ordnance pod and you can fire/release them with a simple press of a ‘large’ button on the top of the . We would have loved to have seen inside of the ordnance pod to see the design of this complex hull of this vehicle, but maybe it is this specific mystery that makes this vehicle so appealing. Interestingly, the ordnance pod actually looks like a reverse of the cockpit hull, but when you study the vehicle from behind, you’ll see that they have identical twin ion engine thrusters on the back. But what sets this version apart from 2002’s POTJ TIE Bomber vehicle is the paint job.

The POTJ version was quite clean by all accounts. This time, it looks like this particular TIE Bomber has encountered a little distress along the way. There appears to be a lot more exhaust accumulation on this vehicle, especially where the ship is powered. Additionally, silvers “star” patterns can be found on the wings and they look like they’ve been hit by some smaller meteors in an asteroid field or some quick blasts from the Rebel Alliance. Whatever your thoughts, there is no denying that this vehicle has received and exceptionally well done paint job. We’re even still impressed by the vehicle’s cockpit which we should really be calling an ingress/egress hatch at this point. We’re thrilled to see an inordinate amount of detail go into an area of the vehicle that won’t even be seen most of the time, but that’s exactly what they did for us. Hasbro has produced a wonderful toy here. Again, the included Imperial Pilot is the only downside to this release because it is based on 1996’s POTF2 TIE Fighter Pilot figure, which is now obsolete. Still, it’s hard to fault Hasbro for including a figure that can fit and sit in its cockpit. And of course it’s wonderful to put a figure that drives the vehicle from the same box. Despite the pack-in figure, the refreshed TIE Bomber is a welcomed addition to the Star Wars “Saga” line. We’re thankful for its ancestor in the collector-focused Power Of The Jedi, but we are inclined to believe this is the nicer looking version. This awesome vehicle will not lose its luster over time. Hasbro got this nearly perfect right from the start, so reissues are going to look equally as good!